The Yale expositor., 1918-04-18

1entalIy reSte0 IN hers. yOuTc uhe
ice. / didn't think about you getting
cold riding. Get down and put on a
coat, and I'll have a fire In a minute"
81 suppose IL / must, / must; but l
can get off without any help, thank
you" Hazel answered ungraciously.
Roaring Bill made no reply. but
stood back. and when her feet touched
solid earth he threw over her shoulders
the coat he had worn himself. Then
he turned away, and Hazel saw him
\ STOPPING here and there, and heard
/ the crack of dry sticks broken over
his knee. In no time he was back to
the horses with an armful of dry stuff,
| and had a small blaze licking up
through dry grass and twigs. AS 1t
grew he piled on larger sticks till the
bright flame waved Two feet high.
lighting up the NEARBY woods and
shedding a bright glow on the three
horses standing patiently at hand. He
paid no attention to Hazel until So
came timidly up to the fire. Then he
looked up at her with his whimsical
smile.
THAT'S right" he said; "ccgue on
and get warm. No use worryirg-Or
getting cross. 1 suppose from Tour
civilized, conventional point of view
it's a terrible thing to be out in the
woods all night alone with a strange
man. But I'm not a bear-I won't eat
you."
I'm sorry If I seemed rude" Hazsi
said penitently ~ can't help thinking
of the disagreeable side Of 1t. People
talk so. l suppose I'll be a nine days
wonder In Cariboo Meadows"
Bill laughed softly.
"Let them take IL out In wondering"
he advised. "Cariboo Meadows Is a
very small and Insignificant portion Of
the world, anyway"
He went to one of the packs, ana
came back with a canvas cover, which
he spread on the ground.
"Sit on that" he said. "The eRrtn's
always damp in the woods"
Then he stripped the horses of their
burdens and tied them out Of sight
among the trees. That task finished,
he took an AK and rustled a pile OF
wood, dragging dead poles up to the
fire and chopping them into short
lengths. When finally he laid aslds
his ak, he busted himself with gather.
ing grass and leaves and pine needles
until he had several armfuls collected
and spread in an ven pile TO serve as
a mattress. Upon this he laid his bed.
ding, two thick quilts. two or thres
pairs of wooden blankets, n pillow, the
whole inclosed with a long canvas
sheet, the bed tarpaulin Of the cattls
ranges.
'There." he said; you can turn in
whenever you feel like It."
For himself he took the saddle blan.
kets and laid them close by the fire
within reaching distance OF the wood.
pile, taking for cover a pack canvas
He stretched himself full length, filled
his pipe, lit It, and fell to staring into
the fire while he smoked.
Half an hour later he raised his
head and looked across the fire al
Hazel.
"Why don't you go to bed?" he
asked.
"Tm not sleepy" she declared, which
was a palpable falsehood, for her eye
lids were eve then dropping.
maybe not. but you need rest" Bill
said quietly. "Quit thinking things
It'll be all the same a hundred years
from now. Go on to bed. You'll be
more comfortable"
Thus peremptorily commanded. Ha,
eel found herself granting instant ODE
dience. She got into the blankets just
as she stood. even to her shoes, and
drew the canvas sheet mp so that II
hid her face-but did not prevent heI
from seeing.
In spite of herself she slept ftfully
Now and then she would wake with q
start to n half-frightened realization
OF her surroundings and plight. ant
whenever she did wake and look past
the fire II was to see Roaring Bill Wag
staff stretched out In the red glow. his
brown head pillowed on n folded
arm.
Then all at once she wakened out o,
sound slumber with a violent start
Roaring Bill was shaking the tarpau
lin owe her and laughing.
"Arlse. Miss Sleeping Beauty !" hi
said boyishly. breakfasts ready"
He went back to the fire. Hazel sal
up. patting her tousled hair into SOM
semblance of order. OF in the east
a reddish streak spread skyward into
somber gray. In the west, black nigh
gave ground slowly.
"WeiL it's another day." she whiS
pered, as she had whispered to herself
once before. II wonder If there vii
ever be any more like itf"