Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-20

snow. broken here and there by wan
derInR trails that crossed each other at
various angles. At the foot OF the
mountains the dark blur of pine trees
showed against the pale cloak OF win
ter. growing fainter until at the sum-
mits the gray clouds came down and
all outlines were lost.
At the base of the mountains were
scattered cabins OF homesteaders. They
were many miles apart, and each
roughly built house was half hidden
under the heavy snowfall.
On a certain March morning Anne
BeIlew opened the door of her fathers
house and drew in deep breaths OF the
clear. cold air Her cheeks were tin"
Cling with the icy contact when she
reluctantly closed the door and threw
several chunks of wood into the stove.
She moved about the kitchen. slen-
der. graceful girl of twenty-five with
golden brown hair and eyes and sweet
face that now dropped little sadly
in response to her thoughts
Her father came in TO breakfast
fresh from his morning additions,
big. strong. ruddy looking man with
crisp gray hair
some colder. Anne, my dear" he
said cheerily as he sat down to the ap-
petiz;ng meal of corn bread and fried
bacon with fragrant coffee.
Eyes, dad L suppose you will go
into the forest today"
NO; 1 shall try to get to Moonton
for more supplies. shall walk. and 1
can pack the things back by sled. 1
ra Their wanted to go over and see what
has become of young Wallace. Haven't
seen him for a fortnight / hope the
lad isn't ILL., He might be, and no one
would know it That's the worst OF
the Wallace claim; it's the last one OF
the bunch and on the edge of all .crea- !
ton"
Anne's face lost its lovely color, and |
her hand trembled as she poured her
father a second cup of coffee.
''If Jim Wallace is all alone and sick,
why, there is no one to wait upon him.
and perhaps he hasn't anything in the
house to eat" she said practically.
That's the worst of 1t, Anne. Well,
I'll make an early start. Where are
my snowshoes? Yes, as was saying.
III make an early start and try to get
nome by shutdown. If don't, Anne,
you needn't worry. 1 shall stop at
Tillman's for the night"
When the dusk fell Anne placed a
amp in the window, although she did
lot expect her father to. return that
light. The storm was increasing in
ury, and now the wind was screaming
lround the house, seeking entrance
trough some unprotected Granny.
II wonder-I wonder" was the re
rain of Anne's thoughts all through
hat lonely day. wonder if he is all
ight''
Anne Bellew was not thinking of her
ather. She knew that he was safely
oused at Gillman's, but there was an
Their. Jim Wallace, who had only a
ear before taken up claim on the
dye of the government tract. Wallace
ad worked hard clearing his place and
IAN into a great sun Drowned pioneer.
She had seen Jim Wallace many
mes before they met, and after that X
inns wooing had been very short and I
weet as well, for Anne loved him.
here wouldn't have been any story
} write if Anne and Jim had not quar-
lied one autumn day, and since then
lree months had passed by without a I
ord spoken between them. !
81 wonder-I wonder If Jim is all I
ght," Anne went on thinking, and at :
st her thoughts found relief in ac- '
on. 1t was 7 o'clock when she set /
nth clad in a suit of her fathers
othing, much too large for her, but 9
warm nevertheless. {
Leaving the lamp in the window. she t
ent out into the storm, bending her l
lad to the piercing blast r
northward, she faced the b
tier blast, and more than once she
as tempted to go back to the warm q
mfort of the house, but a Fremont. |,
IN of danger to Jim Wallace possess o
her, and she fought sturdily ahead
It was five miles to the Wallace r
aim, facing the wind every inch OF n
e way. a man would have suffered n
emily, but some inward exaltation
pit the blood singing through Anne's 81
ins. and her feet stepped out brave IL
and her fur gloved hands were as
lrm as her tender heart. r.
sue was going 10 jim "aiiaces place d,
see If he were alive and well, and =,
d him she hated him, and newell, h,
n had quoted something about "a ~
'man with serpent's tongue" n,
Itch had been the final straw on the ",
mels back of her patience. -,
III at once there came an ominoust q,
g drawn cry. st
Wolves she shuddered and half q,
STATED in her tracks. 40
He might be sick and helpless" she
ought. but, though her courage was !.
lrly gone. she kept on doggedly. The 81 81
was growing louder, and she recog-
ed the cry of a solitary wolf :,
wonder If it is the watcher" she w
ught as she sped on. IF it is it
ans that Jim is in danger. Indiar
says that the watcher always 90
$ on ahead to spy out victims and
I he sits and howls until he draws ue
fun pack. oh. dearw -
60