The Pearsall Leader (Pearsall, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 17, Ed. 1 Friday, August 4, 1911 Page: 3 of 6
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NGER
RAIL
-By
)iiVER CliRWOOD
1310, by Bobba-Marrlll
Company.
NOPSIS
engineer, sent to build
iiiKjad, is appealed to
•iful girl wko writes
• and Invites him to sc-
are followed by Jean
camp. He Is attacked
by a huge stranger. The
Howland hears her speak,
the little Meleese’s
north. He goes.
s the girl, who tells
life Is in danger. She
Gregson and Thorne
nelr former selves. _
hreateh' "Howland,
n and confesses that she
She entreats him to re-
loves her. Her name Is
rtly promises to tell him
L Jala. Ufa—
id to a’ mine, taken prle
a box of dynamlt
he exploded.
If and prevents the ex-
meets him again, refuses
again lures him Into
Howland, his prisoner,
They are followed
land promises not to at-
c f the Red Death,
Bay post. Then Crois-
al days. Howland
:pon his return,
t fight. Crolsset
•ids to kill him.
; half breed and
a aim to Meleese.
e is going to his
to ambush his en-
ate, and Crolsset
cabin overlooking
1 Howland’s ene-
ed with death,
in why Howland’s
Howland goes to
latlng attention
re shown in •
ns for the build- !
ridge, he drew
scheme and its I
d be at least |
dge and possi-
rendered at the 1
>ut a fight he
ie them up with
\ them under
more to offer
hoot With the
11 or wound the
■Ad reach their
doubtedly be on
ation bad now
e he no longer
on what these
ise. I
into the nortb-
tbat the thicker
* aring into wide
n pine and that
dense swamps
ir progress were
is, An hour be-
aus climb to the
Crolsset pointed
: plain lying be-
great ridges far
be barren lands
een those moun-
he said. “Do
orest that loots i
the snow to the 1
the mountains?
it leads Into the
sco. Somewhere
ud that we will
Dieu, I had half |
out there on the j
i Jackpine, or”—
eur. Shall we i
je trail,” replied i
s to know about
hundred you've !
rolsset If they |
f us you might j
it there and let j
a t ou, m'seur.” I
j 1 of the dogs, |
,e rough side of j
d. In a small !
U|l
H, WE**
"I’M GOING TO KH.Z< TOC I”
anything to eat If you haven't well
go hungry. We’re going to overtake
that sledge some time this afternoon
or tonight—or bust!”
“The saints be blessed, then we are
most certain to bust m'seur!” gasped
Jean. “And if we don’t the dogs will.
Non, it is impossible!”
“Is there anything to eat?”
“A morsel of cold meat; that is all.
But I say that it is impossible. That
sledge”—
Howland interrupted him with an
Impatient gesture. '
“And I say that if there is anything
to eat in there get it out and be quick
about it, Crolsset We’re going to over-
take those precious friends of yours,
and I warn you that if you make any
attempt to lose time something un-
pleasant is going to happen. Under-
stand ?”
"■Jean had bent to unstrap one end of
the sledge pack and an angry flash
leaped into his eyes at the threatening
tone of the engineer’s voice. For a
moment be seemed on the point of
speech, but caught himself and in si-
lence divided the small chunk of meat
which he drew from the pack, giving
the larger share to Howland as he
went to the head of the dogs. Only
once or twice during the next hour did
he look back, and after each of these
glances he redoubled his efforts at
urging on the huskies. Before they
had come to the edge of the black
banskian forest which Jean had point-
ed out from the farther side of the
plain Howland saw that the pace was
telling on the team. The leader was
trailing lame, and now and then the
whole pack would settle back in their
traces, to be urged on again by the
fierce cracking of Croisset’s long whip.
To add to his own discomfiture How-
land found that he could no longer
keep up with Jean and the dogs, and
with his weight added to the sledge
the huskies settled down to a tugging
walk.
Thus they came into the deep, low
forest, and Jean, apparently oblivious
of the exhaustion of both man and
dogs, walked now in advance of the
team, his eyes constantly on the thin
trail ahead. At last the engineer Jump-
ed from the sledge and overtook his
companion.
