The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-20
This is one of The Times
Novel Week
series.
IL will be finished in six
big installments.

\ ttOntinueu from our last ISSUE.
Come on, little woman" he
said gently. II knew you'd bs
tired. and / made camp down be
low. 1t isn't far"
Obediently she followed him.
How did you manage to find
me?" she asked suddenly - the
first voluntary speech from hei
/ in days.
Bill answered over his shout.
der:
Find you? Bless your soul
your little. highheeled shoes left
a trail a one-eyed man could fol
low"
In a short time they reached
camp. 1t was borne in upon hes
that short of actually meeting
other people her only recourse
lay in sticking to Bill Wagstaff
whether she liked 1t or not.
do you realize" she broke out
one evening over the fire, that
this Is simply abduction"
Not at ALL" Bill answered
promptly. Abduction means to
take away surreptiously by force
to carry away wrungfully and by
violence any human being, tc
kidnap. Now, you can't by any
stretch of the imagination accuse
me of force, violence, or kidnap'
ing-not by a long shot. You
merely wandered into my camp
and it wasn't convenient for me
to turn back. Therefore circum.
stances-not my act, remember
made IL advisable for you to &C
company me.
Anyhow" he went on, when
she remained silent, you'll have
to lay the blame on nature fol-
making you a wonderfully attract
i've woman. l did honestly try tc
find the way to Cariboo Meadows
that first night. 1t was only
when found myself thinking how
fine 1t would be to pike through
these old woods and mountains
with a partner like you that l de
cided-as | did.
And aren't you better off?
could hazard guess that you
were running away from yourself
Or something-when you struck
Cariboo Meadows. And what's
Cariboo Meadows but a little blot
on the face of this fair earth
where you were tied to a deadly
routine in order to earn your daily
bread? You don't care two whoops
about anybody there. Here you
are free--free in every sense oil
the word.
Is there any comparison be.
tween this sort OF life, for instance
III 1t appeals to one at all--and
being a stenographer and bucking
up against the things any GOOD.
looking, unprotected girl gets III
against in a city? You know, II
you'd be frank, that there isn't. y
After lapse of time they drop.
ped into another valley, and faced
westward to a mountain range
which Bill told her was the
Rockies. The next day snow
storm struck them. 1t was not
particularly cold. Bill wrapped heI
in heavy canvas coat, and plod.
ded on, Noon passed, and he
made no stop. II anything, he in.
creased his pace.
Suddenly, late in the afternoon
they stepped out of the timber
into little clearing, in which the
blurred outline OF a cabin showed
under the wide arms of leafless
tree.
/ Roaring Bill halted at the dooI
and lifted her down rom Silks
back without the Formally of ask
ing her leave. He pulled the
latchstring, and led her in. Be
side the rude stone fireplace, woot
and kindling were piled in readi
ness for use. Bill kicked the door
shut, dropped of his knees, and
started the fire. In five minutes
a great blaze leaped and cracked
into the wide throat of the chin
ney. Then he piled on more wood
and turned to her.
This Is the house that Jacl
built" he said, with a sober face
and a twinkle In his gray eyes
This is the man who lives in the
house that Jack built. And this
he pointed mischievously at hel
Ifs the woman who's going t.
love the man who lives in the
house that Jack built"
That's a lie!" she flashe t
stormily through her chatterins
teeth.
! well, we'll see," he answered
cheerfully. Get up here close tt
the fire and take off those wei
things while l put away the
horses.
And, with that, he went out
whistling.