The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-01-14
XIII

One clear. Icy night q gale sprans
up IN the east. and Virginia and BIN
fsli to slcep TO the sound OF It's com.
rfzint- II swept ike a mad thing
thru the forest. shatterinx down the
dad snsgs. shaking the snow from
the limbs OF the spruce. roaring and
souxhtnx In the tree tops. and bins.
tering. like an arrogant foe. around
the cabin walls. And when Bill wen,
forth for his mornings woodcuftinr
he found that his snowshoes did not
break thru the crust
The wind had blown and crusted
the drifts during the night. But !,
did not mean that he and his com.
the settlements. The crust was
tr~aeherous and possibly only tenn.
rcrary. The clouds had overspread
again. and any moment the snowfall
might recommends. The fact re.
NAMED. however. that Il was the be
ginning Of the end Probably in a
few more weeks. perhaps days. u
would be safe 10 start their Journey.
BIZ was desolated BY the thought.
AAAF tNVNAttt&s nDNFNFFs NV
b. wasted. II permitted him 10 make
dash over to a certain stream
Trther down toward the YsIga River
search OF any sign OF the lost
The stream Itself was frozen
20 blue steel. and the snow had GOV.
ered Il TO the depth Of several feet
hut there might be biaxes on the
trees or the remnants % n broken
cabin 10 indicate the location Of the
lost claim. He had searched this
particular stream once before. bu,
Il was one Of the few remaining
places that he hadn't literally cornbed
from tho springs out OF which u
flowed to It's mouth. He started our
Immediately after breakfast.
II was not 20 be. however. that
Bill should make the search that day
When about two miles from IN,
cabin he saw. thru a rift in the dis
'ant trees. a distinct trail In ths
snow
II was too far 20 determine what
II was. Likely II was only the track
Of a Wild animai--a ieaping caribou
mat cut deep into the drifts. or per,
haps a bear. tardy In alternating
No one could blame him. he thought
II he didn't go to investigate. II wac
a matter he would not even have tc
mention ~ Virginia. He stood q
moment in the drifts. torn by an IN
ner struggle.
Bill was an extremely sensitive
man and his senses were trained
even 20 the haif.psychic. mysterious
A<tsations Of the forest life. and hs
Ald a distant premonition OF disas
ter. All his fondsst hopes, his
dreams. all the inner guardians OF
his own happiness told him 10 keer
20 his search. 10 journey on his way
and forget he had seen the tracks
Every desire Of Self spoke in warn.
ing to him. But Bill Bronson had
a higher law than self Long ago
IN front OF the ramshackle hotel In
BradloyburR. he had given a prom
ise. and he had renffirrned II in the
CLEAN OF the Northern Lights not
many nights before. There WIS no
one to hold him 10 his pledged word
There were none that need know: M
one 10 whom he must answer but
his own soul. Yet even while he
stood. seemingly hesitating between
the two courses, he already knew
what he must do.
II was impossible for Bin 20 b.
false 20 himself. lie could not dis.
obey tho laws OF his own being. He
would be steadfast. He turned and
went over 10 investigate the tracks.
:. lie was not In the least surprised
Aieir nature. Those that had or.
daincd his destiny had never written
fhsi he should know the good fortune
~ finding them merely the tracks OF
animals The trail was distinctly
that % snowshoes. and II led away
toward the Yuea River.
Biii glanced once, then turned
back toward his cabin. lie mushed