“Hold on, Jean I” he cried. Tve
got enough. You’re right, and I want
to apologize. We’re busted—that is,
the dogs and I are busted—and we
might as well give it up until we’ve
had a feed. What do you say?”
“I say that you have stopped jut In
time, m’seur,” replied Crolsset with
purring softness. “Another half hour
and we would have been through the
forest, and Just beyond that—in the
edge of the plain—are those whom you
seek, Meleese and her people. That Is
what I started to tell you back there
when you shut me up. Mon Dieu, If
it were not for Meleese I would let
you go on And then—what would
happen then, m’seur, If you made your
visit to them in broad day? Listen!”
Jean lifted a warning hand. Faintly
there came to them through the forest
the distant baying of a hound.
“That is one of our dogs from the
Mackenzie country,” he went on softly,
«n Insinuating triumph in his low
voice. “Now, m’seur, that I have
brought you here what are you going
!o do? Shall we go on and take dinner
with those who are going to kill you,
or will you wait a few hours? Eh,
which shall it be?"
For a moment Howland stood mo-
tionless, stunned by the Frenchman’s
words. Quickly he recovered himself.
His ey#s burned with a metallic gleam
they met the half taunt In Croisset’s
cool smile
“If I had not stopped you we would
have gone on?” he questioned tensely.
To be sure, m’seur,” retorted Crois-
sr-t, still smiling. “You warned me to
lose no time—that something would
happen if I did.”
With a quick movement Howland
drew his revolver and leveled it at
the Frenchman’s heart.
If you ever prayed to those blessed
saints of yours do it now, Jean Crois-
sei I’m going to kill you!” he cried
fiercely.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE GLEAM OF THE LIOHU.
N a single breath the face of
Jean Croisset became no
more than a mask of what It
had been. The taunting smile
E
m,
ieft his lips and a gray pallor spread
»v- r bis face as he saw Howland’s fin-
rooked firmly on the trigger of
his revolver. In another Instant there
• i me Hie sound of a metallic snap.
"The devil! An empty cartridge!’’
Howland exclaimed. “I forgot to load
H r those three shots at the cup. It’s
coming this time, Jean!”
Purposely he snapped the second
empty cartridge.
The great God!” gasped Jean.
“M’seur”—
From deep In the forest came the
baying of the Mackenzie hound. This
time it was much nearer, and for a
moment Howland’s • eyes left the
Frenchman’s terrified face as he turned
his head tp listen..
'They are coming!” exclaimed Crois-
set “M’seur, I swear to”—
Again Howland’s pistol covered his
heart
“Then it is even more necessary that
I kill you,” he said, with frightful
calmness. “I warned yon that I would
kill you If you led me into a trap,
Croisset The dogs are bushed. There
is no way out of this but to fight—if
there are people coming down the
trail. Listen to that!” f
This time, from still nearer, came
the shout of a man and then of an-
other, followed by the hnskles’ sharp
yelping as they started afresh on the
trail. The flush of excitement that had
come into Howland’s face paled until
he stood as white as the Frenchman.
But It was not the whiteness of fear.
His eyes were like bine steel flashing
in the sunlight
“There is nothing to do bnt fight” he
repeated, even more calmly than be-
fore. “If we were a mile or two back
there it conld all happen as I planned
It But here”—
“They will hear the shots,” cried
Jean. ’The post is no more than a
gunshot beyond the forest, .and there
are plenty 'there who would come out
to see what It means. Quick, m’seur—
follow me! Possibly they are hunters
going out to the trap lines. If it comes
to the worst”—
“What then?” demanded Howland.
“Yon can shoot me a little later,”
temporized the Frenchman, with a
show of his old coolness. “Mon Dieu,
I am afraid of that gun, m’seur. I
will get you out of this if I can. Whi
you give me the chance, or will you
shoot?”
“I will shoot—if you fail,” replied the
engineer.
