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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 9, 1913)
11 The Weight of Obligation (Continued from Page S) THE SEMI-MONTHLY MACAZINE SECTION in wrong again nnd lie couldn't keep his mouth shut. A hell of .1 partner, ho is! " AH dny thoy plodded on, neither trust ing himself to speak. They nto their even ing meal like mutes j they avoided each other's eyes. There wero two robes and these, tho partners shared nightly, but their hatred had grown so during the past few hours that tho thought of lying side by side, limb to limb, wns distasteful. Yet neither dared suggest n division of tho bedding, for that would have issued in further words and resulted in tho crash which they longed for but feared. They stripped off their furs and lay down besido oach other with tho sntno repugnance they would havo felt had there been n serpent in the couch. This unending malevolent silenco bo camo terrible. The strain of it increnscd, for each man now hnd something definite to cherish in tho words nnd looks that had passed. They divided tho camp work with scrupulous nicety; each man waited upon himself nnd asked no favors. Tho knowl edge of his debt forpver chafed Cantwell; Grant resented his companion's lnck of gratitude. Thoy spoke seldom. Cantwell no longer felt tho desiro mere ly to match his strength against Grant's; tho gulf between them had become too wido for that; a physical victory would havo been flat nnd tasteless; ho craved some deeper satisfaction. Ho began to think of tho nxo just how or when or why, ho never know. It was a thiu-blnded, polished thing of frosty steel, and tho more ho thought of it tho stronger grow his impulse to rid himself once for nil of that presenco which cxaspernted him. It would bo very enBy, ho rensoned ; a sud den blow, with tho weight of his shoulders behind it ho fancied ho could feel tho bit sink into Grant's flesh, cleaving bono and cnrtilago in its course a slnnting, downward stroke, nimed at tho neck where it joined tho body, nnd ho would bo satis fled. Ho guarded tho axo religiously; it became 11 living thing which urged him on to violence. Ho slid it loosely under tho sled lashings every morning, thinking that its uso could not long bo delayed. As for Grant, tho carbino dwelt forever in his mind, nnd his Angers itched for it. Ho secretly slipped a cartridge into tho chamber, and when nn occasional ptarmi gan offered itself for a target ho saw tho white spot on tho breast of Johnny's rein deer parka, dancing ahead of tho Lyman bead. Tho solitude, had dono its work, tho North had played its grim comedy to tho flnal curtain, making sport of men's affec tions and turning love to rankling hate. But into tho minds of each man crept a ccrtnin craftiness. Kach longed to striko but feared to fnco tho consequences. It was lonesome, hero nmong tho white hills nnd tho deathly silences, yet thoy reflected that it would bo still moro lonesomo if they wero left to keep step with nothing moro substantial than a memory. Thoy deter mined, therefore, to wait until civilization was nearer; meanwhilo rehearsing tho moment thoy know was inevitable. Thoy paused nt Bethel Mission long enough to load with dried salmon, then made tho ninety-milo portage over lake and tundrn to tho Yukon. Thcro they got their first touch of tho "fnsido" world. Thoy camped in a barabara whero whito men had slept n fow nights before, nnd lieard their own lnngungo spoken by nativo tongues. The time wns growing short now, and they purposely dismissed their guide, knowing that tho trail was plain from there on. When they hitched up the next morning, Cantwell placed tho aso, bit down, between tho tarpaulin nnd tho sled rnil, leaving the helvo projecting whero his hand could reach it. Grant thrust tho barrel of tho rifle beneath n lashing, with tho butt closo by tho handle bars, and it was loaded. A milo from tho villngo they wero over taken by an Indinn nnd his squaw, travel ing light behind hungry dogs. The natives nttnehed themselves to tho whito men nnd hung stubbornly to their heels, taking ad vantage of their tracks. When night camo they camped alongside, in tho hopo of food. They announced that they wero bound for St. Michaels, and in spite of jvery effort to shako them off they re mnined closo behind the pnrtners until that point was reached. At St. Michaels thero wero whito men, I practically tho first Johnny nnd Mort had encountered sinco landing nt Katmai, and for n day at least they wero sane. But thero wero still threo hundred miles to bo traveled, three hundred miles of salitudo nnd haunting thoughts. Just ns they wero nbout to start, Cantwell camo upon Grant nnd tho A. C. ngent, and heard his name pronounced, also tho word "Kntniai."