a q o o
j The Honor -of- the
1 sv4s'a
PROLOGUE.
Up in the "Big Snows," near
the dome of the earth, lies the
scene of this story of real men
and real women, who have all of
the virtues of their hardening en
vironment and few of the failings
of their more civilised relatives.
This is a tale for reading when
one is tired of the artificialities
of civilisation or at any other
time when a good story is appre
ciated. You will find in it ro
mance and adventure and mystery
mixed in such skillful manner and
in uch proportion that no ingre
dient interferes with another. Yet
ail go to make fine reading for
women who like to hear of brave
deeds and sacrifice for love's
sake and for men with even a
drop of the spirit of adventure
in their veins. And one thing
more the author has lived among
the people whose lives he de
scribes, and he knows how to tell
a story.
CHAPTER XIV.
Temptation.
' I IIE dogs were sitting upon their
I haunches waiting when Jan
and Kazan went back to them.
Over a fire Jan hung his cof
fee pail and a big chunk of frozen cari
bou meat and tossed frozen fish to the
hungry dogs.
With, his sickness, his deathly feel
ing cf loneliness and heartache, there
had entered into Jan now a strange
sensation that was almost excitement
an eagerness to fasten the dogs In
their traces, to hurry on in spite of hl3
exhaustion to that place which Thorn
ton had told him of Prince Albert
and to free himself there for all time
of the thing which had oppressed him
shice that night many years ago when
he had staggered into Lac Bain to play
his violin as Cummins' wife died. He
reached Inside his skin coat, and there
- he felt papers which he had taken
from the hole in the lob stjck tree.
They were safe. For twenty years he
had guarded them. Tomorrow he
would take them to the great company
at Trlnce Albert And after that aft
er he had done this thing, what would
there remain in life for Jan Thoreau?
Terhaps the company might take him.
and he would remain in civilization.
That would be best for him. He
would fight against the call of his for
ests as years and years ago ho had
fought against that call of the other
world that had Oiled him with unrest
for a time. He had killed that. If he
did return to his forest he would go far
to the west or far to tho east. No
one that had ever known him would
aear again of Jan Thoreau.
Kazau had crept to his blanket, dar
ing to encroach upon it inch by Inch
until his great wolf head lay upon
Jan's arm. It was ten years ago that
Jau had taken Kazan, a little half
blind puppy that he and Melisse had
choseu from a litter of half a dozen
stronger brothers and sisters. Kazan
was all that was left to him now. He
loved the other dogs, but they were
not like Kazan. He tightened his arm
about the dog's head. Exhaustion
and the warmth of the Ore made him
drowsy, and after a time he slept,
with his head throwu back against the
tree.
Something awoke him hours after
ward. He opened his eyes and found
that the Arc was still burning bright
ly. On the far side of It beyond the
dog sat Thornton. A look at the sky,
where the stars were dying, and Jan
knew that it was just before tho gray
break of dawn. Ho sat upright.
Thornton laughed softly at him and
puffed out clouds of smoke from his
pipe.
"You were freezing," he said as Jan
utared, "and sleeping like a dead man.
I waited for you back there and then
huuted you up. You know, I thought"
He hesitated and knocked the ash
from his pipe bowl. Then ho looked
frankly and squarely at Jan. "See
here, old man. if you're hard up had
trouble of any sort bad luck got no
money won't you let mo help you
out?"
"Thank you, m'sicur; I have money,"
aid Jan. "I prefer to sleep outside
with the dogs. I guess I would have
been stiff with tho frost if you had
not come. You have been here all
night?"
Thornton nodded.
"And It Is morning!" exclaimed Jan,
rising and looking above the spruce
tops. "You are kind, m'sicur. 1 wish
I might do ns much for you."
"You can," said Thornton quietly.
"Where are you going from here?"
"To the company's olllces at Trlnce
Albert. We will start within an hour."
"Will you take mo with you?"
Thornton asked.