Barely were the words out of his
mouth when Croisset sprang to the
head of the dogs, seized the leader by
his neck trace and half dragged the
team and sledge through the thick
bush that edged the trail. A dozen
paces farther on the dense scrub open-
ed Into the clearer ran of the low
banging banskian through which Jean
started at a alow trot, with Howland
a yard behind him and the huskies
following with human-like cleverness
in the sinuous twistings of the trail
which the Frenchman marked out for
them. They had progressed not more
than 300 yards when there came to
them for a third time the hallooing of
a voice. With a sharp “hnp-hnp” and
a low crack of his whip Jean stopped
the dogs.
“The Virgin be praised, bat that Is
luck!” he exclaimed. ’They have turn-
ed off into another trail to the east,
m’seur.”
Howland had broken the breech of
his revolver and was replacing the
three empty cartridges with fresh ones.
'There will be no mistake next
time,” he said, holding out the weap-
on. “Yon were as near yonr death a
few moments ago as ever before in
your life, Croisset—and now for a lit-
tle plain understanding between ns.
Until we stopped ont there I had some
faith lo you. Now I have none. I re
gard you as my worst enemy, and,
though yon are deuced near to your
friends, I tell yon that yon were never
in a tighter box' In yonr life. If I fall
In my mission here you shall die. If
others come along that trail before
dark and run us down I will kill you.
Unless yon make it possible for me to
see and talk with Meleese 1 will kill
you. Your life hangs on my success."
'1 am glad that you changed your
mind, m’seur, and I will not tempt you
again. I will do the best that I can,’’
said Jean. “Within an hour it will be
snowing heavily,” he affirmed. “If
they do not run across our trail by
that time, m’seur, we shall be safe.”
He led the way through the forest
again, more slowly and with greater
caution than before. Half an hour
later the Frenchman halted where the
banskians climbed the side of a slop-
ing ridge.
“If you could trust me I would ask
to go on ahead,” whispered Jean.
“This ridge shuts In the plain, m'seur,
and just over the top of It Is an old
cabin which has been abandoned for
many years. There Is not one chance
in a thousand of there being any one
there, though It is a good fox ridge at
this season. From it you may see the
light in Meleese’s window at night”
He did not stop to watch the effect
of his last words, but began picking
his way up the ridge with the dogs
tugging at his heels. At the top be
swung sharply between two huge
masses of sbow covered rock, and In
the lee of the largest of these, almost
entirely sheltered from the drifts piled
up by easterly winds, they came sud-
denly on a small log hut
“Mon Dieu, so far I have saved my
hide,” he grinned. “Now, m’seur, look
for yourself and see if Jean Croisset
has not kept his word!”
A dozen steps had taken him through
a screen of shrub to the opposite slope
of the ridge. With outstretched arm
be pointed down into the plain, and
as Howland’s eyes followed its direc-
tion he stood throbbing with sudden
excitement. Less than a quarter of a
mile away, sheltered in a dip of the
plain, were three or four log build-
ings rising black and desolate out of
the white waste. One of these build-
ings was a large structure similar
to that in w’hich Howland had been
imprisoned, and as he lpoked a team
and sledge appeared from behind one
of the cabins and halted close to the
wall of the large building. The driver
was plainly visible, and to Howland’s
astonishment he suddenly began to
ascend the side of this wall. For the
moment Howland had not thought of
a stair.
jean’s attitude drew his eyes. The
Frenchman had thrust himself half
ont of the screening bashes and was
staring through the telescope of his
hands.v With an exclamation he turn-
ed quickly to the engineer.
“Look, m’seur! Do yon see that man
climbing the stair? I don't mind tell-
ing yon that be is thfe one who hit yon
over the head on the trail and also
one of those who shut yon np in the
coyote. Those are his quarters at the
post, and possibly he is going np to
see Meleese. H you were much of a
shot you conld settle a.score or two
from here, m’seur.”
The figure had stopped, evidently on
a platform midway up the side of the
building. He stood for a moment as if
scanning the plain between him and
the mountain, then disappeared. How-
land had not spoken a word, but ev-
ery nerve in his body tingled strangely.