! Ho noted that Mort fell silent at his ap proach, and instantly his nngcr blazed nfresh. Ho decided 'that tho latter had been telling tho story of their cxperienco on tho pnss and boasting of his service, j So much t lie better, ho thought, in n bund rage; that which ho planned doing would appear nil tho moro liko an accident, for who would dream that n man could kill tho person to whom ho owed his lifof That night ho waited for a chance. They were camped in a dismal hut on a wind-swept shoro; they wero alone. But Grant was waiting nlso, it seemed. They lay down besido each other, ostensibly to sleep; their limbs touched, tho warmth from their bodies intermingled, but they did not closo their eyes. They wero up and away early, with Nomo drawing rapidly nearer. They had skirted an ocean, foot by foot; Behring Sea lay behind them now, nnd its north ern shore swung westwnrd to their goal. For two months they had lived in silent animosity, feeding on bitter food whilo their elbows rubbed. Noon found them floundering through one of those unhernldcd storms which mako coast travel so hazardous.' Tho morn ing hnd turned off gray, tho sky was of n leaden huo which blended perfectly with the snow underfoot, thcro was no horizon, it was impossible to seo moro than a fow yards in any direction. They soon discovered tlint their diffi culty Iny not in fncing tho storm but in holding to tho trail. That narrow, two foot causeway, packed by a winter's travel and frozen into a ribbon of ico by n win tor's frosts, afforded their only nvenuo of progress; for tho moment thoy left it tho sled plowed into the looso snow, well-nigh disapponiiug, nnd bringing tho dogs to n standstill. It was tho duty of tho driver, in such cose, to wallow forward, right tho load if necessary and lift it back into place. Theso mishaps wero forever oc curring, for it was impossible to distin guish tho trail beneath its soft covering. However, if tho driver's tnsk wns hard, it was no moro trying than thnt of tho man nhead, who was compelled to feel out nnd cxploro tho ridgo of hardened snow nnd ico witli his feet, after tho fashion of a man walking a plank in tho dark. Frequently ho lunged into tho drifts with ono foot, or both ; his glazed mukluk soles slid about, causing him to bestride tho invisiblo hog back, or ngaiu his legs crossed awkwardly, throwing him off his balance. Hour nftcr hour tho march continued, unrelieved by nny change, unbroken by nny speck or spot of color. Tho nerves of their eyes, wearied by constant near sighted peering nt the snow, began to jump so that vision beenmo untrust-v worthy. To seaward was tho inenaco of open watep; of air-holes or cracks which might gapo beneath their feet liko jaws. Immersion in this temperaturo, no matter how brief, meant death. Tho monotony of progress through this unreal, leaden world became almost un bearable. Tho repeated strainings and twistings they suffered in walking the slippery ridgo reduced tho men to weari ness; their legs grow clumsy and their feet uncertain. Had they found a camping placo they would have stopped; but they dared not forsake tho thin thread that linked them with safety to go and look for one, not knowing whero tho shore lay. It was late in tho afternoon when Ginnt met with an accident, Johnny, who hnd taken a siell at tho rear heard him cry out, saw him stagger, struggle to hold his footing, then sink into tho Bnow. J lie , dogs paused instantly, lay down und be-1 gan to strip tho ico pellets from between their toes. (Continued on Page 12) I Some CMHreim Every Moment Breakfast on Quaker Oats Every hour of our night the sun rises some where on this delicious meal. And it's summer now in countless sections where Quaker Oats are served. For this is the world's favorite cereal. The youth of all nations, mornings and evenings, eat a billion dishes yearly. Because oats form the utmost in vim producing food. Because oats feed body, brain and nerves better than anything else that grows. And because Quaker Oats, in the judgment of millions, is the finest oat food in existence. Maker Just the Cream of the Oats The Quintessence of Flavor Gate Quaker Oats has won, despite all the rivalry, the leading place of the world among oat foods. Even in the British Isles, the home of Scotch oats, it outsells every other brand. And this is the reason: For 25 years Quaker Oats has been made from just the choicest grains. The best oats that grow are sifted 02 times to pick out the grains for Quaker. We get but 10 pounds of Quaker Oats from.a bushel just the richest, plumpest grains. Those grains have the greatest food value. They have the finest flavor. Folks who eat them can't go back to lesser grades of oatmeal. Our process of preparation keeps all this rich flavor intact. Yet Quaker Oats this cream of the oats cost but one-half cent per dish. Serve More Oatmeal Serve it twice a day. It fosters brain development. It holds a wealth of energy. Sefvc the most delicious grade, so children grow to love it. Regular size package, 10c Family size pack ape, for smaller cities and country trade, 25c. Except in far West and'South. The Quaker Qafs (pmpany (300) CHICAGO Look for th Quahtr Iradt-mark on mvtry packagm Ilniiplnrts I oftrn Iracrahte to an AdrertUemrnt.