New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-04-15
CHAPTER ll-Continued.

The thought Subered and halted her.
She glanced once at the dark face OF
her companion. Dan couldn't under
stand the TRANCE light that suddenly
leaped to her eyes. Perhaps she her
self couldn't have explained the wave
OF tenderness that swept over her
with no cause except the look in Dams
eurueSt gray eyes and the lines that
en- 81 Deep. Since the world WAS new
II has been the boast of the holdeSt OF
men that they looked their Fate in the
facc. And this is no mean looking. For
fate is Il sword from the darkness, a
power that reaches out of The mystery
and cannot lie classcd with sights Of
human origin II burns out the eyes
OF an hut the strongest men Yet l'ah
WI luukiug at his fate now, AMI ms
eyes held straight.
They walked togcrhrr down 10 the
ruined house, and the three of them
sal silent while the fire burned red,
Then Lennon turned to them with II
hall smile.
"Nuu'rr wasting time, You two he
said. "Rcmcmhrr, all our food IS gone
If you start now, and walk hard, may
he you can make ii out
There are several things to do
first" Dan answered simply.
Il don't know what they are 1t isn't
soiu. tn be- any picnic, Dan. \ MAJ
can travel only = - far without food 10
keep NJ his strength, particularly over
such ridges uS you have Ia cross. II
will be- easy to give up and die. It's
the Test. man its the test
"And what about youf' his daugh-
ter asked.
"uh. I'll be an right. Iiesldes-its
the only thing that can he done. !
can't walk, and you cant carry me on
Your backs. What else remainsf I'll
stay hcrc-aud I'll scrape together
enough wood 10 keep Il fire. Then YOU
can bring help"
lie kept his eyes aycrt"d when he
tnihrl. lie was afraid for Dan 10 see
Them, showing that lac could read the
lie in them.
"iluW do YOU expect to find wood
In This snow Dan asked him. ut viii
take iour days to get out do you
think YOU could lie here and battle
with a tire for four days. and then -four
DAYS more that il win take to colne
back: You'd have two choices: to
burn green wood that I'd u for you
before | left, or the ra~in-soaked dead
wood under the lou coCldn I
keep either one of them burning, ana
you'd die in IA night. lIesideS-this Is
ro time for an unarmed man to be
atone in the hills"
LrnnoX's voice grew pleading. he
sensible. Dam" he cried. That
C%ranStou's got uS, and got us right.
I've only one thing NOR" ! care about
and that is that you pay the debt!
cant hope To get M myself. ! say
that I can't even hope 10. But II you
bring my daughter through-and when
spring comes pay what we W 10
CranSton-Ill be- content. Heavens
son-TNe lived my life. Tho old pack
lender dies When his time comes, ana
~ does a man
nj, daughter crept to him and shell
tered his gray head against her
breast. "I1l stay with you, then she
cried.
.pon't be n little fool. Snowbird,'
hr urged. MY clothes are wet al
rrndy frcm the melted snow. It's to-
long a way-it will he too hard a fight.
and childrcn-Tm old and tired out.
don't want To make the try-hunger
and cold and even If you'd stay here
and grub wood, Snowblrd, they'd find
u, both dead when they came back in
a week. We can't live without food,
and work and keep wgrm-and there
isn't a living creature I'm the hills
Except the wolves Dan reminded
him.
"Eycept the wolves" Iennox
echoed. Remember. we're unarmed-
and they'd find It out. You're young,
Suowbird. and 50 Is Dan-and you
two will be happy. know how things
are, YOU two-more than you know
yourSelves-and in the end you'll be
hapny. But mc-Tm too tired to
mnL.e the try. | don't care about 1t
enough. I'm going TO wave you good
by. and smile. and lie here and let the
cold come down. You feel warm in a
little while
But she stopped his lips with her
hand. And he bent and kissed it.
IF anybodv's going to stay with
o Dan told them in a clear, nrm
49, 70. -. =. So. nrrt aeCrs4
any Of the cabins occupiedF'
you know they aren't Lennox an
swered. "Not even the houses beyond
the North Fork. even If we could get
across. The nearest help is over sew
entv miles"
And Snowbird. think, Haven't any
supplies been left in the ranger sta
tion?'
MOT one thing the girl told him.
"You know Cranston and his crowd
robbed the place last winter. And the
telephone lines were disconnected
when the rangers left"
Then the only way is for me TO
stay here. You can take the pistol,
and you'll have a fair chance of get
ting through. III grub wood for our
camp meanwhile. and you a bring
help"
And If the wolves come. or if help
didn't come in time" LennOx whis.
pered. pa~ssion-drawr for the first
time. "who would pay what we owe to
Cranstong-
But her life cOunts-irst of all.
Il know it Joes-but thine doesn't
count at all. Believe me. you two
lin speaking from my desires