The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-12-25


lie bought suppiies-flour and salt
and = few othar sssentials---simpl o
tools and utensils such a. sro car
rted BY prospeetors blankets. shells
for his rifle, and a few. .lmple. hard
wearing clothes. lie went 10 bed dead
urcd. his funds materially reduced.
but before dawn he was up. wholly
refreshed and after = hasIy break
fast went to pack his horses for the
trip.
beatrice came stealing out OF the
shadows. more than ever suggestive
OF some tifnid creature o. the forest.
and the three OF Thorn saddicd and
packed the animals AZ daylight
broke they started out. down tho
Swallowed street OF the little town.
Tho last well see Of civilization
for a Ions. long time" the girl ro-
minded him.
The man thrilled deeply. -And
I'm GLAD OF H." he answered Moth
Ing ahead but tho long traill"
II was a long trail. that which they
followed along Poor Mans creek In
the morning hours The girl isd. by
right OF having some previous ac-
quaintance with the trail. The three
pack horses walked IN fiis between.
heads low. tails whisking: and hen.
with Ferris ut HI. horses hoofs.
brought up the rcsr. Almost at once
the spruce forest dropped over thsm.
the silence and the gloom that Ben
had known OF old
This was not like gliding IN q boat
down-river. The narrow. winding
trail offered a chance for the most
intimate stAdy OF the wilderness.
From the river the woodstock were
but an occasional glimpse. tho stir Of
q thicket on tho bank: here they
were living. breathing reaisies-yivid
pictures perfectly framed By tho
frosty green OF tho spruce
From the FIRST mile these two rid
ers were the best Of companions
They talked eaily. their voices carry
ing 70 each other with entire ease
thru the stili giadea He found her
spirited. wArm-hearsed. responding
with an eager giadness 20 every fresh
manifestation Of the wild: and In
spite OF ths ray laughter she read
something Of tbs dark moodines- and
intensity that wsrc his dominant
traits But hs was kind. too. Ills
attitude toward the Little People me,
with on the traii-shs isfsie. scurryfns
foik--was particularly appealing:
like that Of . strong man toward
children. She saw that he was gym
pathetic. insssnctivcly chivnirous:
and she Tot past his barrier Of re-
serve a. fsw living beings had ever
done before
She saw a. once that he was an
expert horaeman. Riding half
broken mustang over the winding.
brush-grown uaoose trails Of the
North Il not like cnntertng n thoro-
bred along q park avenue. and .
certain amount OF difficulty n tho
rule rather than tho exception: hut
he controlled his animal as no man
OF her acquaintance had ever done.
He rode bay mare that was not. by
long way. the most reliable piece
gave him the best she had In her.
scrambiing with . burst OF energy
on The pitches, ieap.ng the logs hat
Ting the mires. and cbeyinR his
every wish. The Joy Of the North
ern trails depends largely upon the
service rendered by the horre be-
tween one's knees. and Ben knsw II
TO the fun.
Before the first two hours were
past Beatrice found herself thrilling
with admiration AZ Ben's woodcrafs-
Not only by experiences but by In
ssincs and character NJ was wholly
fitted for life IN the waste places
Just a. some artists are born with
the soul Of music. he had come 20
the earth with the RED Gods ~ his
beck and call: the spirit Of the wild
things seemed 10 move In his being.
She didn't wholly understand. she
only know that this man. newly come
from The States" riding 10 straight