Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-12-26

(Continued From Our Lust lseue)
He fought like the wolf that was
mis- blood brother-lunging, striking
down, recoiling out of harms way
and springing forward to Strike
gain.
The old exhilaration and rapture
Of battle flashed through him as he
swung his AXE, sending home blow
after blow.
He danced about the shaggy,
bleeding form of the bear, escaping
the smashing blows of the bear with
miraculous agility. But at last the
grizzly lunged too ar. Ben sprang
sside, lust in time. He aimed a ter
rife blow just al the base of the
skull.
The silence descended quickly
thereafter. The blow had gone
straight home, and the last flicker
Of waning life fed. Ben stood wait
nag to see IL another blow was need
ed. Then the axe fell from his
hands. =,
Jared. But soon he remembered
side.
The wolf. however. was already
raoayering from the blow. He had
been merely stunned. Once more
Ben turned to the mouth of n
cavern.
Sobhing and white as the o
light itself, Beatrice met him at the
doorway.
PART THREE
The Tanning
CHAPTER XIII
FenFis Is Restless
Ben rose at daybreak, WondeF-
fully refreshed by the nights sleep.
His first work was to emove the
skin of last nights invader - the
huge grizzly that lay dead Just u
side the cavern opening.
The hour was already past ten;
but Beatriee-woFn out by the stress
Jf the night before-did not waken
until she heard the crack of her
pistol. She lay a while, resting,
watching through the cavern open
ing BsR.s efforts to prepare break
asst,
Filling one Of the two tin plates
ae stole into the cavern.
Falling into his mood the girl pre-
ended TO be asleep.
Wake up, Beatrice" he com
manded, with pretended grlffness.
Its after ten, and you've got to
sgDh NY b4FdhAdSh |
She stirred, pretending difficulty
in opening her eyes.
She opened her eyes to find him
regarding her with boyish gles. Then |
-as a surprise-he proffersd the
filed plate.
The days passed quickly for Ben
and Beatrice. They found plenty OF
work and even of play to pass the
lime.
With his axe and hunting knife
Ben prepared a complete set of fur
aiture for their little abode. And for
mers than a week, Beatrice was for
hidden to enter a certain covert lest I
she should p~rematurely discover an
even greater wonder that Ben was
preparing for a surprise.
But one morning she missed the
familiar sounds of his fire building.
Presently she heard him mutter-
ing and grunting as he moved some
heavy object to the door of the cave.
She hurried into her outer gar
ments. and in a moment appeared.
1t was a hammock, suspended on a
frame, to take the place of her
bough bed on the cav floor. He
had used the grizzly skin, hanging
t with ~unbreakable sinew, and fash
1LlIh IL " odAIi d oAAhA ~ 1890
lf the hide could be turned over her
IN cold nights.
Reading the gratitude in her eyes,
3en's lips broke into a radiant smile.
II guess you've forgotten what
lay 1t is" he said.
"Of course. I hardly know the
month";"
1--WE notched each day, you know.
And maybe you've forgotten-en
he ride out from Snowy Gulch-we
of birthdays. Today IS
yours"
He walked toward her, and her
could not leave him. He bent
and brushed her lips with
his own.
Later Ferris had taken to wan
dsring into the forest at night, and
his throat and jewis had been
with dark blood.
TITS getting too tame for You hsre,
old boy, isn't it," Ben said to him
one hnshed, breathless night. But
wait just a little while more. 1t
won't be tame then"
1t was true; the hunting party, If
they had started at once, nus be
nearing their death valley by now.