The Jasper news., 1921-03-10

twitching or leaves in the brush no,
ten feet distant, could only be guessed
at.
what Is making the, soundsfe' he
asked.
He didn't know II, OF the time, but
Lennox turned quickly toward him. 1t
wasn't that the question had surprised
the mountaineer Rather II was the
tone In which Dan had spoken. 1t was
perfectly cool, perfectly self-con-
| talncd.
THE one right close is chIpmunk.
l don't know what the others are; no
one ever does know. Perhaps ground
| squirrels, or rabbits, or birds, and
maybe one Of those harmless old black
bears who Is curious about the house.
And tell me-can you smell any
thing"
Good Lord, Lennox can smell all
kinds Of things"
'I'm glad. Some men can't No one
can enjoy the woods II he can't smell.
Part of the smells are of flowers, and
part of balsam. and God only knows
what the others are. They are just
the wilderness"
Dan could not only perceive the
smells and sounds but he felt that
they were leaving an imprint on ire
very fiber Of his soul. He knew one
thing. He knew he could never for
get this first Introduction to the noun
tain night. The whole scene moved
him In strange, deep ways In which
he had never been stirred before; II
left him exultant and, In deep wells Of
his nature far below the usual cur
rents Of excitement, a little excited
too.
Then both OF them were startled
out Of their reflections by the clear,
unmlstakable sound of footsteps on
the ridge. Both Of them turned, and
Lennox laughed softly In the dark
ness. my daughter" he said. ~
knew she wouldn't be afraid 10 come"
Dan could see only Snowbird's out
line at first, Just her shadow against
the moonllt hillside. His glasses were
none too good Mt long range. And
possibly, when she came within range;
the first thing that he noticed about
her was her stride. The girls he
knew didn't walk In quite that free,
strong way. She took almost q man.
size step; and yet It was curious that
she did not seem ungraceful. Dan had
a distinct impression that she was
floating down to him on the moonlight.
She seemed to come with such unut-
terable smoothness. And then he
heard her call lightly through the
darkness.
The sound gave him a distinct sense
Of surprise. Some way, he hadn't as
sociated a voice like this with a noun
tain girl; he had supposed that there
would be so many harshenIng infiu-
ences IN this wild place. Yet the tone
was as clear and full as a trained
singers. 1t was not high voice; and
yet 1t seemed simply brimming. as q
cup brims with wine, with the rap
ture Of life. 1t was q self-confdent
voice too. wholly unaffected and sin
cere, and wholly without embarrass-
ment.
Then she came close. and Dan saw
the moonlight on her face. And SO 1t
came about, whether In dreams or
wakefulness, he could see nothing else
| for many hours to come.
The girl who stood in the moonlight
had health. She was simply vibrant
with health. 1t brought light to her
| eyes, and a color to her cheeks, and
life and simmer to her moopllt hair.
1t brought curves to her body, and
strength and firmness to her limbs,
and the grace Of a deer to her car
riage. Whether she had regular fea-
lures or not Dan would have been un-
able to state. He didn't even notice.
They weren't important when health
was present. Yet there was nothing
Of the coarse or bold or voluptuOus
about her. She was just a slender
girl, perhaps twenty years of age, and
weighing even less than the figure oca
caslonally TO be read in the health
magazines for girls of her height. And
she was fresh and cool beyond oil
words to tell.
And Dan had no delusions about
her attitude toward him. For q long
instant she turned her keen, young