The L'Anse sentinel., 1922-12-15
CHAPTER vIII-contlnued.


He examined the mud about the
spring, and there was plenty of evi-
dence that the forest creatures had
passed that way. Here was little
triangle where buck had stepped,
and further away he found two pairs
of deer tracks-evidently those of
doe with fawn. A wolf had stopped
to cool his heated tongue In the wa
ters, possibly In the middle of some
terrible hunt In the twilight hours.
Then he found huge abrasion in
the mud that puzzled him still more.
At the first he couldn't believe that
It was track. The reason was SIM
ply that the size of the thing was In
credible-as II some one had laid a
-four sack In the mud and taken 1t up
again. He did not think of any of
the modern-day forest creatures as
being of such proportions. 1t was
very stale and had been almost oblit-
Grated by many days Of sun. Perhaps
he bad been mistaken In thinking 1t
an imprint Of living creature. He
went to his knees to examine II.
But In one instant he knew that he
had not been mistaken. 1t was a
track not greatly different from that
of an enormous human foot; and the
separate toes were entirely distinct.
It was a bear track, of course, but
one Of such size that the general run
of little black bears that inhabited
the hills could almost use 1t for den
Of bibernationi
He got up and went on-farther
toward Trails End. He walked more
swiftly now, for he hoped to reach
the end of Pine-Needle Trail before
nightfall. but he had no Intention of
halting in case night came upon him
before he reached It. He had waited
too long already to find Linda.
Another hour ended the days sun
light. The shadows fell quickly, but
II was long time yet until darkness.
He yet might make the trail-end. He
gave no thought to fatigue. In the
FIRST place, he had stood up remark
ably well under the days tramp for
no other reason than that he had al
ways made a point Of keeping In the
best of physical condition. Besides,
there was something more potent than
mere physical strength to sustain
him now. 1t was the realization of
the nearing end Of the trail--a knowl-
edge of tremendous revelations that
would come to him In few hours
more.
Already great truths were taking
shape in his brain; he only needed a
single sentence of explanation to con.
meet them all together. He began
to feel growing excitement and i'm.
patience.
It was quite dark now. and he
could barely see the trail. For the
first time he began to despair. feeling
that another night Of overpowerine
impatience must be spent before he
could reach Trails End. The start
began to push through the darkenine
sky. Then, fainter than the gleam Of
q firefiy, he saw the faint light Of q
far distant camp fire.
His heart bounded. He knew what
was there. 1t was the end Of the
trail at last. And 1t guided him the
rest of the way. When he reached
the top of little rise In the trail. the
whole scene was laid out In mystery
below him
The fire had been built at the dooI
of mountain house-a log structure
Of perhaps rour rooms. The firelight
played In Its open doorway. Some
thing beside II caught his attention
and instinctively he followed It with
3 his eyes until II ended in an incred
fble region Of the stars. 1t was q
great pine tree. the largest he hat
ever seen--seemingly great sentine
over all the land.
But the sudden awe that came ovel
him at the sight Of It was cut shor
BY the sight of girls figure In th'
firelight- He had an instant's sens
that he bad come to the wilderness
heart Mt last, that this tall tree wa
its symbol, that II he could under
stand the eternal watch that Il KEEP
ever. this mountain world, he woul(
have an understanding Of all things
but all these thoughts were submerge,
in the realization that he had com'
back to Linda at last.
He had known how the mountain
/. would seem All that he had behel,
today was Just tho recurrence o
thiuxa behold l0nQ neo. Nothing hat