"With pleasure!" cried Jan. "But It
will bo a hard Journey, m'sleur. I
must hurry, and you may not be ac
customed to running behind the dogs."
Thornton rose and stretched out a
hand.
"It en n't bo too hard for me," he
said. "I wish"-
CoDurlaut, 1911. bu the Bobbs
Merrill Co.
-o
He stopped, and something in his low
voice made Jan look straight into his
eyes. Then he turned to his pnek
upon the sledge.
"I've got meat and coffee and hard
biscuits," he said. "Will you have
breakfast with me?"
It was early afternoon of the fourth
day later when Jan and Thornton
reached Trlnce Albeit.
"We will go to the offlees of tho great
company." said Jan. "We will lose no
time."
It was Thornton now who guided
him to the century old building at the
west edge of the town. It was Thorn
ton who led him into an office filled
mostly with young women, who were
laboring at clicking ninehines, and it;
was Thornton who presented a square
bit of white card to a gray haired man
at a desk, who. after readiug it. rose
from his chair, bowed and shook hands
with him. And n few moments later
a door opened, and Jan Thoreau alone
passed through it, his heart quivering,
his, breath choking him. his hand
clutching nt the papers in his breast
pocket
Outside Thornton waited. An hour
passed and still the door did not re
open. The man at the desk glanced
curiously at Thornton. Two girls at
typewriters exchanged whispered opin
ions as to who might be this wild look
ing creature from the north who was
taking up an hour of the subcoinmls
sinner's time. Nearly two hours pass.
sed before Jan appeared. Thornton,
still patient, rose ns the door opened.
Ills eves first encountered the staring
face of the subconnnissioner,
Then
Jan came out. He had aged five years
in two, hours. There was a tired stoop
to his shoulders, a strange pallor In bis
cheeks. To Thornton bis thin face
seemed to have grown thinner. Willi
bowed head, looking nowhere but
ahead of him. Jan passed on, and as
the last door opened to let them out
into the pale winter sun Thornton
heard the mutlled sobbing of his
breath. His fingers gripped Jan's arm.
Ills eyes were blazing.
"If you're getting the wrong end of
anything up there," he cried fiercely:
"If you're In trouble, and they're tak
ing the Mood out of you. tell me. and
I'll put the clamps on 'em! They'll
bui-k the devil wIumi they buck Jack
Thornton, tun If it needs money to
show 'cm so I've got half a million to
teach 'em the game!"
"Thanks, m'sleur." struggled Jan,
striving to keep a lump out of his
throat "It's nothing like that I don't
need money. Half a million would Just
about buy what I've given away up
there."
He clutched his hand for an Instant
to the empty pocket where the papers
had been.
That night, leaving Thornton still nt
supper In the little old Windsor hotel,
Jan slipped away and, with Kazan at
his heels, crossed tho frozen Saskatch
ewan to the spruce forest on tho north
shore. He wanted to be nlone to think,
to fight with himself against a desire
which was almost overpowering him.
Once, long tigo. ho had laid his soul
bare to Jean do Gravols, and Jean had
given him comfort. Tonight lie longed
to go to Thornton as he had gone to
Jean and to tell him tho same story
and what had passed that day in the
olllce of the subcommlssiom r. In his
heart there had grown something for
Thornton that was stronger than friend
ship something that would havo made
him tight for him and die for him as
he would have fought and died for
.lean de Gravols. It was a feeling ce
meuted by a belief that something was
troubling Thornton; that he, too, was
filled with a loneliness and a grief
which he was trying to conceal. And
yet ho fought to restrain himself from
confiding In his new friend. It would
do no good, he knew, except by reliev
ing him of n part of his mental burden.
A week It might be ten days, the
subeommlssloner had told him and it
would be over. Lights were out, und
peoplo were In bed when ho and Kazan
returned to the hotel, but Thornton was
up, sitting by himself In the gloom, as
Jj.i.LimiLfltt'J'iLlM'U aJJ.e.Tasv Jan
Bio Snows
AeAit IF "Tte
mot Trail"
sat down beside hltu. There' was an
uneasy tremor In Thornton's voice
when he said:
"Jan, did you ever love a woman
love her until you were ready and will
ig to die for her?"
