River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-03-11
CHAPTER XIII.
a shall help you to run aw

- crust is comm on the snow.
It's the time to travel.
would run with no less a man than
you
But you can't rum" Smoke contra
dicted. Your backbone is as timber
as thawed marrow If | run, | run
alone The world fades, and perhaps
| shall never run
Said Snass: Your partner is dead.
Ny 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 marriage?"
And Labiskwee: Il watch yon. There
is trouble in your eyes, in your face.
On, | do know all your face. When
you are happy the corners of your
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.
Il have never read books. do not
know how to read. But Four Eyes
taught me much. And in his own eyes
| have seen the trouble of the hunger
for the world. He was often hungry
for the world. Is the world so good
that you, too. are hungry for it? Four
Eyes had nothing. But you have me-"
She sighed and shook her head.
-Four Eyes died still hungry for the
world. And if you lived here always
would you. too, die hungry for the
world? l am afraid l do not know the
world. Do you want to run away to
the word?"
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 it kept his lips tight on the truth
Of the existence Of the other woman.
Again Labiskwee sighed
Every we'll. love you more than
fear my fathers anger, and he is more
terrible in anger than a mountain
storm. You told me what love is. This
is the test of love. shall help you to
run away back to the world
Smoke awakened softly and without
movement. Warm, small fingers touch
ed his cheek and slid gently to pres
sure on his lips. The one word
Come" was breathed in his ear. He
sat up carefully and listened. Close
at hand be 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 it was ! in the morning.
Labiskwee rejoined him and led him
on through the sleeping camp.
''Now we can talk she said when
the last fire had been left half a mile
behind.
In the starlight, facing him. Smoke
noted for the first time that her arms
were burdened, and, On feeling, dis
covered she carried his snowshoes. a
rifle. two belts Of ammunition and his
sleeping robes.
II have everything fixed" she said.
with happy little laugh. Il have
been two days making the cache.
There is meat, even flour. 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 go
fast my lover
Smoke checked his speech That she
had been arranging his escape was
surprise enough, but that she had plan
ned to go 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
ais arms around her and pressed her
close, and still he could not think what
% Go.
God is good she whispered. HE
3ent me d lover"
Yet Smoke was brave enough not to
suggest his going alone. And ere he
spoke he saw all his memory of the
bright world reel and fade.
I'VE will go back. Labiskwee." he
said. You will be my wife, and we
shall live always with the Caribou
people,"
mo. nor And her body. in the cir
Gle of his arm. resented his proposal
Il know. | have thought much The
hunger for the world would come upon
you. and in the long nights it would
devour your heart. Four Eyes died of
hunger for the world; so would you
die. And | will not have you die. We
will 90 on across the snow mountains
IN the south traverse"
Dear. listen,' he urged I'VE must