Part 2 (1/2)

”Hallo! Why, Pete----” he gasped and with an effort reached and leaned against a pine

The other stopped ”It's Pete, all right: but what d'you allow you're doing on ht ainst the tree ”You can take the back trail The line's fixed”

”That's good But why are you heading this way? I don't get you yet”

”I fell down the gulch Some ribs broke”

”Ah!” said Pete ”Which side?”

Jim indicated the spot where he felt the stabs and Pete went to his other side

”It's a blaot to make it If we stop here, we freeze Put your arlad to use such help as the other could give He was getting dull and began to doubt if he could reach the shack, but although both would freeze if they stopped, Pete would not leave hiue about Pete was a white man and in the North the white ht have a yellow streak, but as a rule such ato see hih Both would make the shack, or both would be buried in the snow It was not a s like that

They made it soth a pale gli snow Then the dark bulk of a building loomed up ahead and Pete pushed open a door He was forced to use both hands to shut the door and Jiered into the room His head swam, his eyes were dim, and his chin was red There was a chair, if he could reach it, but it see about and when he stretched out his hand it had gone

Next moment he fell with a heavy thud He felt a horrible stab, a fit of coughing shook hi more

CHAPTER III

THE THIRD PARTNER

Some weeks after he mended the line, Jim sat by ain a small frame house at Vancouver city He had been very ill and knew little about his journey on a hand-sledge froraph shack to the railroad There was no doctor in the woods and Jake Winter, his helper, engaging two Indians, wrapped Jim in furs and started in a snowstorm for the South It was an arduous journey, and once or twice Jake thought his comrade would succumb, but they reached the railroad and he put Ji better and had left his bed for a rocking-chair

The house stood on the hill, and he looked down, across tall blocks of stores and offices, on the Inlet Plu soft coalwith a wave at her bows headed for the wharf, the water sparkled in the sunshi+ne, and there was a background of dark forest and white ether spoiled by the telegraph wires, giant posts, and advertisens These eressive civilization that is typical of Western towns and the austerity of the surrounding wilds In the foreground were steamers, saw-mills, and street-cars; in the distance trackless woods and untrodden snow

The house stood in a shabby street and on the ground floor Jake's roceries The business was not remarkably profitable, but Mrs Winter was aand Carrie had sacrificed her ambitions for her sake Now she sat opposite Jim, whom she had nursed Carrie did not know an, but she was capable and Jim liked to have her about She knehen to sti

Carrie could be quiet, although she could talk Jiirls were not like that

He studied her with languid satisfaction Carrie was tall and vigorous: he had seen her handle heavy boxes the transfer s when Jake was not about, and Jim knew she baked the cakes and biscuit Mrs Winter sold For all that, her strength was not obtrusive; her raceful and when not occupied she was calm She had some beauty, for her face was finely lance

He liked her voice; it was clear without being harsh, and she seldoirl one would expect to ht this afternoon,” she re, I've got up, and then you have been here some time You brace one I felt that when I was very sick”

Carrie laughed ”You're trying to be polite!”

”No,” said Jim, whose brain did not work quickly yet; ”I don't think I tried at all The reet better; you know you did!”

”Oh, well,” said Carrie, s, ”you needed some control You wouldn't take the doctor's stuff and we couldn't keep you quiet I reckon you are pretty obstinate”

”One has got to be obstinate in the North”