The suddenness of the question wrung
the truth from Jan's lips in a low, chok
ing voice. For an Instant he thought
that Thornton must have guessed his
secret.
"Yes, m'sleur."
Thornton leaned toward him, grip
ping his knees, aud the misery In his
face was deeper than Jan had ever
seen it before.
"I love a woman like that," he went
on "tensely.. "A girl not a woman, and
she is one of your people, Jan of the
north, as innocent as a flower, more
beautiful to me than han nil the wo
men I have ever seen before. She Is
at Oxford nouse. I am golug home U
to save myself."
"Save yourself!" cried Jan. "Does
she not love you?"
"She would follow me to the end of
the earth!"
"Then"-
Thorntou straightened himself and
wiped his pale face. Suddenly ho rose
to his feet and motioned for Jt.i to fol
low him. Ho walked 6wiftly out into
the night nnd still faster after that un
til they passed beyond the town. From
where he stepped they could look over
the forests far into the pale light oi
the south.
"That's holl for me!" said Thornton
pointing. "It's what we cnll civiliza
tion but it's mostly hell! I wish to
God I could stay here always!"
"You love her." breathed Jan. "You
can stay."
"I can't," groaned Thornton. "I can't
unless"
"What, m'sleur?"
"Unless I lose everything but her."
Jan's fingers trembled as they sought
Thornton's hand.
"And everything is is nothing when
you give it for love nnd happiness." he
urged. "Tho great God, I know"
"Everything," cried Thornton. "Don't
you understand? I said everything!"
Ho turned nlmost fiercely upon his
companion. "I'd give up my name
for her. I'd bury myself back there In
the forests and never go out of them
for her. I'd give up fortune, friends,
lose myself forever for her. But I
can't. Good God. don't you under
stand?" Jan stared. His eyes grew large and
dark.
"I've spent ten years of worse than
hell down there with a woman." went
on Thornton. "It happens among us
frequently, this sort of hell. I came
up here to get out of It for a time.
You know now. There is a woman
down there who who is my wife.
She would be glad If I never returned,
si . j i. . ........
i nappy now much i uui unj,
I nnd I hnve wen nanny for a time, i
know what love is. I have felt It. I
have lived it. God forgive me. but I
am nlmost tempted to go back to her!"
He stopped at the change which had
come In Jan, who stood ns straight
and as still as the blank spruce be
hind them, with only his eyes show
ing that there was life in him. Those
eyes held Thornton's. They burned
upon him through the gray gloom ns
he had never seen human eyes burn
before. He waited, half startled, and
Jan spoke. In his voice '.!cre was
nothing of that which Thornton saw
In his eyes.
It was low and soft. and. though ij
had thnt which rang like steel. Thorn
ton could not hnve understood or foar-
j d It more.
"M'sleur, how far have you gone-
wit h her?"
Thornton understood and advanced
with his hands reaching out to Jan.
"Only ns fnr as one might go with
the purest thing on earth," ho said. "I
have sinned in loving her and in let
ting her love me, but thnt Is all. Jan
Thorenu. I swear that Is all!"
"And you are going back Into the
BOUth?"
"Yes, I am going back Into the
south."
The next day Thornton did not go.
He made no sign of going on the sec
ond day. So it was with the third,
the fourth and the fifth. On each of
these days Jan went once, In the after
noon, to the office of the subcommls
sloner, and Thornton always accompa
nied him. At times when Jan was not
looking there was a hungry light in his
eyes as ho followed tho other's move
ments, and once or twice Jan caught
what was left of this look when ho
turned unexpectedly. Ho knew whnt
was In Thornton's mind, and ho pitied
him, grieved with him In his own henrt
until his own secret nlmost wrung It
self from his lips.
The ninth day was the last day for
Jan Thorei'ti. In a dazed sort of way
ho listened ns tho subcommlssloner
told him thnt the work was ended.
