The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1912-07-19
CHAPTER l.-fcontlnuedl

gently to one Of the chairs near the
table and Immediately thereafter light
ed the fire which he had taken the
precaution to lay before his departure
1t had been dark in the cabin, but the
fire soon filed IT with glorious light.
She watched him at his task and as
he rose from the hearth questioned
him.
Now tell me-" she began. you
found"
First your supper. and then the
story" he answered. turning toward
the door Of the other room.
No." pleaded the girl. cant you
see that nothing is of any importance
to me but the story? Did you find the
camp?"
Il found the place where it had
been"
Where 1t had been!"
There wasn't a single vestige OF 1t
left. That whole pocket, / knew 1t
well. had been swept clean by the
Hood"
But Kirkby. and Mrs. Maitland
and"
They weren't there"
did you search for them?"
Certainly"
But they can't have been drowned"
she exclaimed piteously.
"Of course not" he began reassur-
fngly. "kirkby is veteran of these
mountains and"
But do you know him?" queried the
girl In great surprise.
Il did once" said the man, flushing
darkly at his admission. Il haven't
seen him for Eve years."
So that was the measure Of his iso-
aation. thought the woman, keen for
the slightest evidence as to her COM
panion's history. Of which. by the way,
BE meant to tell her nothing.
"Well?" she asked. breaking the
pause.
"kirkby would certainly see the
cloud burst coming and he would take
the people with him In the camp up on
the hogback near It. II is far above
the flood line: they would be quite safe
there"
And did you look for them there?"
Il d.d. The trail had been washed
GU. but ! scrambled up and found un-
disputed evidence that my surmise
was correct. ! haven't q doubt that
oil who were in the camp were saved"
Thank God for that" said the girl.
greatly relieved and comforted by his
reassuring words. And Robert Matt
land and the rest on the mountain,
a,haf In ;nt
Il am sure that they must have
escaped. too. l don't think any of
them have suffered more than a thor
ough drenching in the downpour and
that they are all safe and perhaps on
their way to the settlements now"
But they wouldn't 60 back withou,
searching for me, would they?" cried
The girl.
Certainly not. I suppose they are
searching for you now"
well then"
WAIT" said the man. You start
ed down the canon, you told every
body you were going that way. They |
naturally searched in that direction.
they hadn't the faintest idea that You |
were going up the river.
No." admitted Enid. that IL true.
! did not tell anyone. / didn't dream
Of going up the canon when I started
out in the morning. It was the result
II q sudden impulse"
God bless that" burst out the
man, and then he checked himself.
1ushing again darkly.
What had he been about to saw,
The question flashed across his own
mind and into the woman's mind at
the same time when she heard the
incompleted sentence: but she, too,
checked the question that rose to her
bps
This 10 the way l figure it." con-
tdnued the man hurriedly to cover up
his confusion They fancy them
Solves alone In these mountain,
which. save for Ne. they are: they -
osve you to have soas down the caA-