Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-14

Tho first time that Halliweu saw II II
held him with an almost occult interest
the silent red cottage against the pack-
ground of somber pines.
He had been hunting, and had wandered
out of the known into the unknown Oh the
great forest For hours he had fioundered
bither and thither in the fast deepening
snow, half frozen, looking with strained
eyes for some sign of human habitation.
And then through the gray veil of fall
ing flakes he had seen the cottage.
In spite of his extremity, something held
him hack even as he raised his hand to
knock There was no sign of life, not
footstep on the whiteness of the doorstep,
not puff of smoke from the chimney, not
a flicker of freight between the close
drawn curtains.
His hand came against the door softly, so
that the person within must have been
very near to hear the sound, but voice
said at once, Come in.
He stumbled over the threshold.
You are ill?" said the voice from out OF
the darkness.
Il am not ILL.," said HalliweU, but l am
almost frozen.
Don't come too near the fire. warned
the voice from the shadows. Let yourself
thaw out gradually"
The warmth of the room came from a
blackness. The outer circle of light touch
ed the garments of the woman, but did not
illumine her face.
You will forgive me for not getting up"
she said but If you have a match and
will light the lamp, You can see better"
The shade of the lamp was rose-color,
surprise. as was everything in that strange
room, from the soft-toned rugs on the
floor, to the beauty of the woman, who, rest
ing in the depths of a great chair, held in
her arms sleeping baby.
ut was because of him I could not
move" she said in a hushed voice as Hal
hweIs eyes rested on the child. He has
been awake so long-pOor little thing-poor
baby"
There was a note of anguish in her tone
that surprised HalliweI for the child
looked rosily healthful.
is he HIP he asked
No. she said, "he is not ILL.,"
=. Then as if with intention, she changed
You are wet" she said, 'ff you will go
INTO the next room you will find a dry coat
there and pair of slippers You don't
hind rummaging a bit, do you?"
AS she spoke there was in her face the
frst flash of brightness, and HalliwelI saw
that its WEAKNESS was the mark of care.
not of maturity for she was very young.
"Oh, l am all right" he said. Il can
mo, gor' she commanded with gentle
lmperlousness Il am not comfortable to
see you SO uncomfortable"
he IoOIl lildl ne entered was as strange
~ sumptuous as the one he had left. 1t was
a mans room, with suggestions of wild
life and of civilization curiously intermin-
gled. The furniture was of mahogany
richly carved, but the antlers of a deer
crowned the top of the oval mirror, there
was bears skin over the couch and
among the bottles and silver on the chif-
fonier lay a leather fash and a handful of
cartridges.
The coat that Halliwell found was of
corduroy, and fitted him, in spite of his
six feet two.
THE master oil, the house is my match"
he thought whimsically. II wonder where
he is?"
As if in answer to his thought, a voice
spoke In the next room excitedly:
who's been here Theo? There are foot
steps in the SNOWY
Her answer was so faint that Halliwell
knew that they were whispering question
and answer, for once an ejaculation broke
from the man, and once the girls voice
rose in quick protest.
As Halliweu brushed his hair, the door