They shook hands. It was dark when
Jan came out from the company's of
fices, dark with a pnle gloom through
which the stars were beginning to glow
with a ghostly gloom, lightened still
more in.thn north with the rising fires
of the northern lights. Alone Jan stood
for a few moments closo down to the
river. Across from ldui was the for
est, silent, black, reaching to the end
of the earth, and over It, Hko a signal
light, beckoning blm back to his world,
the aurora, s.c:it out.lts. shafts. of red
and goitT" An3 'asnre''flsTehed'tFer
came to him faintly distant walling
sound that he knew was the voice
from thnt world, and at the sound the
hair rose along Kazan's spine, and he
whined deep down in his throat. Jan's
breath grew quicker, his blood wnrnier.
Over there across the river his world
was calling to him, and he, Jan Tho
reau, was now free to go. This very
night he would bury himself In the for
est again and when he lay down to
sloop It would be with his beloved stars
above lil in. and the winds whispering
sympathy and brotherhood to him In
the spruce tops. Ho would go now. He
would say goodhy to Thornton and go.
He found himself running, and Ka
zan ran beside him. lie was breath
less when he came to the one lighted
Street of the town. He hurried to the
hotel and found Thornton sitting where
he had left him.
"u is enuea, nrsieur, . no criea in a
low Tolce. "It is over and I am going.
I am going tonight."
Thornton rose. "Tonight." he re
peated. "Yes, tonight now. I am golug to
pick up my things. Will you come?"
He went ahead of Thornton to the
bare little room In which he had slept
while at the hotel. He did not notice
the change In Thornton until he had
lighted m lamp. Thornton was look
ing nt him doggedly. There was as
unpleasant look to his face.
"And I I, too, am going tonight," he
said.
"Into the south, m'sleur?"
"No; into the north." There was a
fierceness In Thornton's emphasis. He
stood opposite Jan, leaning over tho ta
ble on which the light was placed.
"I've broken loose," he went on. "Tin
not golug south, back to thnt hell of
mine. I'm never going south ngalu.
I'm dead down there dead for all time.
They'll never hear of mo again. They
can have my fortune, everything. I'm
going north. I'm going to live with
you people aud God and her!"
Jan sank into a chair; Thornton sat
down in one across from him.
"I am going back to her," he repeat
ed. "No one will ever know."
He could not account for the look in
Jan's eyes nor for the nervous twitch
ing of the lithe brown hands thnt
reached half across the table. Thorn
ton would never know that Jan's fin
gers twitched for an Instant in their
old mad desire to leap at a human
throat.
"You will not do that," .he said
quietly.
"Yes, 1 will," replied Thorutou. "I
have made up my mind. Nothing cnu
stop me but death."
"I will stop you," said Jan. rising
also, "and I am not death."
He went to Thornton and placed his
two hands upou his shoulders, and In
his eyes there glowed now that gentle
light which had made Thorutou love
him as he had loved no other man on
earth.
"M'sicur, 1 will slop you," he said
again, speaking ns though to n brother.
"Sit down. I am going to tell you
something, and when I have told you
this you will take my hand, and you
will say. Man Thoreau, I thank the
great God that something like this has
happened before and that it has come
to my ears in time to save the one I
love.' Sit down, m'sleur."
i Continued.'
i You will II ml that, druggists
everywhere xpoak well of Cham
berlain's Cough Remedy. They
know from long experience in the
sale of it that in cases of coughs
and colds it can always be depend
ed upon, and that it, is pleasant
and safe to take. For sale by F.
C. Fricke Jfe Co.
She would like a nice
We have them all Sizes, all Prices and all Kinds from
$1,25 Up to $26.00
i
Local Howg
from Wednesday Daily.
Will Rummel was in the city
yesterday afternoon attending to
some trading with the merchants.
Clarence ami Albert Cottier were
passengers this a ft onion for Om
aha where they visited for a' few
hours.
