The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-01-21
XXI


XXI
There was plenty OF hcart-brcak'
Ing work to do when BIN finally
reached the little cabin. The snow
had banked up 10 the depth OF sew
crai feet around Il and had blown
and packed agains, the door. lie
took off one OF his snowshoes TO
use as shovel and stolldly began
, tho work OF removing the BARR.
cade. There was no opening the
door against the pressure OF the
snow Besides. the bolt was solidiy
rust~d
But after few weary strokes
II occurred To him that the easiest
way would be 10 cut some sort Of
an opening in the top OF the door.
just large enough for his body 10
crawl thru A. the cabin wns aban.
doncd there could be no possible
disadvantage to such an opening:
and aimee the fire had To be built
outside the cabin. against backlogH.
/ IN. door would have 20 be left open
anyway. TO admit the heat. with
few strokes OF his sharp little
camp AK he cut away the planks,
, leaving a black hole In the door.
HE lighted match and peered in.
The interior was unchanged since
his previous visit years before. Tn.
cabin had no floor. rot the least
vestise OF furniture. and rodents
had filtered tho ground with leaves.
lie turned 10 HIS toll Of making a
! fire. First he Gu; down a spruce
a heart-ercakinx task with his ~.
tie ax--then laboriousiy hacked "
into lengths. These he bore 10 tho
cabin. staggering with the load IL
split the logs. cutting some Of them
into firewood for kindlmx. Then
he made a pile OF shaving.
He tested the wind and found :,
blowing straight ives, and away
from the cabin. lie felt oddly tired
and dun. much too tired 20 strain
and listen for some whispered mes.
. sage Of an inner voice that seemed
to b. trying 80 hard to get his at.
tsntiou. a few little. vague misgiv.
ings that haunted him. Ills com.
Z fort depended. he told himself. on
the heat % the fire beating In thru
I the little opening OF the cabin door.
/ no he placed the backlog Just as
close az he dared In front. Then
! he laid down split pieces for Tho
/ frame Of his fire and erected his
heap Of kirdiing.
He entered thru the opening and
stood on the ground below 10 Hight
the fire. lie didn't desire % crawl
thru the flames TO enter the cabin
Reaching as far as he could. he
was Just able to insert the candle
The wind caught u. the kindling
famed. Then he stood shivertng.
waiting for the room to warm.
lie had a sweeping flood Of
thoughts az he watched the lsapinx
flame. Its cheerful crackle. It's
bright color In the gloom wac almost
too good 10 be true. In these dark
forests he had learned TO be wary
aud on guard az too great fortune.
quite often Il was only n prank Of
perverre forest gods. before they
smote him with some black disaster.
II seemed to him that there was a
wild laughter. a Satanic nocking In
the joyous crackle that was vaguely
but fearfully ominous. The prom.
Use In the rainbow. the sirens song
10 the mariners, the little dancing
light In the marsh--promiaing
warmth and safety but only turing
the weary traveller to this death
ihad this same quality: the cheer.
the hope, the beauty only TO be
blasted by misfortune.
The warmth flooded IN. and he
looked about for something 10 sit
on. He wished he had brought In
one OF the spruce logs he had cut
But II was too late to procure one
now. The flames leaped at the
opening Of the cabin: ne would be
obliged 10 crawl iabOrioualy thru
them TO get into the open. Tired
out. he lay down on the dry dirt.
putting his arm under his head
lie would soon go 10 sleep.
But his ragged. exhausted nerves
would not find rest In sleep az once.
His thoughts were troubling and
Unpleasant. The pale freight filled
the cabin, dancing against the walls
The glare reflected wanly on the
ground where he lay.
All at once he was aware that his
eyes were fastened upon an old
cigar box on shelf against the
wall. He seemed 10 have a remem.
bered interest In it---as II long ago
nc had examined it's contents with
boyish speculations. But he couldn't
remember what II contained Like
| ~ enough n was empty.
The hours were long, and the
wind waited and crept like a house.
breaker about the cabin; and at
last--rather more 10 pass the time
/ than for any other reason--he
| climbed 10 his feet and stepped TO
| the shelf on which the box hay.
AZ he reached 10 seize II, he had
distinct premonition OF misfortune.
n was no II some subtle conscious.
ness within him. knowing and re.
membefing every detail Of his past
and It's infinite and exact relations
( with his present. was warning him
( that 10 open the box was 10 receive
knowledge that would be hateful TO
him Yet he would not be cowed