A MATING IN THE WILDS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19847, 16 January 1920, Page 8

A MATING IN THE WILDS

* *** * . ■ * * (By OTTWELL BINNS.) * **

CHAPTER XIX. (Continued.)

On ;i mutiiiil impulse they turned ;md running hack to the camp, began hurriedly to harness the dogs to the sledge. A lew minutes later they were on the move, and turning the corner of the ‘-‘hit ■ began the descent towards the lake. As they did so both glanced at the direction of the sled they were pursuing. it was moving straight ahead, lairly close iu shore, having evidentlysought the level surface of the lake for easier travelling. AJmv than that they had not leisure to notice, for the descent to the lake was steep, and it required the weight, and skill of 1-utlr to keep tin- sled Ironi over-runnim-- the dogs, but in the space of four minutes it wa, accomplished, and with a dual rmm they took the level trail of. the -ake s 1 ro/.en and snow-covered surface, .os they did so a gust ol: wind cruii'dit a scurry of snow in their faces, and .nenarrl looked anxiously up into tin; -Kv. • r

, .Idj-an-hv i;, snow like anythin’ in sien. Ih- must race to catch Chßmuk he I ore it come.'’

Without another word he stepped ahead, and began to make the trail to" the dogs, whilst Stane took the geepolv to guide the sledge. Bemud hont to -ins task and made a rattlin'' pace, travelling in a bee-line for their quarry, since the lake’s surface offered absolutely no obstructions. Sianc at the gee-pole wondered how long ha would keep it np, and from time to time glanced at the sled ahead, which, seen from the same level, now was halfhidden in a mist of snow. He, noted with snti -taction that they seemed to lie gaining on iW and rejoiced to'think | lli:u. ;u .!o;m hominl's dogs ivorn in i lino mettle and absolutely fresh, thev : could not he long before they over- i hauled it. Presently the HappejH •stooped lo rest., and ' Stano himscM moved ahead. " I will take a turn at-trail-break? ' ing. ’ lie said, “ and do you run bet ; hind, dean-”

It Mas ti dillorent. matter gging ahead til tlio doos on ilio unbroken snow. In ii little time his muscles begun to nrhe intolerably. it seemed ;u it' the ligamevus of the groin were being liulicd by pincers, nml the very bone ol the leg that he had broken seemed t(' burn with pain. llut again, us. on t!ir: previous night, he set'his teetl), and defied the dreaded mai do coquette. Netr hone sustained him : before him. within sight as he believed, Mas the girl. whom, in the months of their wilderness sojourn, ho hud learned te love, and who on the previous night (how long ago it seemed), in the face oi imminent death, had given her-olt to him unreservedly. .11 is blood quickened at the remembrance. Jin ignored ibe pangs he was enduring. The sweat induced by IITe- violent exertion froze on eyebrows and eyelashes, but ho ignored the discomfort, and pressed on, the snow swirling past his ankles in a miniature storm. Twice or thrice ho lifted his bent head mid measured the distance between bim and the quarry ahead- lb, was. lie thought, nearer, and .cheered. he bent In's body again to the nerve-raekiitg toil-

Half an hour passed, and though the I wind was rising steadily, blowing straight in their teeth and adding greatly to their labours, the snow kept off. They were still gaining slowly,; creeping forward yard by yard, the luctf: with the train ahead apparently un?, aware of their pursuit. Then they; struck the Trail made by their quarryl and the work became, less arduous and! tile pace quickened. "By gttvj 1 ’; cried Kcmml as they hit the trail. " wd gct, (lota now, dev make zee trail for, us.” i

Yes." answered Static, his cyuf. ihiaze with excitement.

A mile and throe quarters now separ-i alcd the two team*. and as they fol lowed in the trail that the others had' to make, their confidence seemed justified. Uni nature and man alike, were

to take a hand and upset; their calcttlarionv. In. the wind once more (here came a smother of snow. It was severe, while it lasted, and Idol ted out all vision of the. team .ahead. As it cleared, the two pursuers saw that their quarry had turned inshore, moying obliquely towards a tree-crowned bliiff that jutted out into the lake. Jean lien,aril marked the move, and spoke almost gleefully.

" Dev fear zoo snow, an’ go to make ••v.m;;. lly zee mass. wc get dem like a wolf in zee trap!” the sledge they pursued drew nearer the bluff, then suddenly .Trait lienard threw back his head in a listening aliunde.

" Hark 1 ’ he cried : " what was datf” 'l,heard nothing," answered .Stain?, "what did you fancy you ’’ The sentence teas never finished, for borne to hint on the wind came two or three sharp sounds like (he cracks of distant rifles. Ho looked at his companion.

" The detonation of bursting t r oos far in the wood,” he began, only to he inIci'UjKC'd. ‘'Non, .non' not zee trees, but nine-,, took dcre, jn'sicti, something ecs happening,’’

It certainly seemed so. The sled winch had almost reached the Wu(f, had swung from it again, ami had turmjd towards the open lake. Ton now, instead of three iituii’es, lhev could see only one: and even w!n!,-l they wau-lied, again came the distant, crack of a rifle • a lantt. far-away sound, somethin.': fell by sensitive nerves rather than anything heard ■■ and the solitary man lent with tin' .-lodge and making for tim sancinarv of the open lake, plunged suddenly iupward, disappearing from sight ;n il-e -m-w. Another fnsiladc. and the .-nod Tah.-d. just as the two men broke Horn ilii- river of the hhifl’ ami began to run avr-, s tli:- snow in ‘he. diI'.'i rT.m (.f it.

‘‘ My gar I My gar!" (Tic] Jean Men:l:'d in great. eui-deim-nt. '’ Tings dev happen. Mere are odor men who want ' 'dgaok, nu’ dey get: licem. too." i hen with n clamouring wind came vnn snow, blotting out nil further vi-->°u «»i i.’if ira.g-cdy alieml. .11 liurlloi! nhniii i hem in Inry. and they could re:' Fnmvly a yard in fmni of thorn. It 'pis slum - ihai; was va-tly ddi’civni from 1 tin largo soli flake- id nioco ic.mneraio roM('< a wild rain id me-like panirdetlnit. v.< it rin;ck, suing ini-iilerahly. nnd which, driven in the'wind, seemed like n sol;d sheoi held up to veil lii land-cane, li -wirlcd and drilled alxm • ihini and di'nvc in their faces as it dirc'-ierl hy sonfe malevolent fury, i: clti.-<>;l tiu ir eyes, clogged fltcir tee;, “tnppcd their hrca.ihing. and at the niiin'.rii: when it was most essential, made prepress iinpn-sil.de. Dog- airl iron ho wed to the star'll, and after minutes of 10-1 endeavonr in at iempt, ■ iiip to lace it. rlie ennrse was aitered and they raced for the shore and Ihe friendly shelter of the lives, AVlioti they reached'if. In on t hies.-, and gasping, tiiey stood for a nrimral, whilst tlv> si firm shrieked among ti i tree-tops ami drove, its icy hail 1:1:?' small shot againstthe trunk.-. In the ‘dadier nf oim of them, Plane, as his breath came back U> him. swung his riJle oft his shoulder, find began lo strip from it the dee:---hide covering, dean Menard saw him. and in order m make himself Imard shouted 1:0 him. " W hat yon do. in'sieu?” "I rn going after ihem, dean, I here's something hadly wrong.'’ (To be continued.)