The Yale expositor., 1918-05-16

pcilcu 10 Try, uHu upon tillS, ner SecOnQ
journey northward, the truth OF that
statement grew more patent with each
passing day.
So trailing north with old Lmping
George, his fat klootch, and two half
grown Siwash youths, Hazel bore
steadily across country, driving as
straight as the rolling land allowed,
for the cabin that snuggled in woodsy
basin close up to the peaks that guard
Pine River pass.
There came day when brief uncer-
tainty became sure knowledge at sight
of L-shaped body of water glimmer-
ing through the fire-thinned spruce.
Her heart fluttered for minute. Like
homing bird, by grace of the rude
map and Limping George, she had
cone to the lake where the Indians
had camped in the winter, and she
could have gone blindfolded from the
lake to Roaring Bill's cabin.
She urged her pony through the
| light timber growth and across the
little meadows where the rank grass
and strange varicolored flowers were
sprlnging up under the urge of the
warm spring sun. Twenty minutes
brought her to the clearing. Silk and
Satin and Niger, loafing at the sunny
end of the stable, pricked up their ears
at her approach, and she knew that
Roaring Bill was home again. She tied
her horse to a sapling and drew nearer.
The cabin door stood wide.
A brief panic seized her. She felt a
sudden shrinking, a wild desire for
headlong flight. But it passed. She
knew that for good or iii she would
never turn back.
On the soft turf her footsteps gave
forth no sound. She gained the door
way a, silently as shadow. Roaring
Bill faced the end Of the long room, but
he did not see her, for he was slumped
I'm the big chair before the fireplace.
his chin sunk on his breast, staring
straight ahead with absent eyes.
In all the days she had been with
him she had never seen him look like
that. That weary, hopeless expression,
the wry twist of his lips, wrung her
heart and drew from her yearning
little whisper.
"Blllr'
He came out of his chair like a pan
ther. And when his eyes beheld her
I'm the doorway he stiffened in his
tracks, staring, seeing, yet reluctant to
believe the evidence of his vision. His
brows wrinkled. He put up one hand
and absently ran 1t over his cheek.
'T wonder If I've got to the point of
seeing things" he said slowly. "Say
little person, is it your astral body, or
is 1t really your
"Of course it's me-" she cried tremu.
lously, and with fine disregard for
her habltual preciseness of speech.
He came up close to her and pinched
her arm with gentle pressure, as If
he had to feel the material substance
of her before he could believe. And
then he put his hands on her shoul.
ders, as he had done on the steamer
that day at Bella Coola, and looked
long and earnestly at her-looked till
a crimson wave rose from her neck tC
the roots of her dark, glossy hair. And
with that Roaring Bill took her in his
arms, cuddled her up close to him, and
kissed her, not once but many times
"You really and truly came back
little person." he murmured. Lord
Lord-and yet they say the day OF
miracles is past"
"You didn't think would, did your
she asked, with her blushing face snug
gled against his sturdy breast. "Still
you gave me q map so that I could
find the place."
"That was just taking a desperate
chance. No, 1 never expected to sec
you again, unless by accident" he SAID
honestly. "And I've been crying the
hurt of it to the stars all the way back
from the coast. I only got here yes
terday. 1 pretty near passed up com
ing back at an. 1 didn't see how
could stay, with everything to remind
me of you. Say, but It looked like 9
lonesome hole. I used to love this
place-but didn't love 1t last night
1t seemed about the most cherries
and depressing spot I could have
picked. 1 think should have ended
up by touching a match to the whole
business and hitting the trail to some
new country. don't know. I'm not
weak. But 1 don't think / could have
stayed here long"
They stood silent In the doorway fol
a long interval, Bill holding her close
to him, and she blissfully contented
careless and unthinking of the future
so filed was she with joy of the pres
ent.
"Do you love me much, little per
sonT Bill asked, after little.
She nodded vigorous assent.
"Why?" he desired to know.
"Oh, just because-because you're 6
man, suppose" she returned mischie
vously.
"The worlds chuck-full of men,
Bill observed.
Surely" she looked up at him. "But
they're not like you. Maybe it's bad
policy to start in fiattering you, but
there aren't many men Of your type