the mass of infuriated beasts leaped out to pull them down. Like a meteor the sled shot ahead. Something grabbed at his steel-shod heel and relinquished it with a howl of pain. And he was clear of them and they were sliding into the black water.
“That’ll hold them for a bit,” he choked, bending low over the back of the sled.
“I’m proud of you,” she cried.
“Nonsense. I was scared blue,” he panted. “Plenty of room ahead. No more ambushes.”
He took it leisurely and over his shoulder watched the dogs struggling to crawl back to the ice. The plunge evidently had lessened their lust, for they whined and shivered as old Cumber trotted up and dragged them from their bath. Dix was halfway across Little Purgatory before the last brute was rescued. Cumber frantically discharged his rifle and raged at his pets. But their ardor was dampened and they would not resume the pursuit. Strangely indifferent to the occasional bullets Dix watched the scene with grim satisfaction. The dogs refused to advance and Cumber’s wild rage had spoiled his marksmanship.
A slow smile of triumph was overspreading Dix’s haggard face when there came a wrench at his right foot and he would have fallen if not for his grasp on the back of the sled. As it was he sagged to his knees. As the girl felt herself whirled about she cried out, “Are you hurt?” And there was a world of agony in her voice.
“Clamp given out,” he explained. “Give me a piece of cord—anything.”
“Better than cord. Here’s a strap,” she rejoiced by replying.
As he knelt to repair the damage he noted with alarm that Cumber had detected his predicament and with renewed zeal was urging the dogs forward. But the brutes were mutinous and moved uneasily in a circle about their master, Infuriated to see his victims within reach and about to escape, the crazed man began belaboring the dogs with the butt of his rifle. They fell back from him, snapping and snarling as the blows fell. With a wild cry Cumber swung his rifle at the leader, holding it by the muzzle. The blow fell heavily, the dog reared with rage and grabbed it between his powerful teeth, there was an explosion and the man went down in a heap.
“He’s shooting at us,” mumbled the girl.
“He’ll not harm us,” comforted Dix, rising to his feet once more and resuming his flight.
“We shall soon be there,” he encouraged, pointing to the smoke of the settlement.
“You’ve been good to me,” she said.
“Who wouldn’t be?” he murmured. “Sometime I shall have something to say to you, sometime when I have the right.”
“The right? You have that now,” she impulsively cried.
“No; not till you’re back home among your kin and friends,” he awkwardly corrected.
Then she understood and a crimson wave swept up from beneath the mackinaw collar and made her eyes appear very moist and tender. “I shall always be glad to see you,” she shyly whispered.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
