Putnam patriot., 1911-09-22

tiutter If her voice aeain-"because they will kill you.''
 The low hugh that he breathed in her hair was mrre of joy than fear.
 T am glad that you care" he whis- pered to her snftly.
 You must go. she still persisted.
 With you, yes" he answered.
 No. no; tomorrow. You must go back to La Pas-back into the south. Will you promise me thatg'
 "Perhaps,s he said q will tell you soon" She surrendered te the deter imitation in his voice and allowed him to pass out into the night with her Swiftly she led him along path that ran into the deep gloom of the balsam and spruce. He could hear the throb- btng of her heart and her quick. ex- cited breathing as she stopped one of her hands elasping him nervously by the arm
 Tt is not very far from here" she whispered You must not go with me. If they saw me with you at this hour He felt her shuddering against him.
 "Only a little farther" he begged.
 She surrendered again hesitatingly, and they vent on more slowly than before until they came to where a few faint lights in the camp were visible ahead of them
 '.Now-nOw you must go"
 Rowland turned as if 10 obey. Tn an instant the girl was at his side.
 'You have not promised" she en- treated "Will you go-tomerrow?'
 Tn the luster of the eyes that were turned up to him in the gloom How iand saw again the strange sweet pow CT that had taken possession of his soul. It did not occur 10 him in these moments that he had known this girl for only a few hours: that until tonight he had heard no word pass from her lips. He was conscious only that in the space of those few hours some thing had come into his life which he had never known before, and a deep longing to tell her this, to take her sweet face between his hands as they stood in the gloom of the forest and to confess to her that she had be- come more to him than a passing vi sion in a strange wilderness. filled him.
 He crushed her hands once more to his breast as he had done on the Great North trail. holding her so close that he could feel the throbbing of her bosom against him. He spoke no word. and still her eyes pleaded with him to go. Suddenly he freed one of his hands and brushed back the thick hair from her brow and turned her face gently until what dim light came down from the stars ahove glowed in the beauty of her eyes. In his own face she saw that which le had not dared to speak. and from her lips there came a soft little sobbing cry.
 -No. I have not promised, and will not promise he said holding her face SO that she could not look away from him. "Foreive me for-for-doing tbis"- And before she could move he caurht her for moment close Tn his arms. holding her so that he felt the ouick heating of her heart against his own. the sweep of her hair and Dreath in his face This is why l Will not ro back" he cried softly II Is oe cause love you-loye you
 He caught himself, choking back the words and as she drew away Ifonl him her eyes shone with q glory mat ,.,.,aa him half reach out his arms to her. ,..a.o,,d q do not mean to do wrong. only von must know why l shall not go back into the south
 From her distance she saw his al iii' s+retcbed like shadows toward hef' rYor roice was low. so low that he could hardly hear the words she si'oAe' i,,t it's sweetness thrilled him.
 If YOU love me you will do this $ 4.,nr for me You will go tomorrow. And you?' .,,,,or
 .1sa He heard the tremulous culver in her voice. Very soon you Wi'i ,o' get that you have-ever-seeo-he .o From down the path there came 'he
 nd Inf low voices. Excitedly the rirl ran to Rowland, thrustlns mn hack with her hands .,1nr 9'.4 4Go. Co., she cried tense, UT .r hack to the cabin! Lock your uoo. n' s5 ls g, don.t come out again tonight. oh' anu ,,..o a # rou love me. please, go p'T,t rbe voices were approaching. How w, land fancied that be could u's'ih5 .h;nned a,o la sarl. shadows between the thlnneu ~alIs of the forest. He laughed soi.,y l.., :, "",'9 .5 am not going to run. little glri, ,i-aarad seer He drew hls ue nerolver so that it gleamed in the is Ut oi uiit, ruJ frightened gasp the girl pun ua him into the thick bushes pesiue .ns eu .h h-' nntil they stood dozen paees L,as1 Ia, where those who were eoliin . lfonn .ha trail would pass There was
 s,,ence as Rowland slipped n.S "sa .ho
 hock into it's holster lhen ." came again. very near. anu a' ,,nd of them his eompaiiioh 'ne oIose to him. her hands eiu'en, sli "lH -r,s her white. frighteneu .ne eaes raised to him in piteous ,.s aplsa.- saa "a. ' ,,,.ad leaned through him iike nre, ri'' ,-na,r that the girl had recoeni@eu II -saas-tbat they who were ao'u' 'ne him were the mysterious ene to iA pass sralnet whom she he'd warned leo n;m la,p Perhaps one was the man 1s mns iiin' ...acled him on the Great No..n