“You say Meleese—is there?” he
questioned^ hesitatingly. “And he—
who is that man, Croisset?”
Jean shrugged his shoulders and
drew himself back into the bush, turn-
ing leisurely toward the old cabin.
“Non, m’seur, I will not tell you
that,” he protested. “I have brought
you to this place. I have pointed out
to you the stair that leads to the room
where you will find Meleese. You may
cut me into ribbons for the ravens, but
I will tell you no more!”
Again the threatening fire leaped into
Howland’s eyes.
“I will trouble you to put your hands
behind your back, Croisset,” he com-
manded. “I am going to return a cer-
tain compliment of yoars by tying
yonr hands with this piece of babeesh,
which you used on me. After that”—
“And after that, m’seur”— urged
Jean, with a touch of the old taunt in
his voice and stopping with his back
to the engineer and his hands behind
him. “After that?”
“Yon will tell me all that I want to
know,” finished Howland, tightening
the thong about his wrists.
He led the way then to the cabin.
The door was closed, but opened readi-
ly as he put his weight against it The
single room was lighted by a window
through which a mass of snow had
drifted, and contained nothing more
than a rude table built against one of
the log walls, three supply boxes that
had evidently been employed as stools,
and a cracked and rust eaten sheet
iron stove that had from all appear-
ances long passed Into disuse. He
motioned the Frenchman to a seat at
one end of the table. Without a word
he then went outside, securely toggled
the leading dog, and retaining, closed
the door and seated himself at the
end of the table opposite Jean.
The light from the open window fell
fall on Croisset’s dark face and shone
in a silvery streak along the top of
Hdwland’s revolver as the muzzle of
It rested casually on a line with the
other's breast There was a menacing
click aa the engineer drew back the
hammer. ,
“Now, my dear Jean, we’re ready to
begin the real game,” he explained.
“Here we are, high and dry, and down
there-*Just far enough away to be out
of hearing of this revolver when l
shoot—are chose we’re going to play
against So far I’?e been completely
in the dark. I know of no reason why
I shouldn’t go down there openly and
be welcomed and given a good supper.
And yet at the same time I know that
my life wouldn’t be worth a red copper
If I did go down. Yon can clear up
the whole business, and that’s what
you’re going to do. When I under
stand why I am scheduled to be mur-
dered on sight I won’t be handicapped
as I now am. So go ahead and spiel.
If you don’t I’ll blow your head off.”
“You may shoot, m’seur,” Jean said
quietly. “I have sworn on a cross of
the Virgin to tell yon no more than 1
have.”
Slowly Howland raised his revolver.
“Once more, Croisset—will you tell
me?”
“Non, m’seur.”
A deafening explosion filled the little
cabin. From the lobe of Jean’s ear
there ran a red trickle of blood. His
face had gone deathly pale. But even
as the bullet had stung him within an
inch of his brain he had not flinched.
“Will you tell me, Croisset?” j
This time the black pit of the engi-
neer’s revolver centered squarely be-
tween the Frenchman’s eyes.
“Non, m’s< ur.”
The eyes >t the two men met over
the. blue steel. With a cry Howland
slowly lowered his weapon.
“Good God, but you’re a brave man,
Jean Croisset!” he cried. “I’d sooner
kill a dozen men that I know than
you.”
He rose to his feet and went to the
door. There was still but little snow
In the air. To the north the horizon
was growing black with the early ap-
proach of the northern light With a
nervous laugh he returned to Jean.
“Deuce take It If I don’t feel like
apologizing to you,” he exclaimed.
“Does your ear hurt?”
“No more than If I had scratched it
with a thorn,” returned Jean politely.
“You are good with the pistol, m’seur.”
“I would not profit by killing you—
Just ''ujjot,” mused Howland, seating
himselfagaln on the box and resting
his chin In the palm of his hand as he
looked across at the other. “But
that’s a pretty good intimation that
I’m desperate and mean business,
Croisset. We won’t quarrel about the
things I’ve asked you. What I’m here
for Is to see Meleese. Now, how Is
that to happen?”
