The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-01-06


than realization OF bodily craving
hut curiously. for the last hour her
thought had dweit on food--the aim
nle. material substance with no
adornment The dainty salads and
ices and rviiShcs that had been her
greatest delight in her city home
hadnt even come into her mind but
she did remember. with unlock cd for
fondness. potatoes and meat And
now she watched vcurer'a supper
preparations With an eagernoaa never
known before.
Altho Nosper had bern hir~d for
cook. Virginia noticed that Biii kept
a watehful eye over the preparation
OF the fcc-i: and an. felt distinctly
grateful. she saw tho grouse In the
process % cleaning. and the r~i
stains on Ncsp.r's hands dld not re.
pei her az ALI She beheld tho smooth
cascade OF the rico a. nm poured Il
into the boiling water. her own hand
opened n can OF dehysirated vegc.
tables that was % give flavor 60 the
dish. She gave no particular thought
10 the fact that the hour was reveal
ing her not as AN exquisite creature
OF higher plane. but simply hu.
man animal with an empty stomach.
II the thought did como TO her she
didn't care. she only knew she was
hungry --hunsry aA sho had never
dreamed she could be In all her days.
Tho white flesh Of the grouse was
put with tho rice. one bird after an
other. until u seemed Impossible that
four human beings could consume
them all. In went tho seasoning.
spaghetti and the vegetables and not
even I,ounsbury rallied at tho little
handful OF ashes that fioasrd on top
the mixture And Virginia cxuited
from head to tors when niii passed
the tin plates.
II was well for virxinla's peace Of
mind that no enc told her how much
she ate. In her particular set Il
wasn't n mark Of breeding 20 cat too
heartily. and an entire grouse. At
least two cup. % the stew and sew.
erNi ineh-thick slices Of bread with
rnarrnaiade would have been corsid
er~d a generous meal even for a
harvest. hand.
~ soon az the meal was done she
Eel, ready for tet. Bi venturcd into
the darkness with an AT over his
shoulder. but not untn his return
|. did she understand hts mission. Ills
arms were h~aped with fragrant
spruce bouxhs. These he laid on the
cot In the cabin. spreading the blank.
cts he had provided for her over
them. lie placed IN, pillow s~f
turned down The blanket corners
ANY time you like he told her
r-nuy. '-yosper IL putting UP the
linen tent for we three men. and
IN build fire In front Of ~ 10 keep
as warm While ". smoke You must
b. tired
bronson sh. confessed. And
thank you. very much
she didn't notice the wave Of color
that flowed Into hin hronx@d cheeks
and the strange. jubiian; ugh, In hts
eycsL She only knew that che vas
warm and fulfilled. and the wind
would hluster and threaten around
her cabin walls IN vain.
| For a long hour after virginia was
asleep BslI sat By the fircside alons.
his pipe glowing at his lips. Louns.
bury had gone 10 his blankets. Voc
per was splitting wood for tho morn
ing's fire. A. often. late at night.
he was held and intrigued By the
/ mystery about hlm--the Iittie. rust.
ling. Whispered sounds OF living
I things In the ihicket. the silence and
tho darkness and tn. aavaGrry.
lie knew perfectly tho tone and
I spirit Of these vast. places. their
might. their malevolence. their sad
meas. their eternal beauty. lie hated
them and yet he loved them. too. He
had felt their hospitality. yet he
knew that often they roee in the still
night and slew their guests. They
crushed the weak. but they lent their
own strength 20 tho strosg. And
Biii felt that he was face 20 face with
I them "a never before.
He was going 90 plumb their secret
/ places--not only for the missing man.
/ but for the lost mine he had sought
80 long lie must not only fight his
own battles. but he had In his charge
a helpless. tender thing Of whom his
/ body must b. the shield. Never. IL
SEEMED 20 him. had he met the vii.
derneSs night in just this mood
+ threatening. vaguely sinister. ircmu-
lous and throbblng with impending
drama
You've got something planned for
me. haven't your" he asked hts for.
est gods. you've got your trap all
set. and you're going 20 test me as
never before. And Heaven give me
| strength TO meet that tcHtT
/ A. that instant he started and
looked up. The stars were obscured.
tho freight died swiftly In unfath-
omable darkpsan. the tops OF the
spruce were lost In gloom. A flake
Of wet snow had fallen and struck
his hand
All night long the storm ragged
over the spruce forest. lashing rysin
that beat and roared on the cabin
roof then the unutterable silence Of
! falling snow. Tho camp fire Missed
and went out. the tent sagged with
the load. the horses were wet and
miserable In the glade below. Nir-
ginia slept fitfully, waking often to
I then falling into troubled dreams.
BIN lay al the tent mouth for long
hours. staring into the darkness.
In the morning the face OF the
wilderness was changed. Every
bouRh. every spruce needle. every
little grass blade had its load Of
snow. The streams were higher. a
cold and terrible beauty dwelt In the
Z forest. Tho sky was still fun Of
snow. dark flakes against the gray
sky. and the clouds were yullcn and
heavy. Bin rose before daylight TO
build the fire at the tent mouth.
This was no work for tenderfeet,
striking q blaze In the Enow.coyercd
grass. But Bill knew the exact
course 10 pursue. lie knew just how
to lay his kindiing. 10 protect the