The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-01-03

days, was wont TO pause and
call. listen an instant for such
answer MS the twilight city
might give him. then push
on thru the spruce forests
and often the coyotes gath
cred in a ring and walled out
their cries over the rooftops.
More than once the wolf pack
had halted there for n fleet
ing instant: but they were
never people TO linger in the
vicinity of men.
But tonight IL was not one of these
four.footcd wild folk this tall form
that emerged from the dark fringe
% the spruce forest to gnze down az
the town. but he was none the less
% the forest. Its mark was upon
him. in The silence ~ his tread. tho
slnueus strength OF hts motions. per.
haps Il lay even In a certain dlmnesa
and ohscurity OF outline. framed By
tho thickets as he was. that was par.
tieularly characteristics OF tho Wild
dcnizcus of the woods. Hut oven IN
the heavy shadows his identity was
F~iear az once Nc was simply a
woodsman DO held his horse by
the bride rein.
The long file of pack horses be-.
hind him halted. waiting for their
MASTER 10 10 on lie stood musing.
held by tho dsrkcned scene below
him. Hard 20 read. in tho deepen.
ing shadows. was the expression on
his brunxsd face IL revealed relief.
Of course. simple and heartfelt Joy
AZ the sight Of his destination. Men
do not wander over the blaxcd trails
of the North Woods and not feel re-.
lief at the Journeys end There was
hint ~ fatigue tn his posture. the
horses heads were low. and the
shacks below meant food and rest.
But there was also a pensiveuess. a
dreamy quis,ude In his dark eyes
that revealed the greater sweep os
his thoughts.
NIE WAu Fl0ANA NfNM NAN III EAAsF
burg on many previous occasious.
but the scene had never impressed
him In quite this way before. Al.
ready the shadows had crrpt out
from the dark forests TINT enclosed
the little city and had cnfoited Il in
gloom. the buildings were obscufcd
and the street was lost. and there
was little left 10 tell that here wns
ths abode Of men. A dim light
faint az the glowing eyes OF the wild
creatures in the darkness. burned
here and there from the window OF a
houses except for this the wilderness
would have seemed unhroken.
"ff's getting you down" the man
muttered. ITS closing you In and
smothering yOu--just as u has me.
Perhaps. had his words carried fat
enough IN the silence. the towns
people In the houses below wouldn't
have Understood. His horses. sniff
ing at his knees. did not seem q
hear. But the woodsman could not
have made himself any clearer
Words never come easy 10 those that
dwell In the silenccs Of the North
To him II seemed that the twilight
vas symbolic OF the wilderness
stealing forth with slow encroach
ments until all of tho little town was
EMBODIED within Itself. II was tai
Z light city. the little cluster u frame
shacka below him. II could be brave
and gay enough IN the daylight. q
I few children could play In the streets
and women could cali from door q
door. but the falling darkness re
veaied II as u was--simpiy frag
nent that the dark forests wer'
about 10 claim. The day was done
in Bradleyburg. az in tho case oi
many Of the gold camps of tho NORTH
Z the wilderness was about 10 take
back It's own.
~ had had n glorious past. thii
little city lost In tho northern reaches
I OF the Selklrks. In the mans OWE
boyhood II had been one OF the flour
ishing gold camps Of the North. and
miners had come from all over the
continent TO wash the gravel Of ~
streams. In all directions up th'
I hillside the tents and shacks had
stretched. dance halls were gay
( freighters piled along the winding
road 70 the south. The mans mother
had been one Of the first women ir
the camp: and ono ~ the last 90 20
The mines were fabulousiy rich. tens
Of Thousands IN dust were often TAX
en- in q single day bY o lone miner
fortunes were made and lost ~ III,
gambling tables. and even the ter
rible winters could not triumph Over
the gold seekers. But In little
while the mines gave out, ono ter
rible winter night the whole towr
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