The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-19

The afternoon wore on without
bringing them any nearer Cariboo
Meadows so far as Hazel could
see.
She called halt at 4 o'clock.
''Mr. Wagstaff!"
Bill stopped his horses and
came back to her.
Aren't we ever going to get
anywhere" she asked soberly.
Sure! But we've got to keep
going. Got to make the best of
a bad job" he returned.
You don't seem to realize the
position it puts me in Hazel an
swered. A wave of dependency
swept over her, and her eyes
grew suddenly bright with the
tears she strove to keep back. "If
we wander around in the woods
much longer, I'll simply be sem
sation when | do get back to Carl
boo Meadows. I'm a stranger in
this country, and what little they
do know of me"
Roaring Bill looked up at her
impassiyely. 81 know" he said.
Your friend Perkins talked a lot.
But what's the difference? Carl
boo Meadows is only flea bite. II
you're right, and you know you're
right, you can look the world in
the eye and tell it collectively to
go to the devil. Besides, you've
got perverted idea. People
aren't SO ready to give you the
bad eye on somebody else's say-so.
It would take a lot more than a
flash drummer's word to convince
me that you're a naughty little
girl. Pshaw-forget it,"
Hazel colored holly at his men
ton OF Perkins, but for the latter
part of his speech she could have
Rugged him.
We'll, let's get somewhere" he
said, abruptly. "If you're too
saddle sore to ride. walk a while.
I'll go slower"
She walked, and the exercise re-
lieved the cramping ache in her
limbs. She followed till her
strength began to fail. And when,
in spite of her determination, she
Jagged behind, he stopped at the
first water.
We'll camp here" he said.
You're about all in, and we can't
get anywhere tonight, | see that
plainly"
Hazel accepted his dictum as
best she could. They talked little.
Hazel was in the grip of utter for
lorness, wishful to cry. After a
long period of abstraction, Roar
ing Bill silently arranged her bed
Night passed, and dawn ush-
cred in a clearing sky. When they
set out again, Hazel walked the
stiffness out of her muscles before
she mounted. When she did get
on Silk, Roaring Bill increased
his aace. She asked no questions.
What was the use? He would
eventually come out somewhere.
The last trailing banner of
cloud vanished, and the sun rode
clear In an opal sky. Hazel was
thus enabled to locate the cardi-
nal points Of the compass. And
the result was what set her think
Ing. Roaring Bill drove straight
north in an undertaking line. She
recollected that the point from
which she had lost her way had
lain northeast Of Cariboo Mead
ows. A swift rush of misgiyings
seized her.
Roaring Bill stopped.
Where are you taking me?"
she demanded.
why, l am taking you home
or trying to-" he answered mildly.
But you're going NORTH" she
declared. you've been going
north all morning. was north
Of Cariboo Meadows when | got
lost. How can we get back to
Cariboo Meadows by going still
further north"
You're more of a woodsman
than I imagined" Bill remarked
gently.
! She looked at him for a minute.
DO you know where we are
now?' she asked quietly.
Il do" he made laconic an
swer.
(which way is Cariboo Mead
ows, then, and how far is it," she
demanded.
General direction SOUTH" he
replied slowly. Fifty miles more
or less. Rather more than less"
And you've been leading me
straight north" she cried. ooh,
what am l going to do?"
Keep right on going" Wag-
staff answered.
J II WON'T WON'T" she flash
ed. "I'll find my own way back.
What devilish impulse prompted
you to do such a thing?"
You'll have a beautiful time
OF it, he said dryly, completely
ignoring her last question. Take
you three days to walk there-if
you knew every foot of the way.
And you don't know the way.
Ifraveling in timber in confusing,
as you've discovered. You'll never
see Cariboo Meadows, or any 9TH
er place, IL you tackle it single
handed, without grub or matches
or bedding. It's fall, rem emb Der.
A snowstorm is due any time. This
Is a whopping big country. A
good many men have got lost in
lt-and other men have found