THE FLAMING FOREST

BY JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD

AUTHOR OF THE VALLEY OF SILENT MEN, THE COUNTRY BEYOND, THE
ALASKAN, ETC.





THE FLAMING FOREST




I

An hour ago, under the marvelous canopy of the blue northern sky,
David Carrigan, Sergeant in His Most Excellent Majesty's Royal
Northwest Mounted Police, had hummed softly to himself, and had
thanked God that he was alive. He had blessed McVane,
superintendent of "N" Division at Athabasca Landing, for detailing
him to the mission on which he was bent. He was glad that he was
traveling alone, and in the deep forest, and that for many weeks
his adventure would carry him deeper and deeper into his beloved
north. Making his noonday tea over a fire at the edge of the
river, with the green forest crowding like an inundation on three
sides of him, he had come to the conclusion--for the hundredth
time, perhaps--that it was a nice thing to be alone in the world,