"Where the forest thinned out and the edge of the Barren crept in
Philip ran at Celie's side, but when the timber thickened and
possible hiding places for their enemies appeared in the trail
ahead he was always close to Blake, with the big Colt held openly
in his hand. At these times Celie watched the back trail. From her
vantage on the sledge her alert eyes took in every bush and
thicket to right and left of them, and when Philip was near or
behind her she was looking at least a rifle-shot ahead of Blake.
For three-quarters of an hour they had followed the single sledge
trail when Blake suddenly gave a command that stopped the dogs.
They had reached a crest which overlooked a narrow finger of the
treeless Barren on the far side of which, possibly a third of a
mile distant, was a dark fringe of spruce timber. Blake pointed
toward this timber. Out of it was rising a dark column of resinous
smoke.
"It's up to you," he said coolly to Philip. "Our trail crosses
through that timber--and you see the smoke.
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