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

sssAsAS AssOAS ASSSS AOo Iuoh Az NlASA.
Il believe you zgoMld have got EN-"
the officer acknowledged. After a
time he persisted: They'll put up a
battle. Doret. You'll need to be care
full"
'Poleon was squatted Indian fash
ion over the blaze; he was staring
fixedly into the flames, and an alb
original reticence had settled upon
him. After long time he answered:
"Mebbe SO ! keel de beeg Teller. l
dunno. So long one is lef' l max
him clear dat. boy Phillips"
Decent X0As t. take chance
like that for 'PIcfce," Rock resumed.
Its different with me; l have to
do IL Just the same, I wouldn't care
to follow those fellows over the
BOUNDARY; l don't think you'd bet
ter try it," u
In spite Of his suffering, the lieu
tenant fell into doze; whether he
slept ten minutes OF an hour he never
knew. but he awoke, groaning, to find
the big woodsman still bulked over
the campfire, still smoking, still sip
ping tea. Rock ate and drank some
more; again he slept. For a second
time his pain reused him, and once
more he marveled to discover Pol
con occupied as before. 1t seemed
to him that the fellow would never
satisfy himself. Eventually, how
ever. the latter arose and made prep
arations to leave.
The Northern Lights. had flickered
out now: the empty sky was
sprinkled with million stars which
eiittered like scintillating frost Jewels
frozen into the dome of heaven;
there were no sounds what
ever to break. the, deathlike silence
OF the night, for the Arctic wastes
are all but lifeless. There was no
bird-calls. no sounds of. insects. not,
even the whisper Of running water,
tor the river was locked deep be-
meath its icy armor.
You got 'nough wood to las long
TAM" Poleon declared. IF l don
come back. dem Forty Mile Police
is sure to pick you up"
| Il can 60 in alone if l have to-"
the injured man declared. "An
rev0ir and good luck"
| 'Poleon made no attempt to hurry
his tired team; for several miles he
plodded along behind them. guiding
them to right or left by low-spoken
word. Years before, he had rocked
on the bars of this stream: there
fore its landmarks were familiar to
him: and in spite of the darkness he
readily identified them. In time he
made out the monuments marking
the International Boundary, and a
short distance beyond that point he
nnhitched his dogs. then took a car
bine from his sled and slipped it full
of shells. Next he removed his lash
rope. coiled it, and placed it in his
pocket, after which he resumed his
journey lion.
| Occasionally he dimly glimpsed de-
serted cabins, habitations built bv the
eold-diggers of other days. Care
fully he followed the all but indis-
tinguishable sled tracks ahead of him
until they swerved abruptly in toward
the bank. Here he paused, pulled
la mitten. and, moistening a finger,
held It up to test the wind. What
movement there was to the air
seemed to satisfy him. for step by
step, he mounted the steep slope un-
til his head finally rose over its crest.
Against the skyline he now made
out small clearing: straining his
eyes. he could see the black square
Of a cabin wall. No light shonc
from it. therefore he argued that his
men had supped and were asleep.
tie had assumed that they would
not. could not, go far beyond the
Boundary; he had purposely allowed
them sufficient time in which to over
come the first agony of fatigue and
to fall asleep. He wondered appre-
hensively where they had put their
dogs, and if by any evil chance the
McCaskey team included an "out-
side" dog of the watchful, barking
variety.
Gingerly he stepped out, and found
that the snow llnderfoot gave off
only the faintest whisper. Like a
shadow he stole closer to the hut.
keeping the imperceptible night
breeze in his face.
So noiseless was his approach that
the tired dogs, snugiy curled each in
its own deep bed of snow, did not
hear him-your malamutes that are
broken to harness are bad watch
dogs at best. Not until he had melt.
ed into the gloom beneath the wide
oyeFhang above the cabin door did
the first disturbance come. Then
something started into life and the
silence was broken.
'Poleon- saw that z canvas sled
cover had been used to curtain the
door opening, and during the instant
following the alarm he brushed the
tarpaulin aside and stepped into the
pitch black interior.
y It had been q swift maneuyer. the
result Of a. lightning-like decision.
and not 50, reckless as it appeared.
He stood@now with his back to the
rough log wall. every muscle in his
body taut. his ears strained for some
sound, some challenge. He had been
prepared for q shot out of the dark
ness, but nothing came. His lungs
were filing with the first deep breath
of relief when a sleepy voice spoke
THAT you, Frank" 'Poleon re-
NAMED fixed Id his tracks, Frank I"
there was moments pause, then.
"FYdnk"
Followed a rustic as of a body
turning. then a startled humble in
answer.
"Was that YOU" Joe cCaskey's
voice again demanded.
me? WHAT"
WAS yo.l outsider
"Outsidc?"
"I,heard the doos rowing. They're
stirring now. Hear 'em? I'll swear
I saw that fly drop McCaskey's
words died on nd again the interior
Iof the csbn heearse scuDdlesa