, 1911-07-06

70 speak at last I might have helm
Cd MIN He sent word to me once.
when | was under arrsst, to ask n I
would see him. and l refused. wa.
very His speech was punctu.
ated now by longer and longer pauses,
but still Jeanne waitsd.-"very sure
OF the correctness Of my W
attitude then. Correct is, perhaps. the
exact word for 1t. wouldn't turn a
hand TO save a mana man who had
been my friend, too-from living out
the rest of his life In hell" He shud.
oered a little at that and she quickly
laid her hand upon his lips.
Tina was long ago. she said. You
can see now what . God, perhaps.
would have seen and done then. And
II o did wrong, then it's you who
nave suffered for it-you who have
paid the penalty. You have paid for
the thing you left undone as we'll az
Tor the thing ne did. But we must
not talk about it m more, now.
You're not strong enough. ought
not to have spoken of it at all. but.
somehow, couldn't wait any longer"
Just his much more, Jeanne. and
then We will let 1t 20: You see now.
don't you, dear, why said I never
could go back to the world, never clear
myself of the old charge at Hunters
Expense Perry Hunters expense
o that he Is dead n don't you see
that that's as impossible now as 1t was
when | first said it?"
1t was with a half laugh and a half
sob that she kissed him.
"Oh. my dear" she said, what does
the world matter? This is the world
here. You and l. The space Of this
great bear-skin we are lying on. The
past can't come between US, and what
else is there that matters2 Come, it's
time for you to take another nap. Are
o warm enough out here. or shall we
90 back to tho hut2"
I'm warm, soul and body, thanks
to you" he said.
But 1t was Jeanne who went to
sleep. Somehow. since that last ex-
plantation a wonderful great, soft calm
seemed to envelop her. She slept
there like a child beside him. his hand
still half-clasped in hers.
1t was Philips voice that wakened
her. How long afterwards she did
NOT know. He was sitting erect on the
great b~ear-skin. and all she could see
Of him was the dim silhouette Of his
back against the sky.
What is it?" she asked, drowsfly.
rs anything the matter?"
He could hardly command his voice
to answer.
It's that aurora, over there" he
said. No. it's gone now. 1t may
come back. It's right over there in
the south-straight in front OF you"
But, my dear-my dear" she per-
sisted. why should an aurora
Is 1t because OF the one we saw the
night you killed Roscoe? Is 1t that
old nightmare that It brings back!"
She was speaking quietly. lei voice
caressing him Just as her hands were.
She was like a mother trying to
sure a frightened child.
No, it's not that" he said. uneasily.
I don't know think l may be 60
ing mad, perhaps. | know | wasn't
dreaming. | thought SO at first. but
| know I'm not now" Then she felt
his body %stiffen, he dropped her hand
and pointed out to the southern ho-
rizon.
There" he said, look therei" What
she saw was simply a pencil Of white
light, pointing straight from the ho-
lion to the zenith, and reaching an al
titude Of perhaps 20 degrees. Com
pared with the stupendous electrical
displays that they were used to seeing
in that winter sky, 1t was utterly in
significant. and from It she turned to
search his face. in sudden alarm.
No, no-look-looki" he command
ed, his excitement mounting higher
with each word.
She obeyed reluctantly. but at what
she saw her body became sudden
ly rigid and she stared as one
might stare who sees q spirit Fo
the faint pencil of white light swung
on a pivot, dipped clear to he hori-
zon, rose aagin and completed Its cir.
cult to the other side.
She sat there beside him. breath
less, almost ~lifeless with suspense
while that pencil traced Its course
back and forth from horizon to horf-
xon. stopped sometimes OIL the zenith,
to turn back upon itself-sometimes
continuing through unchecked. AT
last her breath burst forth from her
in a great sob. She turned and chung
to him wildly.
Philip" she said. ut ant be hat
it can't-it can't!"
Tell me-tell me what It looks Ike
what you think you seef"
She stayed Just where she was, cling
ing to him, covering to him, as II some
thing terrified her. her face pressed
down against his shoulder.
Signals" she gasped out. From .
nght-from q s~earch-ight.'
He drew q long deep breath or Two
and his good arm frightened about
her.