“For the life of me I don’t know,”
replied Jean as calmly as though a
bullet hnd not nipped the edge of his
ear a moment before. “There Is only
one way 1 can see. m’seur, and that Is
to wait and watch from this mountain
top until Meleese drives out her dogs.
She has her own team and lu ordinary
seasons frequently goes out alone or
with one of the women at the post
Mon Dieu, she has had enough of
sledge riding of late, and I doubt if
■he will find pleasure in her dogs for a
long time.”
“1 bad planned to use you,” paid
Howland, “but I’ve lost faith in yon.
Honestly, Croisset I believe yon would
stick me in the back almost as quickly
as those murderers down there.”
“Not in the back, m’seur,” smiled
the Frenchman, unmoved. ‘*1 have
had opportunities to do that Non,
since that fight back there I do not
believe that I want to kill you.*’
“But I would be a fool to trust you.
Isn’t that so?’
“Not If I gave you my word. That
is something we do not break np here
as you do down among the Wekusko
people, and farther south.”
“But you murder people for pastime
—eh, my dear Jean?’
Crossiet shrugged his shoulders with-
out speaking.
“See here, Croisset,” said Howland
with sudden earnestness, “I’m almost
tempted to take a chance with you.
Will you go down to the post tonight,
in some way gain access to Meleese
and give her a message from me?”
“And the message—what would it
be?”
“It would bring Meleese np to this
cabin—tonight” *
“Are you sure, m’seur?’
“I am certain that It would. Will
yon go?’
“Non, m’seur.”
‘The devil take you!” cried How-
land angrily. “If I was not certain
that I would need you later I’d gar-
rote you where you sit”
He rose and went to the old stove.
It was still capable of holding fire,
and as it bad grown too dark outside
for the smoke to be observell from the
post he proceeded to prepare a supper
of hot coffee and meat Jean watched
him in silence, and not until food and
drink were on the table did the engi-
neer himself break silence.
“Of course I’m not going to feed
yon,” he said curtly, “so I’ll have to
free your hands. But be careful.”
He placed his revolver on the table
beside bim after he had freed Crois-
set.
“I might assassinate yon with a
fork,” chuckled the Frenchman softly,
his black eyes laughing over his cof-
fee cup. “I drink yonr health, m’seur,
and wish you happiness.”
“You lief snapped Howland.
Jean lowered the cup without drink-
ing.
“It’s the truth, m’seur,” he insisted.
“Since that beautiful fight back there
I cannot help bat wish you happiness.
I drink also to the happiness of Me-
leese, also to the h&PPlBess of those
who tried to kill you on the trail and
at the coyote. But, mon Dieu, how la
it all to come? Those at the post are
happy because they believe that you
are dead. You will not be happy until
they are dead. And Meleese how
will all this bring happiness to her?
I tell yon that I am aa deep in trouble
as you, M’seur Howland.”
He drank, his eyes darkening gloom-
ily. In that moment there flashed
into Howland’s mind a memoryof the
battle that Jean had fought for Urn
ou the Great North trail.
“You nearly killed one of them—that
night—at Prince Albert,” he said slow-
ly. “I can’t understand why you
fonght for me then and won’t help me
now. Bnt yon did. And you’re afraid
to go down there”—
“Until I have regrown a beard,” in-
terrupted Jean with a low, chuckling
laugh. “Yon would not bo the only
one to die if they saw me again like
this. But that is enough, m’seur. I
will say no more.”
With another length of babeesh
Hjowland tied his companion’s legs.
fT’m going to investigate a little,” ha
explained.
A few minutes later, after he had
made his prisoner as comfortable as
possible in the cabin, Howland went
again through the fringe of scrub bush
to the edge of the ridge. Below him
the plain was lost in' the gloom of the
night He conld see nothing of the
buildings at the post bnt two or three
lights gleaming faintly through the
darkness.
