, 1922-10-13

80
It slipped from Eve as she was he
inE carried into the camp after her
escape.
Go on with the story
CHAPTER V
In the hot. uncomfortable silence,
neither spoke. Trooper stormont seat
ed himself after a while. And, after
a while. Eve turned on her pillow part
way toward him.
Somehow they both Understood that
81 was friendship which had subtiy
filled the Interval that separated them
since that amazing day.
i've often thought Of you." he said
-as though they had been discussing
his absence.
No hour OF the waking day that she
had not thought OF him But she aid
not say so now. After a little while:
rs yours a lonely Iife-" she asked
in a low voice.
Sometimes But I love the forest"
Sometimes she said, "the forest
seems like a trap that I can't escape.
Sometimes ] hate It"
Are you lonely. Eve"
A o are. You see 7 know what
the outside world IS. I miss IT."
You were in boarding school and
college"
Yes"
at must be hard for you here a.
Star Pond
The girl sighed. consciously:
There are days when I-can scarce.
ly-stand IT. The wilderness would
be more endurable II dad and I were
all alone. But even then"
You need young penple Of your own
axe-educated companions- .
Il need h city. Mr.. sturmont. I
need all it can give; TN starving for
1t. That's all"
She turned ON her pillow. and he
saw that h was smiling family. Her
face bore no trace Of the tragic truth
she had uttered. But the tragedy was
plain enough TO him. even without her
~passionless words Of revolt. The situs,
alton OF this young, educated girl.
sslow with youth. fettered. body and
mind. 10 the sQuslor CT Clinch's dump.
was ~perfectly plain to anybody.
She said, seeing his troubled ez-
preston: I'm sorry l spoke that
way"
u knew how you must feel. any.
way"
1T seems ungrateful." she mi
INJURED. Il love my stepfather.p
You've proven that" he remarked
with a dry humor that brought the
hot flush TO her face again.
i must lave been crazy that day"
she said. 1T scares me to remember
what ] tried to do. What a fright
full thing-h ! had killed you-How
ezn you forgive me7"
How can you forgive me, Evee"
She turned her head: Il do"
'Entirely?''
Yea
He saba slight emotion noticeable
in his voice; "weil. I forEave you be-
fore the armed gun exploded in our
hands"
How could ycu?" che protested.
7 was thinking all the while that
Jou were acting as I'd have acted if
anything threatened my father"
We're o thinking OF that?'
"Yes-and also how to get hold Of
you before you shot me-" He began
TO laugh.
After a m she turned her
head to look at him, and her smile
glimmered. responsive TO his amuse-
ment. But she shlvered slightly, too.
How about n a egg he inquired.
Il can got up"
Better keep off your feet. What
IS there in the pantry. You must be
starved"
7 could cat a little before supper
time" h admitted. II forgot to take
my lunch with me this morning. II
is still there IN the pantry on the bread
box, wrapped up IN brown paper, just
as I left it"
She half rose in bed, supported on
one arm, her curly 'brown-gold hair
framing her face:
Two cakes OF sugar.milk choco-
late in a flat brown packet tied with
a string she explained. smiling at
his amusement.
So he went down to the pantry and
discovered the parcel on the bread
box whore she had left It that morn
ing before starting for the cache on
Owl Marsh.
He brought it TO her. placed both
pillows upright behind her. stepped
back gaily to admire the effect. Eve.
with her parcel in her hands, laughed
shyly at his comedy.
Begin On your chocolate" he said.
I'm going back to fix you some bread
and butter and a cup OF tea"
When again he had disappeared, the
girl. stll smiling, began to unite her
packet .hurriedly, slowly loossninE
string and wrappine.
Her attention vas not f.ze6 on
what her slender fingers were about.