The Arvada enterprise., 1918-08-01

|
bumped tail to the driving wind. stol-
idly enduring. She shuddered with
something besides the cold. And then
Bill spoke absently. his eyes stiH on
the smoldering heap.
"Five feet Of caked snow on top Of
every blade of grass" she heard him
mutter. 'They can't browse on trees,
like deer"
He had stuck his rife butt first In
the snow. He walked over to It; Hazel
followed. When he stood, with the
rifle slung In the crook of his arm, she
tried again to break through this silent
aloofness which cut her more deeply
than any harshness Of speech could
have done.
"Bill, I'm 80 sorry!" she pleaded.
TITS terrible, know. What can We
DOR
"Do7 Huh! I" he snorted. "If ever
have to die before my time. I hope 1t
will be with a full belly and my head
in the air-and mercifully swift"
Even then she had no clear idea
Of his intention. She looked up at him
pleadingly. but he was staring at the
horses, his teeth biting nervously at
his under lip. Suddenly he blinked.
and she saw his eyes moisten. In the
same instant he threw up his rife. At
the thin. vicious crack of 1t. Silk col
lapsed.
She understood then. With her hand
pressed hard over her mouth to keep
back the hysterical scream that threat.
ened. she fled to the house. Behind
her the rife spat forth its staccato
message Of death. For few seconds
the mountains flung whiplike echoes
back and forth in a volley. Then the
sibilant voice Of the wind alone broke
the stiffness.
Numbed with the cold, terrified at
the elemental ruthlessness Of II all, she
threw herself on the bed. denied even
the relief of tears. Dry-eyed and heavy.
hearted. she waited for her husbands
coming. and dreaded it-for the first
time she had seen her Bill look on her
with cold. critical anger. For an in.
terminable time she lay listening for
the click Of the latch. every nerve
strung tight.
He came at Inst. and the thump Of
his rife MS he stood II against the wall
had no more than sounded before he
was bending over her. He sat down
on the edge Of the bed and puttinR
his arm across her shoulders. turned
her gently so TINT she faced him.
"Never mind. little person." he whis-
I slashed at you the way I did. That's
a fool mans way-lf he's hurt and
sore ne always has to Jump on some.
body else"
"D-lon't. Bill!" she cried forlorniy,
~ know it's my fault. let the firs
almost go out. and then built II up
big without thinking. And I know
being sorry doesn't make nny differ.
encc. But please-I don't want to bs
miserable over II. I'll never he care
less again."
"An right; I won't talk about Il,
hon." he said. II don't think you viii
ever he careless about such thines
again. The North won't let M gst
away with II. The wilderness 10 Biz.
ger than we are, and it's merciless n
We make mistakeS.~
II see that" She shuddered invol.
UNFAIRLY. "It's a grim country. n
frightens me-"
"Don't let IT," he said tenderiy. 80
long a. We have our health and
strength We can win out. and b
stronger for the experience"
Elbow can you prospect In the sprins
without horses to pack the outf,tf' she
asked. after q little. "How can we gst
out Of here with ali the stun we1l
haver'
we'll manage IT," he assured light.
y. "Werl get out with our furs and
gold. all right. nnd We won't 70 hun.
gry on the way. even n we have 10
pnck train. Leave Il 70 me-"