Montana oil and mining journal., 1938-10-15


duh, my business. but I wish youd
tell me one thing. I-Igot q sorfa ices
that's how It Is, that maybe cd 0elr
little. Do-do you sti1 love NM
DuxoQ2 II"
He halted, hectic color nauains up
ward into hts cheeks
Why-wny-" stamnered Jeanette
These were the first words spoken 70
her by this poor fellow. What could be
meant
But yelling tears, and the choking
OF q sorrow she could not bear made
q reply In words impossible 20 her She
guIped, put q handkerchief TO her eyes,
4 turned and fled back into the house
] Jack Lewis stood there q whole min
4 ute without moving. He did not need
\ the words. He had her answer. he
spat into the handkerchief he caErAed,
then turned and went back 20 his
tent where the pair of Crees were
stacking firewood-
Ne mind any more Of that-nere, y
Jack said brJEQueiy. Were going up
I In the woods tomorrow morning Know
where Jack -the-Horse and Little Bea-
yer lakes are7 T'ha,s good That
where we're going, tent and all. You
bring your own tent or wigwarus OF
course. And get me some dogs and
sled !"
A moment later in the tent, he
hauled q steamer trunk from under
the cot. Opening It, he drew forth
five strange objects. things he had not
expected to use again In this world
Four ten-ounce practice gloves. and
debated punching bag ...
Etienne Duroq's e0-mile trapline CIR
cled three small lakes, Manitou, jack
the-Horse and Little Beaver. Els main
"a - = -. ~ 4
tiny cabins at each OF the other two,
places for overnight accommodation.
There was no other trapper nearer
than Scotty McClintock, over on Lake
Kississing.
FtIrs we're prime and plentiful. A
small fortune piling up-but 70 what
end2
Might as well bale the frs and
throw them on the fire, now. No chance
for life and love. No chance for any
thtng-except another terrible defeat,
the next time he met the giant bully,
in the street OF ST. Croix.
II should shoot him and then my
SELF" said Etienne aloud. But he knew
that this was the sort of deed he never
could do. Murder and suicide were
unthinkable things, the deeds Of wicked
men and towards.
Then came trip around the trap
AlAACs Will LANtCAA4lC AAOW4AA4AA AQMA ~
traces in the drifted snow-what looked
much as though dog sled had come
this way, straight toward the traps he
had setl
It was hard to be sure-at first. The
snow had drifted over the marks. But
before he had gone half of the circle,
Etienne was lifting gloved fists, snak-
ing them, and cursing the sneak thief.
Someone-and he could guess only /
Na t.le
head start OF q day, and simply
cleaned out every trap.
One man was on his mind, the only
man IN all this north country who
could do g thing like this Etiennes
dark eyes narrowed. He thought deep
". Then his mouth compressed. He
dug to the bottom OF his trap chest,
and brought 10 light some rusty, in1~
menSe old contraptions with toothed
jaws strong as the jaws Of lion.
These were bear traps, terrific things.
Each one had its heavy chain and
paddock, for attaching to q drag log.
Leverage was needed to spring one
open. No man could do Il with his
hands, or with any instrument either,
If the trap fastened itself upon any
part Of his body. These we're traps
bought in a miscellaneous collection,
secondhand. There no longer were any
bear In this part Of the Barrens large
enough for these traps.
No, but there were men. Or one man,
anyhow
It took him four days instead Of three,
TO make that circuit. Behind him al 4
the usual traps were set In addition,
concealed under snow, Just I
where q sneak thief must step or kneel
when he came to rob, were three ter
rible bear traps, each with its short
but heavy drag log.
0nly to pack more fish for the dogs |
On his sled, the trapper started inn 1
mediately on his next circuit Of the
SO-mile line.
he had not far to 90 this time. Al !
he first two traps, the thief had I
aiken the fur prizes. Then, at the
.hird-well. he had not taken anything.
There In the snow nuddied ct1rsing,
man. The terrible bear :
rap had caught the shin and calf Of
lis right leg He had tried to drag {
himself TO his dog team. But the hus- 8
lies, afraid OF this unusual thing, had z
,roken loose and dragged his over {
urned sled several hundred yards away.
Yelling inc0herently for Etienne 70 d
hurry and spring this trap, or take q O
,ullet through his chest, Black Bart
shannon frmblingiy threw up his rifle.
His face set, Etienne stopped 20 i
ards away. r
"Shoot, you thief-and freeze TO T
eathi" he challenged bitterly. There q
) no one within 20 miles. No one else d
YER comes. No one but buliies-and fur
hievesI should XIII you. but can u
ot. There is better way. IF you wish b
D live, throw your gtEn-far. And the Il
nife in your belt. too. Then viii help, b
4 my own fashion. Not yours, dirty IL
mel"
Black Bart yelled curses, threats. But Il
be stocky little man before him was a
ot at all afraid 10 die. He merely "
hook his head Then at length ne u
nrned and started back toward his
wn dogs. That was when Black Bart 81
hannon, whinper1ng and slobbering. =
ielded and flung away his weapons
Ito the deep snow.
Silently Etienne caught ShannonE
ogs, righted his sled. then bundled
10 red-handed thief upon Il. bear trap,
- ~HH