In these momenta a desire that was
almost madness swept over him. Since
his fight with Jean the swift passing
of events had confined his thoughts to
their one objective—the finding of Me-
leese and her people. He had assured
himself that his every move was to be
a cool and calculating one; that noth-
ing—not even his great love—should
urge him beyond that reason which
had made him a master builder among
men. As he stood with the snow fall-
ing heavily on him he knew that hit
trail would be covered before another
day; that for an indefinite period he
might safely wait and watch for Me-
leese on the mountain top. And yet
slowly he descended to the foot of the
ridge and headed into the plain, taking
the precaution to bury his feet deep in
the snow that he might have a trail to
guide him back to the cabin. There
would be no harm done, and he might
get a glimpse of the light, of her light.
It came on his vision with a sudden-
ness that set his heart leaping. A dog
barked ahead of him, so near that he
stopped in his tracks, and then sudden-
ly there shot through the snow gloom
the bright gleam of a lamp. Before he
had taken another breath he was
aware of wbat had happened. A cur-
tain bad been drawn aside in the
chaos ahead. He was almost on the
walls of the post, and the light gleam-
ed from high up, from the head of the
stair.
Tired of the Game.
“Billingsly tells me he has moved
his gasoline tank into his garage.”
“But that’s awfully dangerous, Isn’t
it? The garage may catch fire at any
moment
“That’s what Billingsly hopes.”—
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Alfa Victim TUtts.
8. W. Beads, of Goal City, Ala., has
a justifiable grievance. Two thieves
stole hie health for twelve years. They
were a liver and kidney trouble. Tfrew
Dr. King’s New Life Pills throttled
them. He’s well now. Unrivaled tor
Constipation, Malaria, Headache, Dye.
pepsia. 26c at H. A. Mercer Drag Oo.
Foley Kidney Pills will check the pro-
gress of your kidney and bladder tre-
ble and heal by removing the cause.
Try them. For sale by all drupgttte.
“When you visit Sen Antonio
stop at the Hotel Arthur adjoin-
ing the Post Office. Center of
City and convenient to all Street
Carfi, Theaters, and Shopping dis-
trict. Under its New Manage-
ment it has been thoroughly ren-
ovated. Large, Cool, Clean Rooms.
Steam heated in Winter. The
best Service. Rates 75 cents to
$2.00 per day. Rooms with
Bath.
Tortmni For IS Fear*,
by a cure-defying stomach trouble that
baffled doctors, end resisted all reme-
di s he tried, John W. Modders, of
Modde/ville, Mice., seemed doomed
He had to sell his farm and give up
work. His neighbors said, -‘he can’t
live much longer.” “ Whatever I ate
distressed me, ” he wrote, “ till I tried
Electric Bitters, which worked such
wonders for me that 1 can now eat
things 1 could not tnch for years It’s
surely e grand remedy for stomach
trouble.” Just as good for the liver aad
kidneys Every bottle guaranteed. Only
60c at H. A. Mercer Drug Co.
We are proud to N
VOTAN
GILT-EDGE, QUALITY
COFFEE
Swt produed, ~ «v«H fed you why
PEARSALL MEtCANmS CO.
M. A. Wickware, M.D.
PHYSICIAN sod SURGEON
Office at
Peoples Drag Store Res. Phone 143
DR. C. M. NOCH
PHYSICIAN tad SURGEON
Office Mercer Drug Store
Phone 58
Davis Meat Hartut
Meat Delivered
Night and Morning
Highast Cash Price Paid Fer Hides
H. E. CARTER
CONTRACTOR * BUILDER
All kinds of repair work. Screen
work a specialty. Estimates
are cheerfully given.
Box 94 PEARSALL, TEXAS
Smith Brothers
WELL DRILLERS
We are in the well drilling bus-
iness and are prepared to
do the work.
AD Work Done Pronptijr
PEA1SALL, TEXAS
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Hudson, C. H. & Woodward, Roy. The Pearsall Leader (Pearsall, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 17, Ed. 1 Friday, August 4, 1911, newspaper, August 4, 1911; Pearsall, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth974759/m1/3/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .