, 1911-08-03

s
al overheard them talking" She
struggled hard to control herself.
You must leave the camp tonight"
In the gloom she saw Howiand's
teeth cleaning. There was no fear
In his smile. He laughed gently down
into her, eyes as he took her face be-
tween his hands again. 5a -
Il want to take back the promise
that I ave you last night. Melrese.
I want to give you a chance to warn
any whom you may wish to warn. J
shall not return into the south. From
this hour begins the hunt for the cow
ardly devils who have tried to murder
me. Before dawn every mar on the
Wekusko will be in the search. and II
we ind them there shall be no mercy.
VIII you help me or
She struck his hands from her face,
g~pringing back before he had finished
He saw a sudden change of expression
Her lips grew tense and firm. From
the death w%hiteness Of her face there
faded slowly away the look of soft
pleading. the %quivering lines Of fear
There was a strangeness in her voice
when she spoke-something of the hare
determination which Rowland had pur
In, his own. and yet the tom of 1t lack
ed his gentleness and love-
viii you please tell me the time?"
The question vas almost startling.
Rowland held the dial of his watch
the light OF the stars.
"It is a quarter past midnight"
The faintest shadow of a smile pass
ed over the girls lips. e.
"Are you certain that you watch is
not fastT' she asked. -ar
In speechless bewilderment Rowland
stared at her. ...f.t.. .fi
Because It will mean a great deal to
you and to me If 1t is not a quarter
past midnight" continued Meleese. n
growing glow In her eyes. Suddenly
she approached him and put both of
her warm hands to his face. holding
down his arms with her own. lis
ten." she whispered. "Is there moth
ing nothing that will make you
change your purpose. that will take
you back into the south-tonight?"
The nearness of the sweet face. the
gentle touch Of the girls hands. the
soft breath OF her lips. sen a madden
ing impulse through Rowland to sur
render everything to her. For an in.
slant he wavered.
There might be one just one, thing
that would take me away tonight"
he replied. his voice trembling with
the great love that thrilled him. FOR
you. Meleese. I would give up every
thing-ambition. fortune. the building
of this road. If l go tonight will you
go with me? VIII you promise to be
wife when we reach LIE 'PasT"
A look of ineffable tenderness came
into the beautiful eyes 80 near to his
own. So
"That Is impossible. You will not
love me when you know what / am
what l have DONE
He stopped her.
~Have you done wrong. q great
wrong7"
For 4 moment her eyes faltered.
then hesitatingly there fell from her
But it's not that-it's not that"
do you mean that-that l have no
right to tell you l love your" he ask
ed. do you mean that 1t is wrong
for you TO listen to me2 I-I-took 1t
for granted that you were q girl
that
mo. no; 1t il not thatI' she cried
quickly. catching his meaning. ut is
not wrong for you to love me-" Sud
denly she asked again. "Wnl Won
please tell me what time 1t is-now?"
He looked again.
twenty-five minutes after mid
night" anlrir rsgqs9 iiuo'Eo am h
"Let us go farther up the trail" she
whispered. II am afraid here"
She led the way. passing swiftly be.
yond the path that branched out to
his cabin. Two hundred yards beyond
this a tree had fallen on the edge Of
the trail. and. seating herself on it.
Meleese motioned for him to sit down
beside her. Howland's back was to
the thick bushes behind them. He
looked at the girl, but she had turned
away her face. Suddenly she sprang
from the log and stood in front Of
him! - ~ tai
"Now." she cried: "nowr' And at
that signal Howland's arms were seiz-
ed from behind. and in another instant
he was struggling feebly in the grip of
powerful arms which had fastened
themselves about him like wire cable,
and the cry that rose to his lips was
throttled by a hand yer his mouth.
For an instant he caught a glimpse of
the girls white face as she stood in
the trail; then strong hands pulled him
back. while others bound his wrists
and still others held his legs. Every
thing had passed In a few seconds.
Helplessly bound and gagged. he lay on
his back in the snow. listening to the
low voices that came family to him