, 1922-11-08
BY
EDISON MARSHALL
Author of
"The Voice of the sack"
Copyright by Little, Brown, and Co.

uttcT ddi hntsSp anu lne BiOOll lIdl
EMBODIED them now seemed simply I'M
fathomable. Bruce found 1t increas-
ingly hard to believe that the horses
eyes could make out my kind of dim
pathway in the pine needles. The feel
ing grew on him and on Linda as well,
that they were lost and aimlessly wan
dering in the storm.
OF all the sensations that the wilder
ness can afford, there are few more
dreadful to the spirit than this. 1t is
lever pleasant to lose ones bearings
and in the night and the cold and
miles from any friendly %habitation it
Is particularly hard to bear. Bruce
felt he age-old n of the wilder
ness as never before. 1t always seemed
to be crouching, waiting to take a
man at a disadvantage; and like the
gods that first make mad those whom
they would destroy, it doesn't quite
play fair. He understood now certain
wilderness tragedies of which he had
heard how tenderfeet-lost among
the ridges-had broken into a wild
run that had ended nowhere except
In exhaustion and death.
Bruce himself felt a wild desire to
lash his horse into a ga.lop. but he
forced it back with all his powers Of
will. His calmer, saner self explained
that folly with entire clearness. 1t
would mean panic for the horse, and
then q quick and certain death, either
at the foot of a precipice or from a
blow from a low-hanging limb. The
horse seemed to be feeling its way,
rather than seeing.
They were strange, lonely figures
in the darkness and for a long time
they rode almost In silence. Then
Bruce felt the girls breath as she
whispered.
Bruce" she said. Lets be brave
and look this matter In the face. Do
you think we've got q CHANGER"
He rode a long time before he an
swered. He CROPPED desperately for q
word that might bring her cheer, but
1t vas hard to find. The cold seemed
to deepen about them, the remorseless
snow beat into his face.
Linda" he replied, at is one of
the mercies of this world for men al
ways to think that they've got a
chance. Maybe it's only a cruelty in
our case"
81 think / ought to tell you some
thing else. 1 haven't the least way
of knowing whether we are on the
right trail"
~ knew that long ago. Whether
We are on any trail at ALL"
"Tye just been thinking. / don't
know how many forks it has. We
might have already got on a wrong
one. Perhaps the horse is turned
about and is heading back home-to-
ward Simon's stables"
She spoke duly, and he thrust his
arm back to her. LINDA. try to be
brave" he urged. "We can only take
a chance"
The horse plodded a few more
steps. "Bravel To think that it is
you that has to encourage me-in-
stead of my trying to keep up your
spirits. I will try to be brave, Bruce.
And If we don't live through the
night, my last remembrance Will be
of your bravery-how you, injured
and weak from loss of blood, still re-
membered to give a CHEEKY word to
me-"
I'm not badly injured" he told
her gently. "And there are certain
things that have come clear to me
lately. One of them Is that except
for you-throwing your own precious
body between-I wouldn't be here at
ALL"
The feeling that they had lost the
trail grew upon them. Once they
halted to adjust the blankets on the
saddle, and they listened for any
sounds that might indicate that Simon
was overtaking them. But all they
heard was the soft rustic of the leaves
under the wind-blown snow.
Linda" he asked suddenly. "Does
1t seem to you to be awfully coldf'
She waited a long time before she
spoke. This was not the hour to
make quick answers On any decision
might rest their success or failure.
81 believe I can stand tia while
longer" she answered at last.
but / don't think we'd better try
to. It's getting cold. Every hour its
colder, and 1 seem to be getting weak
er. 1t isn't a real wound, Linda-but
1t seems to have knocked some of my
vitality out Of me, and I'm dreadfully
in need Of rest. / think we'd better
try to make q camp" .
"And go on by morning light7'
Yes"
But Simon might overtake III
then"
"We must stay out of sight Of the
trail. But somehow can't help but
hope he won't try to follow us Oh
such a night as this"
He drew up the horse. and they sal
In the beat Of the snow. Don't make
any mistake about that, Bruce" sh'
told him. Remember. that unless h'
overtakes us before We come into thu
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