The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1918-03-06

"Yes?" he drnwled well. there's
no profit In arguing the point. Let's
be getting on"
He reached for the lead rope of the
nearest pack horse.
Hazel urged SILK up step. Mr..
wagstaff." she cried, ~ must 20 back. ("
"You can't go back without me-" he
said. "And I'm not travelling that way,
thank you"
"Please-oh. please ~ she begged for
lornly.
Roaring Bills face hardened. 81
will not" he said fiatly. I'm going to
play the game my way. And I'll play
fair. That's the only promise l will
make"
She took a look at the encompa ssing
woods. and her heart sank ut facing
those shadOwy stretches alone and un-
guided. The truth OF his statement
that she would never reach Cariboo
Meadows forced itself home. There
was but the one way out, and her wom-
ans wit would have 10 save her.
go on, then" she gritted, in a swift
surge Of anger. 81 am afraid to face
this country alone. | admit my help
lessness. But, SO help me heaven, I'll
make you pay for this dirty trick
You're not a man! You're n cur-a
miserable. contemplate scoundreir'
"Whew!" Roaring Bill laughed.
Those are pretty names. Just the
same, l admire your grit. Well, here
we go!"
He took up the lead rope. and went
on without even looking to see II she
followed. II he had made the slightest
attempt to force her TO come, II he had
betrayed the least uncertainty as to
whether she would come, Hazel would
have swung down from the saddle and
set her face stubbornly southwark in
sheer defiance of him. But such Is the
peculiar completely Of a woman that
she took one longing glance backward,
and then fell In behind the packs. She
was weighted down with dread of the
unknown, boiling over with rage at
the man who swung light-footed In the
lead; but nevertheless she followed
him.
All the rest of the day they bore
steadily northward. Hazel had no iden
OF Bill wagstafYs destination. She
was too bitter against him to ask, after
admitting that she could not face the
wilderness alone. She knew nothing
Of the North. but she thought there
must be some mode Of communities tor
or transportation. II she could once
get in touch with other people--wsll
she would show Roaring Bill. Oh
course. getting back to Cariboo Mead
ows meant n new start In the world
for she had no hope. nor any desire
to teach school there after this cpl
sode. She found herself facing tina
prospect unmoved. however. The I'm
portant thing was getting out of hel
present predicament.
Roaring Bill made his camp that
night as II no change In their attitude
had taken place. To all his efforts al
conversation she turned deaf ear and
q stony countenance. She proposed Ia
eat his food and use his bedding. be.
cause that was necessary. But socially
she would have none of him.
Thereafter. day by day, the miles un-
rolled behind them. Always Roaring
Bill faced straight north. For Il week
he kept on tirriessly. and consuming
DESIRE to know how far he Intended to
90 began to take hold Of her. At last
they dropped into a valley where the
woods thinned out. and down the cen
ter of which flowed a sizable river.
This they followed north a matter Of
three days. On the west the vail. y
wall ran to a timbered ridge.
Then the stream they followed
merged itself In another. both wide and
deep. which flowed west through II
Ievel-bottomed valley three miles or
more In width. Roaring Bill halted on
the river bank and stripped his horses
clean. though II was but two In the
afternoon and their midday IRE less
than an hour eItinguished. She
watched him curiously. When his
packs were on he beckoned to her.
Hold them a minute" he said. and
put the lead ropes In her hand.
Then he went up the bank into u
thicket of saskatoons. Out Of this he
nraSanfIv amerged hea RING IN hts