The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-05
(Continued,)


 This time she responded with an en- phatic negative shake of her head. at the same time pointing with her free hand to the we'll defined trail that wound up from the ferry landing into the forest. Earlier in the day How land had been told that this was the Great North trail that led into the vast wildernesses beyond the Saskatche- wan. Two days before the factor from Crees had come in over 1t. Its hard crust bore the marks of the sledges of Jean Croisset and the men from the Lac Ia Ronge country. Since the big snow. which had fallen four feet deep ten days before. forest man had now and then used this trail on his way down to the edge of civilization, but none from Prince Albert had travelled it in the other direction. Rowland had been told this at the hotel. and he shrugged his shoulders in candid bewilderment as he stared down into the girls face She seemed to understand his thoughts. and again her mouth rounded itself into that be- wftching red O. which gave to her face an expression of tender entreaty. of pathetic grief that the soft lips were powerless to voice the words which she wished to speak. Then suddenly she darted a few steps from Rowland and with the toe of her shoe formed a single word in the surface of the snow. She rested her hand lightly on How lands shoulder as he bent over to make it out in the elusive starlight
 "Camp!' he cried. straightening him. self. Do you mean to say you're camping out hereT
 She nodded again and again. delight ed that he understood her. There was something so childishly sweet in her face. in the gladness of her eyes. that Rowland stretched out both his hands to her. laughing aloud. You" he ex- claimed "You. camping out 'herev With a quick little movement she came to him. still laughing with her eyes and lips. and for an instant he held both her hands tight in his own. Her lovely face was dangerously near to him. He felt the touch of her breath on his face: for an instant caught the sweet scent of her hair. Never had he seen eyes like those that glowed up at him softly. filled with the gentle starlight; never in his life had he dreamed of a face like this. so near to him that it sent the blood leaping through his veins in strange excite ment He held the hands tighter. and the movement drew the girl closer to him until for no more than a breath he felt her against his breast. In that moment he forgot all sense of time and place: forgot his old self-Jack How land d- practical, unromantic. master builder of railroads; forgot everything but this presence of the girl. the warm pressure against his breast. the lure of the great brown eyes that had come 30 unexpectedly into his life. In an- other moment he had recovered him. self. He drew a step back. freeing the girls hands.
 .I beg your pardon" he said softly. His cheeks burned hotly at what he mad done. and. turning squarely about, he strode up the trail. He had not taken a dozen paces when far ahead of him he saw the red glow of a fire. Then a hand caught his arm, clutching at it almost fiercely, and he turned to meet the girls face, white now with strange terror.
 What is itT' he cried. ''Tell me-
 He caught her hands again. startled by the look in her eyes. Quickly she pulled herself away. A dozen feet be- hind her in the thick shadows of the forest trees something took shape and a huge form leap from the gloom and caught the gleam of an uplifted knife. There was no time for him to leap aside. no time for him to reach for the revolver which he carried in his pocket In such crisis ones actions are invol- untary. machinelike, as if life. hover ing by a thread. preserves itself in its own manner and without thought or reasoning on the part of the creature 1t animates.
 For an instant Rowland neither though nor reasoned Had he done so he would probably have met his mysterious 1T assailant. pitting his naked fists against the knife. But the very handspring of his existence. which is self preservation. called on him to do otherwise. Before the startled cry on his lips found utterance he flung him self face downward in the snow. The move saved him. and as the other stumbled over his body. pitching head long into the trail. he snatched forth bis revolver. Before he could fire there came roar like that of beast from behind and a terrific blow fell on his head Under the weight of a second assailant he was crushed to the snow. his pistol slipped from his grasp and two great hands choked a despairing cry from his throat He saw q face over him. distorted with passion. a huge neck. eyes that famed like angry garnets- He struggled to free his pin toned arms. to wrench off the death grip at his throat. but his efforts were like those of a child against a giant In a last terrible attempt he drew up his knees inch by inch under the weight of his enemy. It was his only chance, his only hope. Even as he felt fha fingers about his throat sinking ilse hot iron into his flesh and the hronfh Slippipc f-ov,, hfc h0dy ha re-