The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-10-22
The Trys,.

shadows of tn bushes he seated
himself on the end OF a fallen
spruce and loaded his pipe, taking
care to light it with the flare of
the match hidden in the hollow
of his hands. For the first time
since his terrible experience in
the coyote he found himself free
to think, and more than ever he
began to see the necessity of cool
ness and of judgment in what he
was about to do. Gradually, too,
he fought himself back into his
old faith in Meleese. His blood
was tingling at fever heat in his
desire for vengeance, for the pun
ishment of the human fiends who
had attempted to blow him to
atoms, and yet at the same time
there was no bitterness in him to-
ward the girl. He was sure that
she was an unwilling factor in the
plot, and that she was doing all
in her power to save him. At the
same time he began to realize that
he should no longer be influenced
by her pleading. He had prom
ised-in return for her conf
dence this night-to leave unpun-
ished those whom she wished to
Shield. He would take back that
lpromise. Before she revealed
anything to him he would warn
her that he was determined to dis
cover those who had twice sought
to kill him.
1t was nearly midnight when
he looked at his watch again. Was
it possible that Meleese would not
come? He could not bring him
self to believe that she knew of
his Imprisonment in the coyote
of this second attempt on his life.
And yet-if she did
He rose from the log and began
pacing quickly back and forth in
the gloom, his thoughts racing
through his brain with increasing
apprehension. Those who had i'm
prisoned him had learned of his
escape an hour ago. Many things
might have happened in that time.
Perhaps they were fleeing from
the camp. Frightened by their
failure, and fearing the punish
ment which would be theirs if dis
covered, it was not improbable
that even now they were many
miles from the Wekusko, hurry
my deeper into the unknown will
derness to the north. And Me-
leese would be with themi
Suddenly he heard a step, a
light, running step, and with a
recognizing cry he sprang out
, into the starlight to meet the
slim, painting, white-faced figure
that ran to him from between the
thick walls of forest trees.
'Meleese" he exclaimed softly.
He held out his arms and the
, girl ran straight into them, thruts-
| ing her hands against his breast,
Throwing back her head so that
she looked up into his face with
. great, staring, horror-filled eyes.
"Now-now-' she sobbed,
''now will you go?"
Her hands left his breast and
crept to his shoulders; slowly
they slipped over them, and as
Rowland pressed her closer, his
lips silent, she gave an agonized
cry and dropped her head against
his shoulder, her whole body torn
in a CONFUSION of grief and terror
that startled him.
you will go?" she sobbed
again and again. "You will go
you will go"
mo, 1 am not going, dear" he
replied in n low, firm voice. mot
10 flor n hannah faniobx
| She drew away from him as
quickly as if he had struck her,
freeing herself even from the
touch of his hands.
81 heard-what happened-an
hour ago." she said, her voice
choking her. Il overheard
them-talking." She struggled
hard to control herself. you
must leave the camp-tonight.
In the gloom she saw Howland's
teeth cleaning. There was no
fear in his smile; he laughed gent
ly down into her eyes as he took
her face between his hands again.
II want to take back the prom
Use that l gave you last night, Me-
leese, / wanted to give you a
chance to warn any whom "ou
may wish to warn. shall not re-
turn into the oSuth. From this
hour begins the hunt for the cow
ardly devils who have tried to
murder me. Before dawn every
man on the Wekusko will be in
the search, and if we find them
there shall be no mercy. Will
you help me, or"
She struck his hands from her
face, springing back before he had
finished. He saw a sudden change
of expression; her lips grew tense
and firm; from the death white
ness of her face there faded slowly
away the look of soft pleading,
the quiyering lines of fear. There
was strange ness in her voice
when she understanding of
the hard determination which
Rowland had put in his own, and
yet the tone Of 1t lacked his gen.
tleness and love.
"Will you please tell me the
timer"
The question was almost start
ling. Rowland held the dial OF