Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-06

and this fellow happened to have one.
1t even occurred to Roscoe that if he
could get possession of the apparatus he
might be able to use it himself
might. after killing the man, and later
the girl be able to terminate his exile
here.
He had no doubt at all. now that the
mystery was solved and the terror over
that these two We're delivered into his
hands Even without the rifle he would
have felt sure of that. With it the thing
was almost too easy. He had only te
wait where he was and keep watch until
the man should come out of the hut. He
could crawl up to within easy range and
one shot would settle him.
But before an hour had passed certain
disadvantages about this plan had OBJ
truded' themselves upon Roscoe.
The wind was rising and the tempera-
ture falling steadily. There was every
indication that the first of their big win
ter storms was about to begin, and even
for one protected as Roscoe was, and in
ured to cold. his position would soon be-
come untenable 1t was question OF
time. of course. before he could accom-
complish it tonight. And the more he
thought OF it the more he had that de-
sire.
At last he rose stiffly picked up his
rifle. which he had laid beside him. and
cautiously approached the hut.
He was so preoccupied with it. espe,,
cially as he drew nearer, that he forgot
about the bear and stumbled over it in
the dark. This gave him a momentary
fright and caused him a whispered Oatn
or two.
He picked himself up and examined
the great ungainly carcass. Exploring 1t
with his hands he found the bullet holes
made by two of Cayley's three elective
shots. one. between the eyes and the other
in the throat.
This was good shooting. Better marks
manship than he Roscoe. was capable of.
Clearly it would not do to take any
chances. When the decisive moment
came Roscoe must See to 1t that all the
advantages would be on his side. Well,
that ought to be easy, since the man had
a woman to protect as well as himself.
Leaving the bear, he peered Stealthily
around the three exposed sides Of the hut.
NO light was shining through it's well
calked crannies and he heard no sounds
either.
Once or twice. from mere habit. he
glanced up fearsomely at the starlight,
and then swore at himself for having
done so. No terrifying apparition could
appear up there now.
For moment an accession OF rage
against the two who had baff1ed him and
enjoyed immunity from him so long al
most led him to attempt to break into the
hut then and there and settle matters;
that the settlement would almost newt
ably be against him should he attempt it.
He was still entertaining this notion.
however, when a luminous idea occurred
to him. Around on the far side of the
hut, the west side, which looked toward
the headland. was a good-sized heap OF
f1rewood which Philip had not been able
to find room for inside the hut. Roscoe
had with him a flint and steel and a
quantity Of tow. He never Travelled with
out them.
With infinite precaution against noise
he began laying a fire against the wind
ward wall of the hut Squatting. with
his rifle across his knees ready to use in
case or an emergency, he methodically
whitfield quantity of dry splinters off a
few of the sticks, ignited them and care
fully nursed the blaze. until under the
rising wind. 1t grew to the beginning of
fair-sized connagration. Then. catching
up his rifle, he slipped around the other