Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-02-23


table st Jim Briggs that night if I
hadn't known how it would be. I went
there out of sheer curiosity to take a
look at you--maybe out of a spirit OF
defiance, too, because I knew that 1
was certainly not welcome even If they
were willing to take my money for a
meal. And | came away all ND In the
air. There was something about you-
the tone Of your voice. the way your
proud little head Is set on your Shout
ders' your makeup in general-that
sent me away with large-sized crouch
at myself, at Cariboo Meadows, and at
you for coming in my way"
"Why2" she asked in wonder.
Because you'd have believed what
they told you, and Carlboo Meadows
can't tell anything about me that isn't
bad" he said quietly. MY record
there makes me entirely unfit to asso-
ciate with-that would have been your
conclusion. And I wAbtef to be with
YOU, to talk to you, to take you by
storm and make you like me as I felt
| could care for you. You can't haye
grown up, little person, without reafiz-
ing that you do attract men very
strongly. All women do, but some far
more than Others"
Perhaps" she admitted coldly.
Men have annoyed me with their I'M
welcome attentions. But none of them
ever dared go the length of CARRYING
me away against my will. You can't
explain or excuse that"
I'm not attempting excuses" Bill
made answer. There are two things
never do-apologize or bully. dare
say that's one reason the Meadows
gives me such black eve II they
weren't good deal afraid Of me, and
always laying for a chance to do me
up they wouldn't let me stay in the
town overnight. So you can see what
handicap was under when It came
to making your acquaintance and
counting you in the orthodox Manner"
"1ou'Ve made a great mistake" she
said bitterly. IF you think you've re-
moved the handicap. I've suffered a
great deal at the hands Of men In the
past six months. I'm beginning to be-
lieve that all men are brutes at heart"
Roaring Bill sat up and clasped his
hands over his knees and stared hxedly
into the fire.
"NO." he said slowly, "all men are
not brutes-any more than all women
are angels. III convince you of TINT"
Take me home, then" she cried for
lornly. That's the only way you eau
convince me or make amends"
NO." Bill murmured, that isn't the
way. Wait till you know me better
Besides, ! couldn't take you out now II
I wanted to without exposing you to
greater hardships than you'll have to
endure here. Do you realize that it's
fail, and we're In the high attitudes d?
/ This snow may not go off at all. Even
If it does it viii storm again before a
week. You couldn't wallow through
snow to your waist In rty-below-zero
weather."
| People viii pass here, ana I'll get
word out" Hazel asserted desperately.
"What good would that do your
I You've got too much conventional re-
gard for what you term your reputa-
ton to send word 10 CaribOo Meadows
that you're living back here with Roar
ing Bill Wagstaff. and won't some one
ploase come and rescue you" He
paused to let that sink In, then con-
tinued: Besides, you won't see a
white face before spring; then only by
accident. ~ one In the North. out
side Of n few Indians, has ever seen
this cabin or knows where it stands"
She sat dumb, raging inwardly. For
the minute she could have killed Roar
ing Bin. She who had been so sure in
her Independence carried. whether OF
no. into the heart OF the wilderness. at
the within Of a man who stood a self
confessed rowdy. In III repute among
his own ki, l. There was slumbpr-
/ ing devil IL Miss Hazel Weir. and II
took little to wake her temper. She
+ looked at BIZ Wagstaff, and her breast
heaved, He was responsible. and he
could sit Coolly talking about II. Tho
resentment that had amoldered against
Andrew Bush and Jack Barrow concen-
rated on Roaring Bill as the arch Of
fender Of them al. And lest she Weld
to a savage impulse TO scrpam ct him.
she got up and ran into the bedroom,
slammed the door shut behind her, and
threw herself across the bed 10 mufle
the sound Of her crying IN pillow.
After a time she lifted her head.
Outside, the wind whistled gusfHy
around the cabin corners. In the
Ldshed intervals she heard n steady
pad, pad, sounding sometimes close by
her door, again faintly at the far end
n the room. 4 beam of light shone
through the generous latchstring hole
IN the door. Stealing softly over. she
peeped through this hole. From end
to end Of the big room and back again
4tooring Bin paced slowly. looking
straight ahead Of him with a fixed,
absent stare his teeth closed on HE
neither ZIP. Hazel biini.ed wondering
". Many an hour in the last three
months she had walked the floor like
that' biting her lip in mental ngouv.
And then, while She was looking. BIZ
abruptly eXtlnuished the candies. In
the red glcam from the hearth she saw