The Lamar register., 1918-04-10

toin1oftaDle. ana things VIII look a
little roster. This thing of everlasting
hurry and hard work gets on every
body's nerves."
The best of the afternoon was still
unspent when the haystacking termi-
mated, and Bill declared a holiday.
When the fire had sunk to dull en-
hers. and the stars were peeping shyly
in the open flap of their tent, she whIs-
pcred in his ear:
"You mustn't think I'm complaInInp
or lonesome or anything. Billy-boy,
when / make remarks like did today.
| love you II heap, and I'd be happy
anywhere with you. And I'm really
and truly at home In the wilderness.
Only-only sometimes ! have funny
feeling; as II 1 were afraid. look up
ut these big mountains, and they seem
TO be scowling-as II we were tres
pussers or something"
81 know" Bill drew her close to
him. But that's just mood. I've felt
that same sensation up here-a foolish.
indefinnble foreboding. All the out
of-the-way places of the earth produce
that effect. If one is at all imaginative.
It's the higness of everything. and the
eternal stiffness. 1t would be hard on
the nerves To live here always. But
we're only after II stake-then all the
pleasant places of the earth are open
to us, with that little old log hous.
up by Pine river for refuge when
ever we get fired of the world at large
Cuddle up and go to sleep. You're q
dead-game sport, or you'd have hol-
Tered long ago."
And. next day. to Hazel. sitting by
watching him swing the heavy. double
bltted nx on the foundation logs Of
their winter home, Ii all seemed fool
ish, that heayiness Of heart which
sometimes assailed her. She was per-
fectly happy. They had plenty of food.
In few brief months Bill would wrest
sack Of gold from the treasure house
of the North. and they would journey
home by easy stages. Why should she
brood7 II was sheer folly-a mere
ebb of spirit.
Fortune favored them to the extent
of letting the October storms remain
In allegiance until Bill finished his
cabin, with n cavernous fireplace of
rough stone at one end
stable to shelter the horses. Midway
Of its construction a cloud bank blew
out Of the northeast. and n foot Of
snow fell. Then II cleared to brilliant
days Of frost. BIZ finished his stable.
At night he tied the horses therein. BY
day they were turned loose to rustic
their fodder from under the crisp
snow. II was necessary to husband
the stock Of hay. for spring might be
late.
After that they went hunting. The
third day Bill shot two moose In an
open glade ten miles afield. 1t took
them two more days to haul In the
frozen meat on sled.
He also laid In stock OF frozen
trout by the simple expedient Of locat-
ing large pool, and netting the
speckled denizens thereof through a
hole in the ice.
So their larder was amply supplied.
And. as the cold rigidly frightened Its
grip. and succeeding SHOWS deepened
the white blanket till snowshoes be-
came imperative. Bill began to string
out line of traps.
December winged by. the days sue
ceeding each other like glittering PAN
els on black ground of long. drear
nights. Christmas came. They mus
tered up something of the holiday
spirit. dining gayly of roast OF carl
bou. For the occasion Hazel had saved
the last half dozen potatoes. With the
material at her command she evolved
n Christmas pudding. serving II with
brandy sauce. And after satisfying
appetites bred Of morning tilt with
Jack Frost along Bill's trap line. they
spent pleasant hour picturing their
next Christmas. There would be holly
and bright lights and music-the festI-
val spirit freed of all restraint.
A day or two after the first of the
year Roaring Bill set out to go over
one of the uttermost trap lines. Five
minutes after closing the door he was
back.
Easy with that fire, little person."
he cautioned. "She's blowing out of
the northwest again. The sparks are
sailing pretty high. Keep your eye
on 1t, Hazel"
"All right, Blilum." she replied. "I1l
be careful"
Not more than fifty yards separated
the house and stable. At the stable
a E.ts fh. 90 H..