The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-29
CHAPTER XIV-Continued

IlelT WelBnt INTO Lnelr cOLldrS anu
the long toboggan creaked off over
the river ice with its heavy load.
They've been lashing their dogs to
get big lead and shake us off,"
"Ah-hah!" answered the tight
Tipped Indian. But some day dey
come back to desc fellers." He nod
ded at the shaggy huskies and their
black leader pacing at the heels Of
the hurrying men.
"Itn be a long race II they still
have the six dogs they brought from
Fort George" groaned Cameron,
tortured by the thought Of Heather S
agony at being torn from her father
of her despair.
More dog you got, more feesh
you mus carry or dey starve. Be-
fore nance day Rough and de pup
weel run dem off dere feet. Den
wan day we see starve dog on de
trail-den more starve dog. An
wen our sled grow more light from
good feed of our dog, we run-run
all day. Dat Rough weel eat up de
snow. You see! Dey keel dere dog
now vile we save ours"
Il know our four dogs are better
than their six," agreed the broken
Alan, "but l can't bear to think Of
her with Mcqueen. I'd like to take
a weeks grub and travel night and
day until we reached her!"
Den we Starve before we see de
head of riviere - and Heather
Starve, also"
You're right This load will slow
us down at first but We'll soon start
to gain. They'll run their dogs
ragged trying to reach their cache
and get away"
1--WE get dem soon!"
''But think of her watching the
back trail-day after day. wonder
ing why we don't come!"
''She know we follow. Every day,
Alan. she know we come fas' wild
Rough an de pup. She have de
strong heart" consoled Noel as the
two led the team down the white
valley between the barren hills.
"She know. some day she see u.s."
1t was long trail to the cache at
the head of the river but, as the
willing Ungavas took the heavy load
over the river ice, Alan's mad de-
sire to tighten the sled by abandon
ing food in an attempt to overtake
at once the girl he loved still fought
with his better judgment The hor-
ror OF her situation tormented him
through the hours, squirting him on
on. Somewhere up the Koksoak
these men he followed were lashing
their dogs-taking her farther and
farther away while she called to
him-called his name. He could
hear her.
At the fork McQueen's trail swung
up the Koksoak. as they anticipated
1t would. and not towards Chino.
He was making for the East Coast
but well Alan realized that Mcqueen,
If he got away, would carry to the
coast with his stolen gold no wit
mass to the murder of John McCord.
Somewhere on the trail, later on,
they would desert her-leave her
young body to the foxes and the
wolverines.
AS they stopped to give the dogs
"breather, Alan dropped to his
knees beside the black lead-dog
Taking the husky's jowls in his two
mittened hands while the dogs S
frosted breath lifted in cloud from
his painting jaws and lolling tongue.
Alan looked long into Rough's brown
eyes.
They've got her, boy-got Heath
er! They're long. long way ahead
of us, but we're going to wear them
down-going to run them off their
feet before the end. We're going to
get Heather. Rough, Heather who
always loved you"
At the name, the husky pricked
his ears and looked around, as if
searching for his comrade Of the
golden hair who rolled with him in
the SLOW.
Alan's voice was rough with emo
ton as he went on. She's calling
to us, boy. l heard her-calling to
you and me to save her. It's a
hard pull now-that sled load.
Rough. but We'll need it, every
pound"
The dog thrust his nose towards
Alan's hood and shifted as his deep
throat rumbled.
Its going to be hard on the big
dog. running most Of the day with
little rest. But it's for Heather,
Rough-for Heather!"
Again the dog pricked his ears
and stood up in his harness to sweep
the river ice with a quick look.
Then, with a whine, he looked in
his masters face as if asking for an
explanation.
In turn Alan patted and talked to
Powder, Shot and Rogue.
''You three pups" he said, "are
going to break your backs to help
old Rough! We're going faster and
faster and some day I'm going to
ask you to give everything you've
got-every last pound to bring
Heather back to u.s."
The great huskies hunched against
the skin leggings of the man, nuz-
Zling his hand. as he talked to them