Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1919-07-10
CHAPTER lx-Continued.

However, 1 hoped that the night
would restore my sight, and so. dis
missing the matter from my mind, l
struggled up until at last stood upon
the summit Of the hill. Far away, like
q thin, winding ribbon among the hills,
saw the valley of the Riviere dor.
Beneath me l saw Jacqueline wait
ing, tiny figure upon the snow. /
east my eyes beyond her toward the
mist-wrapped tops Of the far Lauren
tians and the plains.
And q sense Of an inevitable fate
CAME over me as perceived far away
q tiny, crawling ant upon the SHOWS
Simon LerouX's dog sleigh.
went back to the little. patient fig
ure that was waiting for me, and /
took up my pack again and told her
nothing. She stepped bravely out be-
side ME, frozen, fatigued, but willing
because bade her. She did not ask
anything Of me.
The sun dipped lower, and far away
] heard the howl of the solitary wolf
again.
I gripped my pistols as we strobe
along.
We went on and on. The afternoon
was wearing away; the sun was very
: low now and all its strength had gone.
Courage, Jacqueline," said, patting
her arm. "The huts ought to be here"
Her courage was greater than my
own. She looked up and smiled at me.
The wolf crept nearer, and its howls
rang out with piercing stroke across
the silence. My eyes ached so that /
could hardly discern the darkening
land, and the snow came down, not
steadily but in swirling eddies blown
on fierce gusts Of wind.
And suddenly raising my eyes de-
sparingly saw the huts. There were
Eve Of them, and they had not been oc-
eupied for at least two seasons, for the
hlackened timbers were falling apart,
and the roofs had been torn off all but
sne Of Them, no doubt for fuel. The
wind was whirlng the snow wildly
around them. and 1t whistled through
the broken, rotting walls.
flung my pack inside the rooted
one, and began tearing apart the tim
bers Of another to make q fire.
Jacquelrne, opening the pack, began
the preparation Of our meal, which
consisted Of some biscuits left from
the night before, when we had made
q quantity on the wood ashes. We
made tea over the roaring flames, and
sat listening to the VOLTS call and the
wind that drove our fire in gusts of
moke and flame.
scooped out a bed for JacQueline
inside the snow-filled hut and spread
II with the big sleigh robe. She lay
down In her fur coat, and / wrapped
the ends around her. looked into her
sweet face and marveled at its Sefen-
ny. Her eyes closed wearily.
A dreadful fear held me In Its grip:
what II she never awoke? Some people
died thus n the snow. ! raised the
sleigh robe and saw that the fur coat
stirred softly as she breathed.
At last, out of the wild passions that
fought within me, decision was horn.
would go on, because she had hidden
me. And I would be ready for Lee
pux and let him act as he saw fit.
.saded my pistols. l could do no more
than fight for Jacqueline, and with God
be the issue.
"Paul"
i must have been half asleep, for |
cafne back to myself with q start and
sprang to my feet Jacquelne had
Jsen upon her knees; she flung her
arms out wildly, and suddenly she
caught her breath and screamed, and
stood up and ran uncertainty toward
ne, with hands that CROPPED for me.
She found me; caught her, and she
pushed me from her and shuddered
and stared at me in that uncertain
doubt that follows dreams.
81 am here. Jacqueline," said.
with you-always, till you send me
away. Remember that even in dreams,
JacQucline."
She knew me now, and she was re-
ceiling from me. out through the hut