V. A. I.aughlin of (ireonwood
was in (lie city yesterday looking
alter some business matters at the
court house.
J. V. Holmes ami family motor
ed to (his city (his afternoon
from their home at Murray to at
tend to business matters.
Charles Miller, the sturdy (ior
inan farmer from south of the
city relurned this afternoon from
Omaha, where lie has been for a
few days attending to some busi
ness matters.
J. F. Wcherhein ami wife de
parted this afternoon for Newman
drove, Neli., to attend the funeral
of rs. Weherbein's sister, Mrs.
Rose Jensen, which will be held
there tomorrow.
Dr. (5. II. (Jilniore of Murray
was a passenger this afternoon
for Omaha where ho was called
on business matters. Mrs. Oil
more and Mrs. J. A. Walker ac
companied the doctor lo the city.
Mrs. Walker departs tomorrow
lor enlucky and Tennessee for a
pleasure trip.
From Friday's Dally.
i-narios uinrn ami wile were
among the Omaha visitors today,
going to that city on No. l.r Ibis
morning.
James Holmes ami wife of Mur
ray were in the cily today attend
ing to some business matters for
a short time,
W. (i. ltoedckcr came up from
Murray last evening in his line
automobile to look after some
matters of business.
Mrs. Luke Wiles and Miss
Ursula Maimer were Omaha visit
ors today, where they alt ended to
some business matters.
I,. 1. llialt, the Murray merch
ant, was a passenger on No. 23
Ibis afternoon for Omaha to al
end to business matters.
I'-eii Heckinan of near Murray
was in the cily this afternoon al-
Icnding In some mailers of busi
ness wil h I lie merchaul s.
John Rotter and wife departed
this afternoon for Omaha in re
sponse to j message announcing
I lie illness of I heir grandson.
CharlejValleiy and sister, Mrs.
Tom Tilson, of near Murray, were
passengers this morning on No.
15 for Omaha lo look afler busi
ness matters.
J. I.. Smiln and daughlor-iu-law,
Mrs. Herman Smith, drove up
from their farm near Nehawka
this morning and were passeng
ers for ( linaha.
Mrs. lterlha Ooulhelt ami
daughter. I'.ililli, oT Osceola, Iowa,
who base been" here visiting the
Morgans for a shorl lime, depart
ed this morning for their home.
l II. .Meisinger, one of the re
liable fanners of the county,
drove in this morning from his
farm in F.khl Mile drove lo at
tend to Mime business mailers.
RUG
for hrisf mias.
M. Joarnett, one of the pros
perous ynung farmers of near
Nehawka, was in the city yester
day doing some trading with the
local merchants. We are glad to
see the farmers of that section
come lo IMaltsmotith to trade, as
they will find the merchants here
sell goods cheaper than else
where.
When you have a bilious attack
give Chamberlain's Tablets a trial.
They are excelelnt. For sale by
F. O. Fricke & Co.
"Am I using Red Cross Christ
mas Seals?" reiterated a good
natured old cobbler as he looked
up from the shoe he was repair
ing to I he person w ho stood block
ing the doorway of the little shop,
anil who had asked the questipn
originally. "I don'l know' of
them. What are they for?" he
asked.
When told I hat the little stick
ers were being sold all over the
United Slates lo raise money to
prevent tuberculosis, the cobbler
became very much interested.
"Now, I cull that a good cause,"
he drawled. " can't afford many
because I don't get very much
work away out here in Ibis end of
town, but you can leave me leu of
lliem.
"No, I don'l wrile any letters
and I don't send any CUrislmas
packages. There's just ine and
the old woman left. I can't use
1 1 1 seals that way, but I'll tell yon
how I can use them. I will stick
a seal on the side of every shoe I
lap!"
GOAL
and
FUSE)
We are now handling a complete
line of coal. Call and let us quote you
prices for your fall and winter coal.
We handle wheat, oats, corn and
chop of all kinds.
Ind. Telephone 297
Nelson Jean & Go,
$m$tt
;