The San Francisco call., 1904-04-24


agent.t The beast IN him fawned to
the lash.
THAT Is to say. ah, afterward. To-
. morrow. Mrs. Eppingwell; yes. to-mor-
row. That is what I meant" He So
laced himself with the fact. should he
awaited Also. he had an engagement
which he must keep shortly down by
the water hole on the hospital. Ye
godsi He had never given Freda credit
Wasn't she magnificent
I'm thank you for my mask. Mrs.
McFee.'''
That lady, for the once speechless.
turned over the article in question.
Good night. Miss Moloof" Mrs. Ep-
pingweli was royal even in defeat.
Freda reciproeated. though barely
downing the impulse to clasp the
not forgiveness. but something she
knew not what, but which she none
the less greatly desired.
The man was for her taking his arm;
but she had made her kill In the midst
of the pack. and that which led kings
tail led her toward the door alone,
Floyd Vanderlip close at heel and
striving to re-establish his mental
equilibrium.
1t was bitter cold AS the trail wound
quarter of mile brought them to the
dancers cabin. by which time her
moist breath had coated her face
frostily. while his had massed his
heavy mustache till conversation was
painful.
They did not talk at first. the man
and the woman. While the maid helped
Freda off with her wraps Floyd Van
derlip replenished the fire. and by the
time the maid had withdrawn to an
inner room, his head over the stove, he
was busily thawing out his burdened
upper lip. After that he rolled Gig
arctic and watched her laZily through
the fragrant eddies. She stc.e a glance
at the clock. 1t lacked half an hour OF
midnight. How was she to hold him?
Was he angry for that which she had
done? What was his mood? What
mood of hers could meet his best? Not
that she doubted herself. No, no. Hold
him she could. If need be at pistol
point, till Sitka Charley's work was
done, and Devereaux's, too.
There were many ways, and with
her knowledge of this her contempt for
the man increased. As she leaned her
head on her hand fieeting vision Of
her own girlhood. with its mournful
climacteric and tragic ebb. was vouch-
safed her. and for the moment she was
minded to read him iesson from It.
Godi 1t must be less than human brute
who could not be held by such tale
told as she could tell it. But-bah!
He was not worth 1t, nor worth the
pain to- her.
To him it was very comfortable,
soothing his lungs with nicotine and
gazing upon her. 1t was snug and
warm here while down by thes water
hole began trail which he would soon
be hitting through the chilly hours.
He felt he ought to be angry with
Freda for the scene she had created,
but somehow he didn't feel bit wrath
full. Never gave the girl credit for her
grit. He looked lingeringly over her.
coming back now and again to the
eyes, behind the deep earnestness OF
which he could not guess lay concealed
deeper sneer. And, Jove: wasn't she
we'll put up. Wonder why she looked
at him so? Did she want to marry
him, too? Like as not: but she wasn't
the only one Her looks were IN ner
favor weren't they2 And young
younger than Lorraine Lisznayi. She
couldn't be more than twenty-three or
four, twenty-five at most And she d
never get stout. Anybody could guess
that the first time. He couldn't say
it of Lorraine, though. While this girl
Freda-he sighed his unconscious re-
gret that he had missed being born
under the flag of the Turk and came
back to Alaska.
.'Weil?" Both hands of the clock
pointed perpendicularly to midnight.
and it was high time he was getting
down to the water hole.
"Ohi" Freda started and she did it
prettily, delighting him as his fellows
have ever been delighted by their
womankind.
Il was just wondering what you
wanted to see me about" he explained.
drawing his chair up to hers by the
table.
Floyd" she looked him steadily in
the eyes, II am tired of the whole
business. I want to go away. l can't
live il out here till the river breaks
If try I'll die. l am sure of 1t. I
want to quit it all and go away, and
] want to do it at once"
She laid her hand in mute appeal
upon the back of his, which turned
over and became a prison. Another
s one, he thought, just throwing herself
at him. Guess ii wouldn't hurt Lor-
aine to cool her feet by the water hole
little longer.
''well?" This time from Freda, but
softly and anxiously.
ST don't know what TO say" he
hastened to answer. adding to him
self that 1t was coming quicker than
he had expected. Nothing I'd like
better. Freda. You know that well
enough He pressed her hand, palm
to palm. She nodded. Could she won
der that she despised the breed?
But you see, I'm engaged. OF
course you know that. And the girls
coming into the country to marry me.
! Don't know what was up with me
when 1 asked her, but it was a long
while back, and was ALFRED young
II want to go away, out of the land,
anywhere" she went on, disregarding
the obstacle he had reared up and
apologized for. II have been running
over the men knew and reached the
conclusion that-that-"
Il was the likeliest of the lot?'
She smiled her gratitude for his hav-
ing saved her the embarrassment of
confession. He drew her head against
his shoulder with the free hand and
somehow the scent of her hair got into
his nostrils. Then he discovered that a
common pulse throbbed, throbbed.
where their palms were in contact.
And when Freda turned her head
against his shoulder, her hair brushing
his cheek till his eyes met hers, full and
at close range, luminously soft, aye,
and tender-why. whose fault was it
that he lost his grip utterly? False to
Flossie, why not to Lorraine? Even if
the women did keep bothering him,