The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-01-05

Iochy canyons III search OF Bruce and
Linda, and now, as the dawn broke.
he thought that he had found them.
| He had suddenly come upon the tracks
of Bruce's horse in the snow.
If he had encountered them farther
back, when the animal had been run
ming wildly, he might have guessed
the truth and rejoiced. No man would
attempt to ride a horse at gallon
through that trailless stretch. But at
the point he found the tracks most of
the horses terror had been spent, and
1t was walking leisurely, sometimes
lowering itsshead to crop Off the shrub
berry, The trail was comparatively
fresh, too; or else the fast-falling
snow would have already obscured 1t.
He thought that his hour of triumph
was near
But 1t had come none too soon. And
Simon-out Of passion-filled eyes
looked and saw that it would likely
bring death with it.
He realized his position fully. The
storm was steadily developing into
one OF those terrible mountain bliz-
yards in which, without shelter, no
human being might live He was far
from his home, he had no blankets,
and he could not find his way. Yet
he would not have turned back ff he
could. The securing of the document
by which Bruce could take the great
estates from him was only trife now
He believed wholly within his own
soul that the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. his
aid-wOuld do his work of hatred for |
him; and that by no conceivable cir |
cumstances could Bruce and Linda |
find shelter from the blizzard and live |
through the day. He could find their |
bodies In the spring If he by any
chance escaped himself and take the
Ross-Folger agreement from them.
But 1t was not enough. He wanted
also to do the work of destruction.
Even his own death-if it were only
delayed until his vengeance was
wreaked-could not matter now. In
all the ancient strife and fury and
ceaseless war of the wild through
which he had come, there was no pas
sion to equal this. The Killer was con-
tent to let the wolf kill the fawn for
him. The cougar will turn from its
warm, newly slain prey, in which its
white fangs have already dipped, at
the sight of some great danger in the
thickets. But Simon could not turn.
Death lowered its wings upon him as
well as upon his enemy, yet the fire In
his heart and the fury in his brain
shut out all thought of it.
He sprang off his horse better to
examine the tracks, and then stood,
half bent over. in the snow.
Bruce Folger headed swiftly up the
rail that his runaway horse had
made. 1t was, he thought, his last
effort, and he gave his full strength
% it. Weakened as he was by the
old and the wound, he could not have
made Roadway at all except for the
act that the wind was behind him.
The snow ever fell faster, in larger
lakes, and the track dimmed before
lis eyes. 1t was losing game. Ter
flied not only by the beast that had
TIRED in the thicket but by the ever.
Increasing wind as well, the animal
would not linger to be overtaken.
Bruce had not ridden it enough to
ave tanned it, and his plan was to
tempt to shoot the creature on sight
ather than try to catch it. They
ould not go forward, anyway, as long
S the blizzard lasted Which way was
asst and which was west he could no
onger guess. And with the blankets
hey might make some sort Of shelter
nd keep life in their bodies until the
now ceased and they could find their
,ay. T
The cold was deepening, the storm .
'as increasing In fury. Bruce's bones =
ched, his wounded arm felt numb and
TRANCE, the frost was getting into his
lngs. There was no hope of the W
torn decreasing, rather it was stead. B
Y growing worse. The tracks IL
rev more dim, and he began In
be afraid that the falling ql
axes would obscure his own foot W
rints so that he could not find to
is way back to Linda. And he knew,
eyond all other knowledge, that he th
anted her with him when the shad- fir
VS. dropped down for good and all 81
e wanted her arms about him; the df
ght would be easier then. W
"Oh, what's the use?" he suddenly m
lid to the wind. "Why not give up tn
Id go back?"
He halted In the trail and started S
turn. But at that instant a BAN
n of wind swept down into his face,
Id the eddy of snow in front Of him
as brushed from his gaze. Just for
e space of breath the canyon for
hundred feet distant was partially ca
cared of the binding streamers of y y
ow. And he uttered a long gasp co
hen he saw, thirty yards distant and ey
the farthest reaches of his sight, L
e figure of a saddled horse. N,
His gun leaped to his shoulder, yet ia,
5 eagerness did not cost him his self WI
ntrol. He gazed quietly along the We
,hts until he saw the animals Shout
r between them. His finger pressed
ok against the trigger.
The horse rocked down, seemingly tb
stantly killed, and the snow swept hi.
between. Bruce cried out In tri- M,
lph. Then he broke into run and do
ed through the furries toward his Pr
ad. dr.
(To BE CONTINuED)