Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-08-29
der had come home from the vars

der had como home from the wars.
Sweetheart" the deep voice faltes
ing, may may kiss your
of course you may
Their lips met, and she chung to him
as his arms held her closely. 1t was
like a dream to him, this sudden. IN
expected surrender. Perhaps she read
this in his eyes.
do not misunderstood me" sha
urged softly. II do not come to yoH
because OF what has happened, be.
cause am alone and helpless. II yon
had stepped from the ranks that night
at Dodge, would have answered even
as do now"
You love me?-loye meg' he re-
peated
Eyes"
Even as he looked down upon her
upturned face, there was borne back
upon him q realization OF their pre-
dicament. His eyes swept over the
surrounding desolation, the two dead
bodies lying motionless in the snow,
the stiffening pony. the drear hillside
which shut them in The sight brought
him back to consciousness with
shock. Minutes might mean much
now. Dupont had disappeared over
that ridge to the right, In the direction
Of Black Kettles camp. How far
away that might be was altogether
guess work. yet what would inevitably
occur when the fugitive arrived among
his friends, and told HIS story, could
be clearly conceived. Even ii the
man believed Hamlin killed, he would
recall to miHrd the girl, and would re.
turn to assure himself as to her fate.
knowing her helplessness, the practi-
cal impoGsibility OF her escape alone,
return expedition might not be hur-
ried yet, beyond doubt, this isolated
valley would have Indian visitors with
| in a few hours. And when these dis
covered the truth they would be hot
upon trail where concealment was
impossible. The only hope of escape,
and that far from brilliant-as he re-
membered the long desert ride from
the distant COW camp on the Cimarron
LAY in immediate departure Every
moment of delay served to increase
their peril. Even beyond the danger
of Dupont's report to Black Kettle.
this snow-bound valley was not so far
away from that chiefs camp as to be
safe from invasion by young warriors
In search of game All this flashed
upon Hamlin's consciousness instant
ly, even as his heart thrilled to her
frank avowal
This is so strange I can hardly
realize the TRUTH he said gravely.
But, dear one, We must talk else
where, and not here Life was never
before worth SO much as it is now,
and every instant we waste here may
mean capture and death. Come, there
are two ponies at the mouth of the
valley
He snatched up the blanket from
the ground, and wrapped it about her
in such manner as to enable her to
walk; stopped over Hughes, loosened
the revolver from his stiffened fingers,
and then came back to where she
waited.
You can walk? It is not far
yes, the numbness is all gone
He was all seriousness now, alert
and watchful, the plainsman and the
soldier.
Then come; I'll break trail"
Where is the Indian village?" she
asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Beyond those bluffs; at least
Hughes thought so. We saw their
pony herd in the valley below, mere
dots against the snow"
Ten minutes later, blowing through
the intervening drifts, they came forth
to the broad vista of the valley and
the two patient ponies standing mo-
tionless.
eTo BE CONTINUED