Putnam patriot., 1911-09-08
he by sJAffES OLIVER S CURWCCD
 ,xiiaEgHlahlHMTIHHTmEA
CHAPTER II.
TIE MYSTERIOUS ATTACK.

,bouIders rested the responsibilities of ons of tbe greatest engineering tasks .o the continent and who was due ,o take a train for the seat of his snera tons at s o'clock in the morning.
 He looked down at his companion, .sv the sheen of her hair as il rippled ..rt from under her fur turban. studied tho soft contour of her cheek and chin ,rIthout himself being observed and ,oticed incidentally that the top of the h.uritrhing head beside him came just ,hout to a level with the cigar which be was smoking. He wondered If be vere making fool of himself
 Where the river ferry was half drawn up on the shore. its stern frozen ,n the ice. be paused and looked down at the girl in quiet surprise. She nod ded. smiling. and motioned across the river
 "I was over there once tonight" said Rowland aloud Didn't see any borses and heard nothing but wolves Is that where we're going?''
 Her white teeth glea med at him, and he was conscious of a warm pressure against his arm as the girl signitied that they were to cross. His perplex- fly increased On the farther shore the forest came down to the rivers edge in q black wall of spruce and bal sam Beyond that edge of the wilder ness he knew that no part of Prince Albert intruded. It was possible that across from them was a squatter's cab in. and yet if this were so and the girl was going to it why had she told him that she was q stranger in the town? And why had she come to him for the assistance she promised to request of him instead of seeking it of those whom she knew?
 You told me you were a stranger" he said You seem pretty well ac- ouainted over here. Where are we go- lng?'
 This time she responded with an eu. phatic negative shake of her head, at the same time pointing with her free hand to the well 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 Lac Bain, the Chippewayan and the Crees had come in over it. It's hard hNr h., at-l-c .,H ha pI1 1fraex 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 forest man had now and then used this trail on his way down 10 the edge of civilization. but none from Prince Albert had travelled 1t in the other direction Rowland had been told this at the hotel and he shrugged his shoulders in candid bewilderment as he stared down info he girls face She seemed to understand his thoughts and again her mouth rounded itself into that be- witching red o. which gave to her face an expression of tender entreaty, of pathetic grief that the soft lips were poWereSS to voice the words which she wished 10 speak Then suddenly she darted a few steps from Rowland and with the toe of her shoe formed single word ip the surface of the snow She rested her hand lightly on How lands shoulder as he bent over to make il out in the elusive starlight.
 Camp" he cried. straightening him. self. Do you mean 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. You" be eX. claimed You. camping out here. With 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 OD his face: for an instant caught the sweet scent of her hair. Never had De seen eyes like those that giowed up at him softly. filled with the gentle starlight: never in his life had ne dreamed ot a face like this, so near 10 hlm that il sent the blood leaplng through his veins in strange exclte nent Fl held the hands tighter. ana the movement drew the girl closer 10 him until for no more than breath ne felt her against bis breast In that moment he forgot all sense of time ana place; forgot his old self-Jack How land = practical, unromantc, 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 So unexpectedly into his life. In an- other moment he had recovered hlnl- self He drew a step back. freeing The girls hands.
 T beg your pardon" be said softly Ills cheeks burned hotly at what ne lad done. and. turning sqnarely apoel' De strode up the trail He had he' aSen dozen paces when far ahead oi nlm be saw the red glow Of a nre Then hand caught his arm. eiutcnihe tf 1t almost fiercely. and he turned to meet the girls face. white uoW ~lth strange terror
 What is itY' he cried 'Teii me He caught Der hands again. startiea og the look il her eyes Quickly she pulled herself away. A dozen feet os- aind Der in the thick shadows Of me lorest trees something took shape anu movement In a fash Howiand sa" huge form leap from the gloom anu anght the gleam of an uplifted Kniie ihere was DO time for him to ieap