Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-11-07
Cgppah A LITTLE. BDOW Co.

opening. from q case swinging at MS
belt he took out a pair of field glasses
and leisurely surveyed the country.
"Well?" Hazel Intercepted.
"Nothing in sight, is there?" Bill sale
thoughtfully. eff the sun was out
now. Funny I can't spot that Soda
Creek trail"
Don't you know this country al
alT?" she said gloomily.
II thought I did," he replied. "But
I can't seem to get my bearings tc
work out correctly. I'm awfully sorry
to keep you in such a pickle. But il
can't be helped"
He took up the lead rope and moved
on. They dropped over the ridge
crest and once more into the woods.
Roaring Bill made his next halt beside
a spring, and fell to u%nlashing the
packs.
"What are you going to do?" Hazel
asked.
"Cook a bite, and let the horses
graze," he told her. "Do you realize
that we've been going since daylight?
It's near noon. Horses have to eat and
rest once in a while, just the same as
human beings"
The logic Of this Hazel could not
we'll deny, since she herself was tired
and ravenously hungry. BY her watch
it vas just noon.
Bill hobbled out his horses OF the
grass below the spring, made a fire,
and set to work cooking, He worked
silently at the meal getting, fried
steaks of venison, and boiled a pot of
coffee. They ate. He filed his pipe,
and smoked while he repacked. Alto.
gether, he did not consume more than
forty minutes at the moo halt. Hazel,
now woefully saddle sore, would fain
have rested longer, and, in default OF
resting, tried to walk and lead Silk,
Roaring Bill offered no objection to
that. But he hit a faster gait. She
could not keep up, and he did not
slacken pace when she began to fall
behind. So she mounted awkwardly,
and Silk jolted and shook her with his
.trotting until he caught up with his
mates. Bill grinned over his shoulder.
you're learning fast he called
back. "You'l be able to III q pack
train by and BY"
The afternoon wore on without
bringing them any nearer Cariboc
Meadows so far as Hazel could see,
Travelling over a country swathed in
timber and diversified in contour, she
could not tell whether Roaring Bill
swung in a circle or bore straight fo1
some given point.
She called a halt at four o'clock.
"Mr. Wagstaff"
Bill stopped his horses and came
back to her.
T. "Aren't we eve going 70 get any
where?" she asked soberly. "Tm
afraid I can't ride much longer. I
could walk if you wouldn't go so fast.
try at all?"
He shook his head. "They're few
and far between" he said. Don't
worry, though. 1t isn't a lif~e-and-death
matter. If we were out here without
grub or horses it might be tough.
III Ao uuuSSA CApOSuAC VI
hunger"
"You don't seem to realize the posi-
ton it puts me in" Hazel answered. 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 a sensation
when l get back to Cariboo Meadows.
l won't have n shred of reputation left.
1t will probably result In my losing the
school. You're a man, and it's differ
ent with you. You can't know what n
girl has to contend With where no one
knows her"
Roaring Bin looked up ut her i'm
pnssively. ~ know he said, ms e