The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-01-19
Chapter a
DELIVERING ANGEL

DELIVERING ANGEL
1NTlL he reached old Johns lake
- up the 1skitimwah. the prospect
Of getting into his plane and whirl.
ing north had buoyed Curt up and
kept him going long after he had
gone dead on his feet. But he had
reached the limit Of human endur-
ance, and the shock Of finding him.
self hopelessly stranded through
Smash's truancy. pushed him over
the limit Stumbling under . pine
tree. he slumped down, almost In .
collapse. and dropped into the merci-
full oblivion Of sleep.
Tenn-Og began looking around
the cabin. reading signs-a crushed
nettle. footprints, . broken twig
with wilted leaves. He announced
presently that Smash had not been
there yesterday or the day before
that He had left three days ago.
To sit around and watch the sky
for . plane that did not come was
more than Paul could bear. Wisely
he kept himself busy. While Tenn
Og went down the shore to . small
stream where ptarmigan were chort-
ling among the cloudberry thickets,
he drew out the canoe and gummed
It. freshened up the musty cabin and
chopped q dead jackpine into IRE
wood. When Tenn-Og came back
with three ptarmigan. he cleaned
and dressed the birds. cooked them.
and prepared 4 meal.
Near seven o'clock Curt woke up.
Paul had supper ready. but Curt
could not force himself TO eat. The
thought Of Sonya drawing nearer
and nearer that headwaters lake
sent him tramping the landwash
again In distraction.
Paul and Tenn-Og made two.
pronged javelin. hardened the points
In the ire: and went down to . rock
jut to spear trout. Al Curt turned
once. he saw they had stopped flsh.
Ing and were listening intently, look.
Ing around the horizon.
A few moments later he caught
. far-away hum. faint 40 . mos.
quito's song. It seemed to come
from nowhere in particular: but It
rapidly grew louder. deeper, and
changed to . throaty drone. He 10
Gated its direction, due south, and
whirled to look.
Out above . lofty range hove q
glistening speck, shining in the slant
evening sun. Curt stood rooted In
his tracks. afraid that the growing
speck was . delusion and might
vanish. But it came on and on, till
At last he distinguished the lines Of
his plane.
For him that glistening plane had
all the splendor Of q delivering IN.
gel From its height Of ten thousand
feet It glided down and down,
banked over the lake, leveled on,
touched and came taxying shore.
ward.
The three leaped into their canoe
and darted out to meet It
As they swung around the pro.
peller and clambered upon q pom.
toon. Smash opened : panel and
Tipped his cigarette into the water,
"Hullo! Didn't keep you waiting,
did !. Curt? Darned sorry; but say,
you ought to see the dance pavilion
and the whole layout down there Il
Lake Maria-uh-Why. what's thu
matter. Curt"
Curt glared At him tight-lipped
sent the canoe spinning with Z kick
slammed open the door and climbed
into the cabin.
I'll take tho controls. Oct bach
IN the rear place: want Tenn-ol
up front with me-
LIE LIFTED the tank Aaps en-
I ! glanced ct the gauges. One
third fulll For Z moment ho va
tempted 70 throw Smash OF On thu
wilderness shore and let him 60
out 70 Russian Lake afoot. u b,
could. L was like Smash. Will. Ri
mind on Lake Marianne. 20 come Of
with barely enough gas to return 4
Tellacet
There was plenty 70 reach the Ia
luar headwaters. but none % brinl
tho ship back south. Whsn the,
reached the lake they would hav
no gas to maneuver with Or get On
70 civilization.
Taking OF. he circled - 1ve thor
sand feet and started west dow
the lskitimwah. Fifteen minute
later. - b sailed ont over The rive
widening and the island q blac
lilies, he saw Tsnn.og look down Z
the country below and blink astol
ished eyes. Fifteen minutes-an
that same trip had taken slx har
eanos-hours that morning!
Intending to approach hid. goi
from the west IN order to keep frol
Gyi1g eleE IL Ma!a baa4 eeiKlos!