Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-08-17


bed face. But the marks of bitter trail
bucking, the marks of frostbite, the
stubby beard, the tiny icicles that still
clustered on his eyebrows; while these
traces of hardship tugged at her heart
they were forgotten when she saw the
expression that overshadowed his face
Wonder and unbelief and longing were
oil mirrored there. She took shy
step forward to see what riveted his
gaze. And despite the choking SEN
sation in her throat she smiled-for
she had taken off her little, beaded
moccasins and left them lying on the
bearskin before the fire, and he was
staring down at them like man fresh
wakened from q dream, unbelieving
and bewildered.
With that she opened the door and
ran to him. He started, as If she had
been a ghost. Then he opened his arms
aad drew her close to him.
"Bill, Bill, what made you so longY'
she whispered. II guess 1t served me
right, but it seemed a never-ending
time"
"What made me so long?" he
echoed. bending his rough cheek down
against the warm smoothness of hers
Lord, I didn't know you wanted me-
I amt no telepathist, hon. You never
peeped one little word since I left
How long you been here?"
"Since last September" She smiled
up at him. didn't Courvoiseur's man
deliver a message from me to the
mine? Didn't you come in answer to
my note?"
"Great Caesars ghost-since Sep
tember-alone! You poor little girl y
he murmured. mo, If you sent word
to me through Courvoiseur I never got
1t. Maybe something happened to his
man. I left the Klappan with the first
snow. Went poking aimlessly over
around the Finlay river with a couple
Of trappers. Couldn't settle down.
Never heard a word from you. I'd
given you up. I just blew in this way
by sheer accident. Girl, girl, you don't
know how good it is to see you again,
to have this warm body of yours cud-
died up to me again. And you came
right here and planted yourself to wait
till I turned up?"
"Sure!' She laughed happily. "But
! sent you word, even if you never got
it. Oh, well, 1t doesn't matter. Moth
ing matters now. You're here, and
I'm here, and Oh, Billy-boy, I was
an awful pig-headed idiot. Do you
think you can take another chance
with me?"
"Say"-he held her off at arms
length admiringly-" you want to
know how strong I am for taking q
chance with you? Well, was on my
way out to flag the next train East.
just to see-just to see If you still cared
two pins; to see if you still thought
your game was better than mine."
swell, you don't have to take any
eastbound train to find that out" she
cried gaily. I'm here to tell you
care a lot more than any number Of
pins. Oh, I've learned lot in the last
six months, Bill. I had to hurt my
self, and you, too. had to get a jolt
to jar me out Of my self-centered little
orbit. I got it, and it did me good.
And it's funny. I came back here be-
cause thought ought to. because it
was our home, but rather dreading 1t.
And I've been quite contented and
happy-only hungry, oh. SO dreadfully
hungry, for you"
Bill kissed her.
II didn't make any mistake in you,
after ALL" he said. you're a real
partner. You're the right stun. I
love you more than ever. II you made
a mistake you paid for it. like dead
game sport. What's a few months?
We've all our life before US, and it's
plain sailing now we've got our bear
ings again"
"Amen!" she whispered. "I-but,
say, man Of mine. you've been on tho
trail, and I know what the trail r..
You must be hungry. I've. got all
kinds Of goodies cooked in the kitchen.
Take OH your clothes. and I'll get you
something to eat"
'1rn 60 you," he said. n, am hungry.
Made . long mush to get here tor a.