The Washington times., 1937-10-23


a team of wolfish dogs, their
bristling fur agleam with frost.
Rreathice masked their muzzles.
A whip cracked over their strain
ing backs. -.
'Mush, dam yuh, muSh! Git
along thar" snarled the man on
the sled, huddled in the fur robes.
His face was evil, and fearSome
to see.
Haggard beyond belief, eyes
deep-sunken and crusted with
frozen salt rheum, it was the raw
aged face Of a mask OF death'
hideous, loathsome.
Tinkle went the bells on the
leader, and the sled-runners
soueaked loudly on the surface OF
the trail.
With a sudden burst of anger,
the man snarled at a Tagging
malamute and welded the whip
till blood showed on the husky'S
cringing hide. ,.
Jim Kells had no mercy for his
dogs. Jim Kells had no mercy
for anyone, so far as men knew.
Where he went dark deeds tol-
lowed, and once murder. This last
was his undoing, and now, a
hunted man with a price on ms
head, he had fled in fear to the
North.
Candle, Nome, Dawson, Forty
Mile circle. all knew him well
and offered no safe hiding.
LAW PURSUES
At his heels, how many miles
distant he knew not, followed a
10.doe team and two men who
represented the white mans law:
The Scarlet Police, sentinelS OF
the last lone frontier, were out to
get him" 1t was Jim Keus' last
trail.
Kells halted the dogs, crawled
off the sled and took his stand at
the gee-pole. 1t is not wise to lie
too long when the mercury is a
frozen ball and the frost-tlend
stalks abroad. On, on they WenC
again, gaunt man and gaunt dogs
through the great white silence.
An hour went by, and second
hour. The pale light of the short
sunless day was beginning to fade
when far ahead a black speck
showed at the river bend. Kells
Swore at his dogs.
"Mush! Mush!!" Crack! went
the whip. Faster sped the dogs.
They, too, had seen the speck and
knew it for a cabin. To the dogs
of Northland, cabins on the trail
mean rest and food. No need to
urge them now.
painting, the team halted OF Its
own accord before the cabin door
Kells' fingers slipped from their
mitts and sought the inside Of his
parka coat.
His right hand closed on the
butt of a small flat gun, and thus
he stumbled across to the door
and knocked.
"Hello-" the exclamation broke
short as the slim, grave-eyed
young fellow who opened the door
T. saw his visitor. why, come In!
You look plump tuckered out"
He helped Kells inside, and, Slip
. ping on a parka, went outside to
mharness and feed his dogs for
him.
Kells crouched in the friendly
glare of the round-bellied Yukon
stove, and glanced around the
room. From the pans and Shovels
stacked in a corner he knew his
host was a miner.
Though sparsely furnished, the
room showed traces Of a woman's
touch. A woman's photograph
hung over a bunk by the wau-a
woman young and fair.
Kells gave his gun a reaSSuring
pat, and withdrew his right hand
to chafe it in the firegloW. AS he
stooped to unfasten his muck
lucks, the miner returned, and pre-.
pared their meal.
WELCOME COMPANY
Kells eyed him warily as they
supped together, answering the
others questions in monosyllables.
Glad to see a fellow-creature, the
young prospector waxed voluble.
More than anything else he
wanted to talk. Kells heard his
story. Five years before he had
come to the Northland, he said,
bringing his girl-wife. Yes, that
was her picture.
His face was alight as he spoke
Of her, but as his eyes turned to-
ward the picture they clouded
with sudden sadness.
''She here with yuh now?" asked
Kells, for reasons of his own. He
glanced at the door of the sleeping
apartment slightly ajar.
"No. She's gone outside-down
to Seattle" said the other. Took
sick-all the dust got together
during five years of scratching
went to pay for her passage and
the doctors fee-I'm waiting for
news-oh, it's hell. mani" He
leaned his head on his hands.
Kells gulped down his coffee.
why didn't yuh go with her.
SOM"
The other did not look up. II
hadn't the money" he replied
wearily. II haven't got it yet
God, wish I had I wish
had!"
Kells pondered. He knew a gen.
uine story when he heard one. This
kid was no liar. No pickingS here.
Better wait till morning before put
ting his plan into action.