The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-12-16
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George Marsh
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CHAPTER III-Continued
Copyright by Penn Pub. Co.
(WNU Service)

Two days later, with Smoke running
| the shore, Jim and Omar were polling
the peterboro up a wild reach of the
swift Woman river. Jim's thoughts
alternated between the coming year
which would decide his future with
! the company. and the two women, far
apart as the poles in nature and tenn
permanent, who had come into his life.
| AS for Aurore LeBlond, she would soon
be but memory. In month she
was going ''out''-back to Winnipeg.
There was no chance of even seeing
her again, as he was to start with
Omar and Esau at once for the Pipe
stone country.
The canoe was entering a stretch of
"strong water" demanding the utmost
| efforts of the crew to force her up
stream when, suddenly, a rifle ex-
ploded in the willows of the near shore
and bullet splintered the spruce pole
IN Omar's hands. Off balance, the
bowman lunged into the river, but
twisted as he fell and caught and
hung to the gunwale of tn. boat while
Jim iii z" Ills WClShI against thO AOAk
of the swinging craft.
''Lie down! Let her dreefr' called
the half-breed as a rife again cracked
in the willows and splinter from the
gunwale fiicked Jims desperate face
with blood.
Flattening out in the canoe, he
CROPPED for his gun lying amidships as
the drag of the man in the water
headed the bow down river. Again a
rifle exploded and bullet passed
through the wooden wall Of the craft
close to Jim's head.
What could it mean? Who would
ambush them here On the Woman
river?
AS the boat drifted out of easy
range of the willows, Jim reached and
cooked his gun, rose boldly to his
knees and rapidly emptied the maya
zine al the telltale wisp of smoke
against the green of the scrub. Then
over the bow rose a dripping face
warped with rage as the thick arms
Of Omar lifted his body from the
water. With a lunge the half-breed
was in the rolling canoe and his rifle
firing at the fast receding shore.
Shortly bend masked the willows
from the sight of the dancing craft
and the men swung the canoe in to
the beach.
"Well what's this mean" demanded
Jim.
"Paradees, for sure!" snapped the
bowman as they landed. "Come on,
we hunt for dem" And Omar plunged
ahead into the bush.
They had travelled less than a hun
dred yards when familiar yelp, from
somewhere upstream, sounded above
the fret Of the river.
Smoke! He'll find their trail 7"
muttered Jim. Then fear for the
safety Of the dog he loved led him
to push rapidly On up the river shore
while Omar cut back inland behind
the scene of the ambush.
Suddenly, deep in the forest, a rifle
was fired and Jim's heart sank, as he
heard the husky's yelp.
"He's shot Smoker"
Furious with the thought of his gal
liant dog gasping out his life from a
bullet wound, Jim plunged ahead in
the direction of the rifle shot. Shortly
he saw a dark patch through the
spruce and threw his rifle to his Shout
der. AS he lined his sights, the dark
face Of Omar appeared, head tilted as
If listening.
Jim reached his friends side. did
you fire that shot? Where's Smoker"
he demanded. II thought he was
hurt"
81 shoot at dat Teller! Smokes
after him now-in dose cedar. 1t ees
so tick you see noding."
"You saw him?"
"Ah-hah!"
Separating, the two men started
circling the dense cedar growth. Jim
had not travelled a hundred yards
when he heard Smokes roar, followed
by a shot, then the sounds of strug-
gle. Plunging through the thick I'M
dergrowth, mad with anxiety for the
safety of his dog, he saw running
figure turn and swing with dubbed
rifle at the black-and-white bulk of
the pursuing Smoke. With a muffled
roar the hurt dog again lunged at the
Indian; again the dubbed rifle crashed
as the husky leaped. Knocked back to
his launches, with shake of the
head the great dog closed with the
indian, who was desperately trying
to load as he ran. The tusks of Smoke
snapped as his one hundred and forty
pounds bore his quarry to the earth.
Throwing himself on the enraged
dog, Jim baked the lunge which
would have torn the throat of the help
less man on the ground, then dragged
the battle-mad Smoke from his prey.
Throw that knife away or I'll let
him have you'll" Jim commanded, hold
ing the straining husky as the Ojibwa,
rolling away from the swapping fangs,
reached for the sheath on his sash.
''Now lie where you are! II that shot
hit him. I'll put him on you, anyway"
But there was no sign of blood on
Smokes trembling body.
Then Omar, drawn by the shot,
reached them.
"Ah-hahl So Paradees SEN you?
Wal, l t'ink we camp here tonight
vile you tell wat you know bout
M'sieu' Paradees, ah-hahw
With the Indian walking ahead,
prodded by Omar's gun, they returned
to the canoe and made camp.
Supper over, Omar began the inquf-
sition Of the sullen Ojibwa who had
remained dumb to all attempts to