The Dolores star., 1918-11-15

not be able to understand, that this
cabin and everything In 1t is the work
of my hands-or stuff I've packed in
here with all sorts of effort from the
outside. Maybe I'm freak. But I'm
proud of this place. Barring the in
evitable lonesOmeness that comes now
and then. 1 can be happier here than
any place I've ever struck yet. This
country grows on one"
"Yes-on ones nerves." Hazel re-
torted.
Bill smiled. and, rising, began to clear
away the dishes. Hnzel resisted an i'm
pulse to help. She would not work;
she would not lift her finger to any
task, she reminded herself. He had
put her in her present position. and he
could wait on her. So she rested an
elbow on the table and watched him.
In the midst of his work he stopped
suddenly.
There's oceans Of time to do this"
he observed. 'Tm Just wee bit
tired, II anybody should ask you. Let's
camp in the other room. It's a heap
more comfy"
He put more wood on the kitchen
fire, and set pot of water to heat.
Out In the living room Hazel drew her
chair to one side Of the hearth. Bill
sprawled on the bearskin robe with an
other cigarette In his fingers.
NO." he began, after long silence,
this country doesn't get on ones
nerves-not If one Is a normal human
being. You'll find that. When first
came up here 1 thought so, too; 1t
seemed so big and empty and forbid
ding. But the more see of it the bet
ter 1t compares with the outer world
where the extremes of luxury and want
are always in evidence. 1t began to
seem like home to me when l first
looked down into this little basin. l
had partner then. I said to him l.:
Here's dandy, fine place to winter
SO we wintered-in log shack sixteen
foot square that Silk and Satin and
Niger have for stable now. When
summer came my partner wanted to
move on, so l stayed-stnyed and be-
gan to build for the next winter. And
I've been working at 1t ever since.
making little things like chairs and
tables and shelves, and fixing up game
heads whenever l got an extra good
one. And maybe two or three times a
year I'd go out. Got restless, YOU
know. I'm not really hermit by ma
ture. Lord, the things I've packed in
here from the outside! Books-I hired
n whole pack train at Ashcroft once to
bring in just books; they thought 1
was crazy, guess. I've quit this place
once or twice, but I always come back.
It's got that home feeling that 1 can't
find anywhere else. Only 1t has always
lacked one important home qualifica-
tion." he finished softly. "Do you ever
build air castlesT
mo-" Hazel answered untruthfullv.
uneasy ut the trend of his talk. She
was learning that Bill Wagstaff, for
all his gentleness and patience with
her, was persistent mortal.
swell. I do," he continued, unper.
turbed. Lots Of 'em. But mostly
around one thing-a woman-a dream
woman-because never saw one that
seemed to fit In until ran across YOU. i"
"Mr. Wagstaff," Hazel pleaded,
won't you please stop stalking like
that? 1t isn't-it isn't"
isn't proper, suppose" Bill SUD-
piled dryly, "Now, that's merely an
error, and fundamental error on your
part, little person. Our emotion and
Instincts are perfectly proper when you
get down to fundamentals. You've got
an artificial standard to judge by,
that's all. And I don't suppose you
nave the least Idea how many lives are
spoiled one way and another by the
operation of those same artificial stand
ards In this little old world. Now,
may seem to you lawless, unprin-
clpled individual indeed, because I've
acted contrary to your idea of the &C.
cepted order Of things. But here's my
SIDE OF 1t: I'm in search of happiness.
we NIL are, I have q few ideals-and
very few illusions. don't quite believe
IN this thing called love Mt first sight.
mat presupposes a volatility of emo
tion that people of any strength of
character are not likely to indulge in.
But-for instance, n man can have n
very definite ideal of the kind of wom-
an ne would like for mate, the kind
OF woman he could be happy with and
couid make happy. And whenever he
mas woman who corresponds to that
Ideal he's apt to make strenuous at.
tempt to get her. That's pretty much
how felt about you."
you had no right to kidnap me-"
Hazel began.
You had no business getting lost
and making 1t possible for me to carry
you Off" Bill replied. isn't that logic7"
I'll never forgive you." Hazel
flashed. ut was treacherous and un.
manly. There are other ways of WIN
ming n woman"
There wasn't any other way open
to me-" Bill grew suddenly moody,
Not with you In Cariboo Meadows.
I'm taboo there. Why. I'd have been at
your elbow when you left the supper
table ut Jim Briggs that night IL
hadn't known how 1t would be. went
there out of sheer curiOsitv IN toLo ,