The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-03-03

big lead but you'll wear 'em down.
you'll show those scrubs what real
dogs can dol"
Up the Deer lodge, over the portage
trail through the hills, 10 the Vermil-
lion, and on through the day shaved
dogs and man until the cold. strength
ened with the dying wind and freez-
ing dusk fell on leg-stiff team and
driver. driving them into the spruce.
But through the day, as the hurrying
sled passed the cold hills and the black
spruce of the shore. hour after hour
devouring the white miles, the snow
yielded no further traces of the lost
girl.
Starting under frosted stars dim
ming before the dawn, hanging to the
trail until stars again glittered in theau,
rora-lit heavens above him, Jim urged
his team down the white Vermilion TO
the first of the PipestOne lakes.
Through the Pipestones and down the
Sturgeon lake sped the dogs. pushed
by the inslstent appeals of man half
mad with grief and fear. With his
powerful team driven to the last ounce
Of their stamina, Jim wondered If he
had overtaken and passed the man he
hunted, concealed somewhere on the
Pipestones? 1t was possible. Slowly
Jim lost hope.
And so. one pitiless gray day.
when the dying sun hung smothered in
haze above the black ridges which
ringed the Sturgeon, six footsOre, stiff
legged dogs, heads down, tails brush
ing the ice, crept within sight of the
island of the Medicine Stone.
ut is her said Omar to old Jinaw,
In Ojibwa, as they waited beside a
fire for the appearance Of Jim at the
rendezvous. "He has come fast. for
the trail Is long. but he has seen moth
ing"
Trail-beaten dogs and driver limped
in from the lake ice. In amazement
Jinaw stared at the drawn face and
tortured eyes Of the factor of Sunset
House, as they shook hands. To Jim's
eager look Omar shook his hooded
head. mo sign-noding."
Cropping under his skin capote, Jim
produced the pitiful square of white
muslin.
81 found this on the Deer Lodge
nothing since. l never spotted sled
track; the snow wiped out everything.
What dthe Indians say?
+ Omar gravely shook his head.
81 talk to two hunters on de Pipe
stone, but dey see no trail and no sled
headin' nord."
"In one-two Sleep" said Jinaw in
his native tongue, "there will be many
teams from the Winisk and the lower
Sturgeon. They bring their fur to the
House of Sunset. If he passed here
they have met him."
"Can he keep alive-find game In
the winter on the Winisk and the Stur-
geon, Jinawr" asked Jim.
The old Indian shook his head. "He
will not know where to find the carl
bou up there. And the wind Is bitter
in the Moon Of the Spirit. They will
starve."
"Starvew muttered the man who
listened, with a shudder. Better to
starve, though, than live that long
with Paradise"
That night Jim lay like dead man.
There would be no start before dawn
under the stars for him and his dogs.
Before daylight, six inches of new
snow covered the trails to the Winisk
and the lower Sturgeon. Until the
hunters came in from the north Omar
inc ;cfn hot hot fnf
rest with his dogs. To go on blindly
was madness.
Late in the afternoon Jim walked to
the yelps of huskies. The first of the
Winisk hunters were In to meet Jinaw,
on their way to the trade. Throwing
off his robes, Jim hurried to knot of
hooded Indians who stood beside
their painting dogs, gesticulating ex-
citedly as they talked to Jinaw and
Omar.
"You say sled passed your camp In
the night, heading north?" Jim heard
Omar ask In Ojibwa.
"Yes. our dogs heard them, and In
the morning there was the fresh trail
in the young snow"
would an Indian pass your camp
in the night?"
mo, he would stop; it was stran-
ger"
Omar turned to meet the glittering
eyes of his chief. I'm starting, now!
We can't take any chances-we've got
to cover both trails north % insisted
Jim. "But the Winisk is mine; you
take the Sturgeon and travel until
you're sure he's not ahead Of you;
then back-track and follow me down
the Winisk with fish for the dogs, and
some grub. We may need themi"
1.-TWO are better dan one" objected
Omar. "My dogs have good rest, yours
are"
"He is mine. Omar" Jim turned
angrily from Tightening his sled lash
ings. 81 want to meet him alone"
Then he said, with muffled sob,
"She may be starving. already-starv-
ingi"
Down the lake, purple under the
starlight. Jims six dogs galloped into
the north.