Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-06-08
SMOKE
BELLEW
By
JACK
LONDON

IS LONDON I
coey.itta. 1914. By Dc Whssas {
- Syndicate {
CHAPTER XIII.
II shall help you 70 run away"
"YIsTEN to me-" said McCan. The
spring thaw Is here, an the
IL crust Is comm on the snow.
It's the time to travel I
would run with no less a man than
you"
But you can't run" Smoke contra
dicted. "Your backbone Is as Timber
az thawed marrow. II l run. i run
alone. The world fades. and perhaps
shall never rum"
Said Snass: ''Your partner is dead.
My hunters did not kill him They
found the body, frozen In the first Of
the spring storms in the mountains.
No man can escape. When shall we
celebrate your marriager
And Labiskwee: II watch you. There
Is trouble In your eyes, in your face.
Oh, do know all your face. When
you are happy the corners Of your
mouth turn up. When you think sad
thoughts they turn down. When you
smile there are three and four wrin-
kles at the corners Of your eyes. When
you laugh there are six. But can
not count them now.
II have never read books. l do not
know how to read. But Four Eyes
taught me much. And in his own eyes
l have seen the trouble of the hunger
for the world. He was often hungry
for the world. Is the world 30 good
that you, too, are hungry for itf -Four
Eyes had nothing. But you have me-"
She sighed and shook her head.
-Four Eyes died still hungry for the
world. And II you lived here always
would you, too, die hungry for the
world? I am afraid I do not know the
world Do you want to run away to
the worldT
Smoke could not speak, but by his
mouth corner lines was she convinced.
Minutes Of silence passed In which
she visibly struggled, while Smoke
cursed himself for the unguessed weak.
ness that enabled him to speak the
truth about his hunger for the world
while 1t kept his lips tight on the truth
OF the existence Of the other woman.
Again Labiskwee sighed.
"very well. l love you more than l
fear my fathers anger, and he Is more
terrible in anger than a mountain
storm. You told me what love Is. This
Ia the test of love. shall help you to
run away back to the world"
Smoke awakened softly ana without
movement. Warm, small fingers touch
ed his cheek and slid gently to a pres
sure on his lips. The one word
Come" was breathed In his ear. He
sat up carefully and listened. Close
at hand he could distinguish the Light
regular breathing Of Snass.
Labiskwee tugged gently at Smokes
sleeve and he knew she wished him
to follow. He took his moccasins and
German socks In his hand and crept
out into the snow In his sleeping moe
casins. Beyond the glow from the
dying embers Of the fire she indicated
to him to put on his outer footgear.
and while he obeyed she went back un-
der the fly where Snass slept
Feeling the hands Of his watch.
Smoke found 1t was l In the morning.
Lablskwee rejolned him and Led him
on through the sleeping camp.
"Now We can talk" she said when
the last fire had been left half q mile
behind.
In the starlight, facing him, Smoke
noted for the frst time that her arms
were burdened, and, ON feeling, dis
covered she carried his snowshoeA a
rife two belts Of ammunition and bis
sleeping robes.
II have everything axed." she said.
with a happy little laugh II have
been two days making the cache.
There is meat, even -four, matches and
skis, which go best on the hard crust,
and, when they break through, the
webs will hold up longer. Oh. DO
know snow travel and We shall 60
fast my lover"
Smoke checked his speech. That she
had been arranging his escape was
surprise enough, but that she had plan
ned to 20 with him was more than he
was prepared for. Unable to plan i'm
mediate action, he gently, one by one,
took her burdens from her. he put
his arms around her and pressed her
close, and still he could not think what
to do.
~God is good" she whispered "He
sent me a lover"
Yet Smoke was brave enough not to
suggest his going alone. And ere be
spoke he saw all his memory Of the
bright world reel and fade.
I'VE will 90 back, LAbiskwee." be
said. "You Will be my wife. and We
shall live always with the Caribou
people"
mo. nor And her body, In the CTR
Gle of his arm. resented bis proposal
II know. I have thought much. The
hunger for the world would come upon
you. and in the long nights 1t would
devour your heart. -Four Eyes died OF
hunger for the world; 30 would you
die. And I will not have you die. We
will 60 on across the snow mountains
On the south traverse"
"Dear. hsten," he urged We mus
60 back"
She pressed her mitten against hii
lips to prevent further speech. "Yot
love me. Say that you love me-"
II do love you, Labiskwee. You an
my wonderful sweetheart"
Again the mitten was caressing Oh
stacle to utterance. I'VE shall 90 o.
to the cache" she said with decision
ut would be q great wrong to you b
| 20 back. IL am only a wild girl, and
I am afraid Of the world. but an
more afraid for you. You see, It s q.