The Mena weekly star., 1911-01-19
fiENR41fEHl4ffdI WEBSTER

service of her. The next moment her
words confirmed 1t.
You wanted me to make sure.
suppose. that it would not turn into a
great roc when | touched 1t and fly
away with me to the Valley OF Dia-
monds." She patted the furled wing
gently with both hands. Il suppose"
she continued, zone could dream as
yividly as this. although | never have
unless, of course. this is a dream.
But" and now she held out her hand
to him, but hope am awake. And
my same Is Jeanne Fielding"
He had the hand In his. and noticed
how live and strong and warm 1t was.
before she pronounced her name At
the sound of 1t. he glanced at her curl
ously; but all he said just then was.
Thank YOU" and busted himself i'm
mediately with completing the process
of furling his wings.
When he had finished, he tossed the
sheep-slin down in little hollow in
the foe, and with gesture invited
her to be seated.
ooh, I've a great pile OF bear skins
out here" she said quite ridiculous
pile of them, considering 1t is not a
cold night and we can make our
selves comfortable here, or go aboard
the yacht. just as you please"
They were seated side by side In
the little nest she had made for her
self, before he reverted to the idea
which had sprung up in his mind
upon hearing her name. There was
Captain Fielding once" he said
slowly, who set out from San Fran
cisco half dozen years ago, in the
hope of discovering the pole by the
way of Behring strait His ship was
never seen again, nor was any word
received from him. Finding you here
and hearing your name. wondered"
Yes" she said gravely, "he was my,
father. We got news of him last win
ter, II you could call 1t news, for It
was four years old before II reached
u.s. A whaler in the arctic feet
picked up floating bottle with mes
sage from him telling where he was.
so we have come here to find him
at least to find where he died. for I
suppose there is no hope-never SO
much as a grain of hope of anything
better"
Cayley could not contradict her,
and he saw there was little need Of
trying to do so. She had spoken SIM
ply, and very gravely, but II was eyk
dent the years had not taken the sting
out Of her grief.
He told you where ne was7' he
asked.
"Oh, quite exactly" she told him;
he gave us latitude and longitude.
and mapped the coastiine. So you
were wrong, you see, In what you said
about photographers. And he gave us
the route by which with reasonable
fortune, we might find open water.
We had good fortune and we got here
safely. but. of course, we were too
late The hut on the shore there IL
deserted. We have seen no signs Oh
life at all. The men have gone ashore
to search, and there is to be a gun-fre
If they find anyone alive But they
have been out all day and there has
been no sound You win understand.
/ think, though. why / did not want to
sleep tonight In my cabin In the
yacht: why the ice and the dome Of
stars seemed better
YES" he said, Il understand"
Presently. after a moments musing,
he added, What seems strange to me.
incomprehensible altogether. is. that
men like your father, and so many
others, should risk and lose their lives
trying to reach the pole"
you can't understand that" she
questioned surprised. you. a man
with wings?"
y suppose it's because OF the
wings" he answered her. Il slept
there once. early this summer-slept
and rested, and ate meal"
There" she echoed incredulously
Where do you mean7"
AT the pole, or within half degree
of it, won't guarantee my instru
ments, nor my hit-and-miss observa
lions any more accurately than that
and 1t seemed a poor place to rish
ones life trying to reach. Just the
ice-pack-the eternal ice-pack; moth
ing but that" Then his eyes lighted
little But should like to go there
some time, in the winter-should Ike
to fly straight ahead. for hours an6
hours. through the long dark. until
could see the North Star SQUARED,
above my head in the zenith, the cen
ter of all the universe. That woult
be a sight worth having, ! should
think. Some day, perhaps. shall trl
for It. And then one could go straigh
on across-a week or ten days woult
do 1t all--from Dawson City, say, t
st. Petersburg"
Dawson City to st. Petersburg!
she repeated; "only a creature o
wings could put those two cities Il
the same sentence. even in imagina
ton. And even with you 1t must b
imaginary You couldn't do 1t, reall.
could your"
Yes" he said; Il could do it."
You're tireless, them" she asked
You would go on flying, flying. with
out rest. for a week."
Il don't ly," he told her. "or hardl
at all. The birds don't fly. not thes
great sea birds that live on the wing
They sail; so do l."
but, then. don't you have to g
with the wind?"
You've sailed boat. haven't your