The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-11-28
Rex Beach

accompanying. lie udu TODDeu ueT VI
her people and her gods. He had
shifted hither and yon at the call of
his uncertain fortune or at a sign of
that lurking fear that always logged
him, and she had never left his side,
never questioned, never doubted, but
always served him like a slave, with
out asking for a part in that other
love, without sharing in the caresses
he had consecrated to a woman b
had never seen.
"By heaven, you're game, Alluna,
but there's a limit even to what l can
take from you," he said at last. II
don't ever seem to have noticed 1t be-
fore, but there is. No. I've got to do
this thing alone tonight, all of it, for
you have no place in it, and l can't let
the little girl go on like this. The
sooner that soldier knows the better"
He leaned down and touched her
brown mouth with his griZzled lips.
THANK you, Alluna, for making a man
Of me when I'd nearly forgotten. Now,
you stay here" He knew he could
count on her obedience, and SO he left
her. When he had gone she drew the
shawl up over her face and crouched
in the doorway, straining her eyes aft
er him through the dark. In time she
began to rock and sway and then to
chant until the night moaned with the
death song of her people.
Necia had no idea whittier she went.
Her only thought was to flee from her
kin, who could not understand; to hide
under cover in some solitary place; to
let the darkness swallow her up, so
that she might give WAY to her grief
against the log wall OF a half completr
ed cabin.
To his question, whats the trouble
here?" she made no answer, but moved
away, whereupon he detained her.
there's something wrong. Who are
you anyhow
cts only Necia, Mr.. Stark" said
the girl, at which he advanced and
took her by the arm.
what ails you, child? What in the
world are you doing here? Come!
It's only a step to my cabin. You
must come in and rest awhile, and
you'll soon be all right. Why, you'll
! break your neck in this darkness"
She hung back, but he compelled her
to &c with him In spite of her unwill-
ingness.
"Now, now" he a~dmonished, with
unusual kindness for him; "you
know you're my little friend, and l
can't let you go ON this way. It's scan-
dalous. l won't stand for it. I like
you too much"
He led her inside his cabin and
closed the door In the face Of the night
wind before he struck a light.
II can't stand to see you cry" he re-
peated as he adjusted the wick. "Now,
as soon as He stopped in astonish-
ment, for he had turned to behold in
stead of the little half breed girl this
slender, sorrowful stranger in her
amazingly wonderful raiment.
"By"- He checked himself insensi-
bly, and stood motionless for a long
time.
"I-I-hope you'll excuse me for act
ing this way" she smiled at him pite-
ously; then, observing his strange fea-
lures: "Why, what is the matter, Mr..
Stark? Are you angryF
His hawklike face was strained and
colorless, his black eyes fierce and
eager, his body bent as If to pounce
upon a victim. In truth, he was now
the predatory animal.
NO." he replied as If her question
carried no meaning; then, coming to
himself. mo, no; of course not. But
you gave me a start. You reminded
me of some one. How do you come
to be dressed like that? l never knew
you had such clothes"
"Poleon brought them from Dawson.
They are the first l ever had"
He shook his head in a slow, puzzled
fashion.
"You look just like a white GIRL
meant don't know what 1 mean"
This time he reused himself fully, the
effort being more like a shudder.
$50 1 have always thought" she
said, and her eyes filed again.
He showed forward a big chair with
a wolfskin flung " 1t, into which
she sank dejectedly, while he stepped
to the shelves beside the Yukon stove
and took down a bottle and some
glasses.
I'm not fixed up very well yet" he
~apologized. I've been too busy at the
saloon to waste time on living quar-
tiers. But it's comfortable enough for
an old roadster like me-"
He was talking to give her leeway
and when he had concocted a weak
toddy insisted that she must drink ii,
which she did listlessly, while he ram
)led on:
1--WE noticed a few things In my
life, Miss Necia, and one of them is
that it often does a heap Of good to let
out and talk things oyer-not that a
fellow gains any real advantage from
disseminating his troubles, but 1t
serves to sort of ease his mind. Folks
don't often come to me Tor ADVICE or
sympathy. l don't have it to give. But
maybe it will help you to tell me what
caused this night marauding expedi-
ton Of yours" Seeing that she hesi-