to put his weight to the load.

Through the howling of the wind Beresford shouted into the ear of
Morse. "Can't be far now. Question is can we find Jasper's in this
blizzard."

Morse shook his head. It did not seem likely. Far and near were words
which had no meaning. A white, shrieking monster seemed to be hemming
them in. Their world diminished to the space their outstretched arms
could reach. The only guide they had was Cache Creek, along the bank
of which they were traveling. Jasper's deserted cabin lay back from
it a few hundred yards, but Tom had not any data to tell him when he
ought to leave the creek.

Cuffy solved the problem for him. The St. Bernard stopped, refused
the trail Beresford and Morse were beating down in the deep snow. He
raised his head, seemed to scent a haven, whined, and tried to plunge
to the left.

McRae came forward and shouted to his friends. "We'll gi'e Cuffy his
head. He'll maybe ken mair than we do the nicht."

The trail-breakers turned from the creek, occasionally stopping to
make sure Cuffy was satisfied. Through heavy brush they forced a way
into a coulee. The St. Bernard led them plump against the wall of a
cabin.

There was a light inside, the fitful, leaping glow of fire flames.
The men stumbled through drifts to the door, McRae in the lead. The
Scotchman found the latch and flung open the door. The other two
followed him inside.

The room was empty.

At first they could not believe their eyes. It was not reasonable to
suppose that any sane human beings would have left a comfortable house
to face such a storm. But this was just what they must have done. The
state of the fire, which was dying down to hot coals, told them it had
not been replenished for hours. West and Whaley clearly had decided
they were not safe here and had set out for another hiding-place.

The men looked at each other in blank silence. The same thought was
in the mind of all. For the present they must give up the pursuit.
It would not be possible to try to carry on any farther in such
a blizzard. Yet the younger men waited for McRae to come to his
decision. If he called on them to do more, they would make a try with
him.

"We'll stay here," Angus said quietly. "Build up the fire, lads, and
we'll cast back for Onistah."

Neither of the others spoke. They knew it must have cost the Scotchman
a pang to give up even for the night. He had done it only because he
recognized that he had no right to sa