The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1912-04-19

there was IN excuse for his
'{&8Qls5 silence. 1t began to dawn on
WI&f1N him that this was an extraor-
binary adventure for a man OF whose
shoulders rested the responsibilities of
one of the greatest engineering tasks
on the continent and who was due
to take a train for the seat of bis
operations at 8 o'clock in the morning.
He looked down at his companion.
saw the sheen of her hair as 1t rippled
out from under her fur turban. studied
the soft contour of her cheek and chin
without himself being observed and
noticed incidentally that the top Of the
bewitching head beside him came just
about to a level with the cigar which
he was smoking. He wondered If he
were making a fool of himself.
Where the river ferry was half
drawn up on the shore. its stern frozen
in the ice. he paused and looked down
at he girl in quiet surprise. She nod
ded. smiling, and mOtiOned across the
river.
II was owe there once tonight" said
Rowland aloud. Didn't see any
houses and heard nothing but wolves.
Is that where we're going?"
Her white teeth cleaned at him. and
he was conscious Of a warm pressure
against his arm as the girl signi6ed
that they were to cross. His perplex.
ity increased. On the farther shore
the forest came down to the rivers
edge In a black wall of spruce and bal
sam. Beyond that edge Of the wilder
ness be knew that no part Of Prince
Albert intruded. 1t was possible that
across from them was "a squatter's cab
in. and yet II this were SO and the girl
was going to 1t why had she told 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 knew "
You told me you were q stranger"
he said. you seem pretty we'll &C
Quainted ove here. Where are we 60
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 we'll 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 ned into the vast
w~ilderneNses beyond the Saskatche-
war. Two days before the factor from
Lac Balm. the ~Chippewayan and the
Crees had come In over It. 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
ira veled It In the other direction.
Rowland had been told this at the
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-
witchinR red o. which gave to her face
an expression of tender %entreaty. Of
pathetic grief that the soft lips were
po|'eriess to voice the words which
she wished to speak. Then suddenly
she darted a few steps from Rowland
and with the toe Of her shoe formed q
single word In the surface Of the snow.
She rested. her hand lightly on How
lands shoulder AS he bent ' to
make It out In the elusive starlight.
Camp" he cried. Strengthening him.
self. do you mean to say you're
camping out herer'
To Be Continued