The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-12-11
FRIDAY, DECEMBER II, 1925

time beside the cold cmbcrs OF a
fire. Fresh chips were scattered un-
der the bank, charred iagots had
embedded themselves in the ice and
we're frozen fast. but 'Poleon inter-
preted the various signs without diff
iculty.
Here dey max brcakias'-'bout
daylight said he. "Dey go slower
! as US"
But they're going pretty fast. for
all that. Wen never get them this
side OF Forty Mile"
You don spec it, do you? Dey
got beeg scare, dem Teller. Dcy run.
min so fas' dey can"
Forty Mile, SO called because tho
river OF that name enters tho Yukon
forty miles above the Boundary,
was a considerable camp prior to
the Dawson boom, but thereafter it
had languished, and this winter it
was all but deserted. So, too, was
Cudahy, the rival trading post a
halt-mile below. 1t was on the bars
OF this stream that the earliest pion-
GERS had first found gold. Here at
its mouth, during the famine days
before the steamboats, came, they
had cached their supplies; here they
had brcwcd their hootch in the fall
and held high carnival to celebrate
their good luck or to drown their
| l.l-iortUnc.
Rock and his companion pulled up
the bank and III among the window
less cabins during the afternoon;
they had halted their dogs before
the Mounted Police station, only to
find tic building locked and cold.
Tie few faithful Forty-Milcrs who
came out to ecl,angc greetings cx-
planned that both occupants OF the
barracks had gone down-r;vcr to
succor some sick Indians.
Rock WAS disguised. but his next
question elected information that
cl,ceredhim Yes, pair OF strangers
had just passed through. one OF
them an active, hcavy-sct fellow.
the other 4 tall, dark, sinister man
with black eyes and a stormy de-
meanor. They had come fast and
they had tarricd only long enough
to feed their dogs and to make some
inquiries. Upon learning that the
local police were on the main river
somewhere below, they had held a
consultation and then had headed
up the Forty Mite.
"Ut Forty Mile?" Rock cried, in
surprise. Are you sure!'
I'VE seen 'cm co. his informant
declared. That's what made us
think there was something wrong.
That's why we been on the lookout
for you. We fingered they was ON
the dodge and hard pressed; bu: we
couldn't do nothing about it. You
see. its only about twcnty-thrce
miles to the Line up Forty Mile.
Down the Yukon it's forty. They
been gone mos two hours, now
"What do you want 'cm for?" an
other bystandcr inquired.
Murder" Rock exclaimed, short
~; then he hcaved his sled into mo-
ton once more, for 'Poleon had
started his. team and was making !
off through the town. Down into
the bed of the smaller stream the
pursucss made their way and up
this they turned. Again they urged
their dogs into a run. 1t took some
effort to maintain a galloping pace
now, for the teams were firing, and
after some mental calculations Rock
shook his head doubtfully. OF
co.rse. his quarry was at a disad- |
there being two men to one
sled, but-twenty-thrce miles, with
a two-hour start! 1t was altogether
too great a handicap. The lieuten-
ant had figured on that last forty
miles. the last FIVE or ten, in fact,
but this change of direction had up
set all his plans and his estimates.
Evidently the McCaskeys cared not
how or where they crossed the Line.
so long as they crossed it quickly
and got Canadian territory behind
them. Barring accident. therefore,
which was extremely unlikely, Rock
told himself regretiully that they
were-as good as gone. Two hours!
1t was too much. On the other
hand. he and 'Poleon now had a |
fresh trail to follow, while the fee
ing brothers had unbroken snow
ahead of them, and that meant that
they must take turns ahead of their
dogs. Then, too, fifty miles over
driftcd trails at this season of the
year was a heavy days work, and
the McCaskeys must be very tired
by now, for neither was in the best
Of condition. In the spring, when
the SHOWS were wet and sled rum
ners ran as if upon grease, such a |
journey would have been no great
effort, but in this temperature the
steel shoes creaked and mans
did not work freely. Men
had been known to play out unex- |
After all, there was pos
sibility of pulling them down. and
as long as there wasftllat possibility
tho Mounted Policeman refused to |
quit. !, III
Rock assured himself that this
flight had established one thing, at |
least, and that was Pierce Phillips
of the Courteau killing.
The lnurderers were here; there
could be no doubt of it. Their fran
tic haste confessed their guilt. |
Friendship for the boy, pride in his
own reputation, the memory of that
ovation he had received upon lcav-
ing, gave the officer new strength
and determination, so he shut his
teeth and ,spurrcd his rebellious
limbs into swiftcr action. There
was no longer any opportunity of
ridingfthe slcd,ieven where the trail
was hard, for some of the Police
dogs were 1i1nping and loafng in |
their collars. This was indeed "a
race, 4 Marathon, a twcntythree-'|
mile test of courage and endurance,
and victory would 60 to him who
could ,ycall into fullest response his
1act .a4ffeera0sf 1s,asaeA. &c saenx..a