The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-07-13
suddenly he heard step. light run

he sprang out into the starlight to
meet the slim. painting. white faced
figure that ran to him from between
the thick walls of forest trees.
"Meleeser he exclaimed softly.
He held out his arms and the girl
ran straight into them. thrusting her
hands against his breast. throwing
back her head so that she looked up
into his face with great. staring. hor
ror filed eyes.
"Now-now." she sobbed. now will
you go?"
Her hands left his breast and crepr
to his shoulders. Slowly they slipped
over them. and as Rowland pressed
her closer. his lips silent. she gave an
agonized cry and dropped her head
against his shoulder. her whole body
torn in CONFUSION of grief and ter
ror that startled him.
"You will go?' she sobbed again
and again. "You will go-you will
co.
He ran his fingers through her soft
hair. crushing his face close to hers.
mo: am not going. DEAR" he re-
piled in low. firm voice. mot after
what happened tonight"
She drew away from him as quickly
as if he had struck her. freeing her
self even from the touch Of his hands.
Il heardu what happened an hour
ago." she said. her voice choking her.
II overheard them talking" She
struggled hard to control herself.
you must leave the camp tonight"
In the gloom she SAW Howland's
teeth cleaning. There was. no fear
m hfs str1ile He laughed gently down
into her eyes as he took her face be-
tween his hands again.
II want to take back the promise
that gave you last night. Meleese
I want to give you chance to warn
any whom you may wish to warn. I
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 man on the
Wekusko will be in the search. and II
we find them there shall be no mercy.
Will you help me. orr
She struck his hands from her face,
springing back before he had finished.
He saw sudden change of expression.
Her lips grew tense and firm. From
the death whiteness 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 hard
determination which Rowland had put
In his own. and yet the tone Of 1t lack
ed his gentleness and love.
Twill you please tell me the time?"
The question was almost startling.
Rowland held the dial of his watch to
the light of the stars.
1T is a quarter past midnight"
The faintest shadow of smile pass
ed over the girls lips.
Are you certain that your watch is
not fast?" she asked.
In speechless bewilderment Rowland
stared at her.
Because it will mean great deal to
you and to me If it is not a quarter
past midnight" continued Meleese. a
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. us 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, sent 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. would give up every
thing-ambition fortune. the building
Of this road. If go tonight will you
60 with me? Will you promise to be
my wife when we reach lie Pasr'
A look of ineffable tenderness came
into the beautiful eyes so near to his
own.
"That is impossible. You will not
love me when you know what I en-
what have done"-
He stopped her.
"Have you done wrong. a great
wrongY
For a moment her eyes faltered,
then hesitatingly there fell from her
lips: "I-don't-know. believe have.
But it's not that-it's not that"
"Do you mean that-that have no
right to tell you love you" he ask
ed. do you mean that it is wrong
for you to listen to me? I-I-took it
for granted that you were a girl
that
"No. no; it is not that!" she cried
quickly. catching his meaning. ut is
not wrong for you to love me-" Sud-
denly she asked again, Twill you
please tell me what time it is-now"
He looked again.
twenty-five minutes after mid
night"
"Let US go farther up the TRAIL" she
whispered 81 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 If