ong
swinging strides sped over the dreary plains until darkness--not
exhaustion--compelled them to halt. They carried with them a small
amount of pemmican, about half rations, trusting to meet with something
to shoot on the way. Before daylight the moon rose. They rose with it
and pushed on. Suddenly they were arrested by an appalling yell. Next
moment a man rushed from a clump of trees brandishing a gun. He stopped
when within fifty yards, uttered another demoniacal yell, and took aim
at Warder.

Quick as thought the ex-captain brought his own piece to his shoulder.
He would have been too late if the gun of his opponent had not missed
fire.

"Stop! 'tis Pierre Vincent!" cried Winklemann, just in time to arrest
Warder's hand.

Vincent was a well-known comrade, but his face was so disfigured by dirt
and blood that they barely recognised him. He flung away his gun when
it snapped, and ran wildly towards them.

"Come! come! I have food, food! ha! ha! much food yonder in the bush!
My wife and child eat it! they are eating eating now! ha! ha!"

With another fierce yell the poor maniac--for such he had become--turned
off at a tangent, and ran far away over the plains.

They made no attempt to follow him; it would have been useless. In the
bush they found his wife and child stone-dead. Frequently during that
terrible walk they came on single tracks, which invariably showed that
the traveller had fallen several times, and at length taken to creeping.
Then they looked ahead, for they knew that the corpse of a man or woman
was not far in advance of them.

One such track led them to a woman with an infant on her back. She was
still pretty strong, and trudged bravely over the snow on her
snow-shoes, while the little one on her back appeared to be quite
content with its lot, although pinched-looking in the face.

The men could not afford to help her on. It would have delayed
themselves. The words "life and death" seemed to be ringing constantly
in their ears. But they spoke kindly to the poor woman, and gave her
nearly all their remaining stock of provisions, reserving just enough
for two days.

"I've travelled before now on short allowance," said Warder, with a
pitiful smile. "We're sure to come across something before long. If
not, we can travel empty for a bit."

"Goot; it vill make us lighter," said Winklemann, with a grave nod.

They parted from the woman, and soon left her out of sight behind. Sh