South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-23

cavern.
scC5ing and white as the moon
light itself Beatrice met him at the
doorway
PART THREE
The Tauing.
CHAPTER XIII
Ferris l. Restless.
Ben rose az day'0reak, wonder
fully refreshed by the nights sleep.
His FIRST work was TO remove the
sftn Of last nights invader-tne
huge grizzly, that lay dead just OUT
side the cavern opening.
The hour was already past ten;
but Beatrice-yvorn out by the stress
OF 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 Benz efforts TO prepare break
fast.
Filling one OF the two tin plates
ne stole into the cavern.
Falling into his mood the girl pre-
tended TO be asleep.
Wake UP. Beatrice" he com
manded. with pretended grunfness.
'Its after ten. and you've got 10
cook my breakfast"
She stirred. pretending difficulty
u opening her eyes.
She opened her eyes TO find him
regarding her with boyish glee.
Thcu-as a surpr.se-he prOffered
the filed plate
The days passed quickly for Ben
and Beatrice. They found plenty OF
work and even Of play to pass the
..me
with his axe and hunting knife
Ben prepared q complete set of fur
niture for their little abode And for
more than a week. Beatrice was for
hidden 90 enter certain covert lest
she should prematurely discover an
even greater wonder that Ben was
preparing for a surprise.
But one morning she missed the
familiar sounds OF his fre-build.ng.
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
meuts. and i'm a moment appeared.
II was a hammock. suspended on a
stout frame. 10 take the place Of her
tree bouEh bed on the cave floor. He
had used the grizzly skin. hanging il
with uubreaka5Io s!new, and fash
Joining it i'm such a manner that folds
OF the hide could be turned over her
on cold nights
Reading the gratitude in her eyes.
Beu's lips broke into "a radiant smile.
II guess you've forgotten what
day 20 ia" he said
cor course. 7 hardly know the
month"
GIVE uotched each day. YOU know.
And maybe you've forgotten-on the
lido out from Snowy Gulch-we
talked o. birthdays Today is
YOURS.
He walked toward her. and her
cves could not leave his. He bent
soberIv and brushed her l-ps with
US own
Lately Ferris had taken 70 wan
d-r-1G into the forest at night, and
once his throat and jowls had been
stained with dari, blood.
"-t's getting too tame FOR YOU here,
old boy. Isn't ite" Ben said to him
one husIcG. GREATNESS night. But
rva.t just little while more. tt
went oo tame then"
L. was true. the hunting party. III
slev had started az once. must be
rcaru- th--r death valley by now.
Matters reached O crisis between
rcuris aud h.mselc one st.u. warm
u.Eb- d iata July
eco ahead q. yra Ike" Ben told
tm Good knows it's your destiny "
THO wr- seemed 90 understand.
Wish SAD rar-, DE sped away and
almo-. .rstc-.'~ vanished into ,he
-,o6rl
Eu, Fen-.s had not broken all ties.
r.tl the cave The chain was too
s-~cu- Tor shat. Ferris had Joined
fellows to be sure. but le still.
-r- watch over the cave
CHAPTER NV
The Poison Plot.
Bra--.cs EcI Kept only an APP
l-oN.uate track Of the days. yes
-le knew that an attempt 80 rescue
rer must be almost at hand.
The wof had gone now 90 join his
~lar t ia IlNa ~ N d p OH L.l~
.mos- nightly return. Perhaps the
fact of his absence gave her an OPP
uortuu.ty go save her father from
Ben's ambush.
The Thought was with her. and
-he was desperate one long warm
afternoon as she searched for roots
and berries ln the forest. And al at
once her hand reached toward a lit
Tie vine OF black berries. each with a
green tuft at the end.
~ & by instinct hardly aware OF
the motion. she withdrew her hand.
She knew th.s vine. u was the
deadly nightshade. and a HANDFUL oil
the berries spe,t death. She started
% look elsewhere.
But presently she paused. arrested
by an idea 80 engrosslug and yet so
terrlble that her heart seemed tol
pause in her breast
Her fathers life was 10 imminent
danger. Another day might find him
stretched Itfeless before her. Ben
had not hes.tated 20 use every wea-
pom in his power. she should not
hesitate now
Eagerly her fingers plucked the
lack berries
Ia one OF the tn cups Beatrice
ure=aad fha futra from tho ,,fgI@