To Win or to Die | Page 6

Like that? No!--when salvation was offered to him in this way.
It was horrible, but it was for life. There, close by him, slightly
powdered with snow, was the unfortunate's sledge, and in an instant he
was tearing at the rope which bound its load to the framework.
He could hardly believe his good fortune, for as the rope fell from the
packages the first thing he set free was a fur-lined coat, possibly one
which the dead man was too much exhausted to assume.
Suffering keenly from the cold, this was put on at once; and then,
continuing the search, it was to find that a rifle was bound along one
side, balanced by tools on the other. Then there were blankets and
stores similar, as far as he could judge, to those with which his own
sledge had been laden.

The warmth afforded by the thick garment and the exertion increased
the thrill of returning energy. For he was no longer helpless to continue
his journey. It could be no act of injustice to the dead to take possession
of the means of saving his own life; and now all thought of giving up
without making a desperate struggle was completely gone.
Soon after a fresh thrill of returning energy swept through him, and,
turning quickly back to where the dead were lying, he knelt there,
hesitating for a few moments before, with his determination increasing,
he softly thrust the dog aside, and felt about the dead man's waist.
He shuddered as his hands came in contact with the icy feeling of cold,
but it was for life, and a feeling of joy shot through him, for it was as
he had hoped. In a few minutes he had unfastened a buckle, turned the
body over slightly, and that which he sought to obtain yielded to the
steady pull he gave.
He had drawn free the dead man's belt, bringing with it his revolver in
its little holster and the pouchful of cartridges.
That seemed to give new life to him as he buckled the belt about his
waist. Then, taking out the pistol, he felt it in the dark, to find that it
was loaded in every chamber, and that the lock worked easily and well.
The pistol replaced in the belt, the young man remained thinking, with
all his energy seeming to have returned. What was he to do next? There
was food of some kind on the sledge, and he must eat. There were
blankets, and with them and the sledge for shelter he must rest and
sleep.
There was the dead man and his faithful dog, but their near presence
brought no feeling of horror. He felt that he could kneel down by the
poor fellow and offer up a prayer for His mercies, and then lie down to
sleep in perfect trust of awakening at daybreak, for he was no longer
suffering from exhaustion, and hardly felt the cold.
"But not yet--not yet," he muttered, and a faint sound broke the silence
as he stood there, his teeth grinding softly together, while his next

words, uttered half aloud, told the direction his thoughts had taken.
"The cowardly dogs!" he exclaimed. "Three to one, and him unarmed.
But not now--not now."
A brief search brought his hands in contact with a canvas satchel-bag,
in which were ship's biscuits, and one of these he took. It would suffice.
Breaking it and beginning to eat, he set off at once on the back track to
execute his daring project, one which made him glow to his finger-tips.
"Better go on," he said with a mocking laugh. "Yes, but not yet. They're
cowards--such scoundrels always are--and the darkness will magnify
the number of the attack.
"Bah! talking to myself again; but I'm not going mad. I can't go on
without letting them taste something of what they have given me."
He tramped on slowly, but the return journey seemed less difficult, and
he wondered now that he should feel so fresh and glowing with a
spreading warmth. It was as dark as ever, but he had no fear of not
finding his way; and sooner than he expected, and just as he was
finishing the last scrap of hard biscuit, he caught sight of the faint light
of the fire from which he had been driven.
The sight of it sent fresh vigour through his limbs, and his plan was
soon made. He would keep on till there was the risk of being heard, and
then creep closer till well within shot, and his sleeping enemies thrown
up by the fire, which they had evidently made up well before settling
themselves down for the night.
He felt sure that at the first report they would spring up and run