Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-10-24

paid no attention to Hazel until she
came timidly up to the fire. Then he
looked up at her with his whimsical
smile.
"That's right" he said; "come on
and get warm. No use worrying-or
getting cross. I suppose from your
civilized, conventional point of view
it's a terrible thing to be out in the
woods all night alone with a strange{
man. But Tn not q bear--I won't eat
you"
"Tm sorry if I seemed rude" Hazel
said p%enitently; 81 can't help thinking
of the disagreeable side Of it. Peoples
talk so. T suppose I'll be a nine days
wonder in Cariboo Meadows"
Bill laughed softly.
"Let them take it out in wonderfng,~t
he advised. "Cariboo Meadows is a
very small and insignificant portion OF
the world, anyway"
He went to one Of the packs, and
came back with a canvas cover, which
he spread OIL the ground.
"Sit on that" he said. "The earth's
always damp in the woods" q.
! 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 asiGai
his ak, he busted himself with gather
ing grass and leaves and pine needles
: until he had several armfuls collected
and spread in an even pile to serve ss
a mattress. Upon this he laid his bed
ding, two thick quilts, two or three
pairs of wooden blankets, a pillow, the
whole inclosed with a long canvas
sheet, the bed tarpaulin Of the cattle
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 canvasI
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 at
Hazel.
"Why don't you go to bed?" he
asked.
"Im not sleepy" she declared, which
!. was a palpable falsehood, for her eye
lids were even 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 p~eremptorily 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 DIP SO that u
: hid her face-but did not prevent hel
from seeing.
In spite of herself she slept ftfully
Now and then she would wake with 8
: start to a half-frightened realization
: of her surroundings and plight, and
: whenever she did wake and look past
t the fire it was to see Roaring Bill Wag
staff stretched out in the red glow, his
brown head pillowed on one folded
arm. ,u ;,,. ~ p. ,.s+.~ .rz>1: st1 ~@ ~
Then all at one she wakened out OF
sound slumber with a violent start
Roaring Bill was shaking the tarpau.
:, lin over her and laughing.
"Arise, Miss Sleeping Beauty" he
said boyishly. BREAKFASTS ready"
He went back to the fire. Hazel sat
. up, patting her tolNled hair into some
semblance Of order. Off in the east
a reddish streak spread skyward into
somber gray. In the west, black night
L gave ground slowly.
< "Well, it's another day." she whis
pered, SIS she had whispered to herself
once before. II wonder if there viii
ever be any more like it."