, 1911-07-13

&hS AotSot SahA~
edge in a black wall of spruce and bal
sam. Beyond that edge OF the wilder
ness he knew that no part of Prince
Albert intruded. 1t was possible that
across from them was a squatter's cab
In. and yet II his were SO and the girl
was going to 1t why had she old him
that she was a stranger In the town?
And why had she come to him for the
assistance she promised to request of
him instead Of seeking 1t of those
whom she knew2
You told me you were a stranger"
he said. You seem pretty well &C
quainted over here. Where are we go
ing?"
This time she responded with an en-
phatic negative shake of her head. at
the same time pointing with her free
hand to the well defined trail hat
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
w~ildernesses beyond b Saskatche-
a Two days before the factor from
Lac Balm. the Chippewayan and the
Crees had come in over 1t. Its hard
u bore the marks of the sledges
of Jean Croisset and the men from the
Lac la Ronge country. Since the big
snow, which had fallen four feet deep
ten days before, a 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.
TIrryIov,l ho1 hoan tAI1 fhto at thn
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-
witching red o. which ga v e 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
h 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 1t out in the elusive starlight.
Camp he cried. Strengthening him.
self. "Do you meal to say you're
camping out here?"
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. Your he ex-
claimed. You. camping IL here!'
With a quick little movement she came
to him. still laughing with her eyes
and lips. n for al instant he held
both her hands tight in his wi 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. filed with the gentle
starlight; never In his life had he
dreamed of a face like this. so near to
him that 1t sent the blood leaping
through his veins in TRANCE 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 setback How
land 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 ayes that had come
SO Unexpectedly into his life. In an
other moment he had recovered him
self. He drew a step back. freeing
the girls hands.
81 beg your pardon" he said softly,
His cheeks burned holly at what he
had done, and. turning squarely about.
he strobe up the trail. He had not
taken n dozen PAGES when far ahead of
him he saw the red glow of a fire
Then a hand caught his arm. c%lutching
at 1t almost fiercely, and he turned to
strange terror.
What is it?" he cried. Tell me-
He caught her hands again. startled
by the ook 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
movement In a flash Rowland saw
a huge form leap from the gloom and
caught the CLEAN 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 a crisis ones actions are invoi
untary. machinelike. as If life. hover
ing by a thread. preserves itself In its
wi nj and without thought or
reasoning on the part OF the creature
1t animates.
For an instant Rowland neither
thought nor reasoned. Had he lone
30 he would probably have met his
mysterious assailant, pitting his naked
fists against the knife. But the very |
mainsDrinp of his exfstpnce which IL