The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-04

avoid truth that ever grew clearer
and more manifest-his love for
Virginia.
He had told himself he wouldn't
give his love to her. He would hold
that back, at least. He had re.
minded himself OF the bridgeless
gap that separated them. But there
was no use OF trying further. In
the stress and passion Of the mel.
ody he had found out the truth.
But II he couldn't keep his knowl.
edge from himself, at least he could
hold 1t from the girl. 1t would only
bring her unhapplness. It would de.
stroy the feeling OF comradeshlp for
him that he had begun to observe
in her. 1t would put an insur.
mountable wall between them.
Virginia had no suspicion OF his
thoughts. She was still enthralied
BY the after.imagine OF the music.
But soon the noise OF the storm
began to force itself into her con.
seriousness.
Vaguely she knew that this night
was different from the others. The
two previous nights she had been i'll
and half.unconscious: her very
|helpleEsness appealed to BilI's
chiyalry. Tonight she stood on her
own feet.
She was suddenly face to face
with the fact that the night stretch
ed before her-and she in snow.
swept cabin in the full power OF a
strange man,
But all at once she looked up to
find Bills eyes upon her, full Of
sympathy and understanding.
You'll want to turn in now" he
told her. "You take the bunk again.
'of course-Ill sleep on the floor.
I'm comfortable there. And now
I've got TO fix your boudoir."
He took one Of the boxes that
served as chair and stood 1t mp on
the floor, just In front OF her bunk.
Then, holding one OF the blankets
in his arm and u few nails in his
hand, he climbed upon the box. She
understood in an instant. He was
curtalning on the entire end OF the
cabin where Virginia slept.
The girls relief showed in her
face.
"You can go in there now hs
told her. But there's one thing
4 want to show you-before you
turn In
"Yes?"
II want to show you this little
pistol" Flo took a light arm of blue
steel from his belt-the small cali.
bered and automatic weapon with
which he had killed the grouse. ITS
only a twenty-five" Bill went on,
but 1t shoots a long cartridge, and
It shoots ten of EN-, fast as you pull
the trigger. You could Kill carl.
bOu with 1t, II you hit him right"
"Tes?" And she wondered At
this curious interlude in their mo.
ment OF parting.
"You see this little catch behind
the trigger guard?" The girl nod.
ded. Whom you want to fire it, all
you haye to do is to push up the
little catch with your thumb and
pull the trigger. Tomorrow I'm go.
ing to teach you how to shoot with
it'll mean shoot straight enough to
take the head of a grouse at twenty
feet And so It will bring you luck,
| want yon to slep with it.-under
your pillow"
Understanding flashed through
her, and slow, grateful smile
played at her lips. Il don't want It,
Bill" she told him.
You'd feel safer with It." the
man urged. He slipped It under
her pillow. "And even before you
learn to shoot It well-you could
III you had to-shoot and kill
man"
He smiled again aud drew her
curtain.
Bill was true to his promise to
teach Virginia to shoot. The next
day they had target practice.
While Virginia cooked lunch, Bill
cut young spruce trees and made
sled; and after the meal pushed out
through the whirling snow 10 bring
in the remainder OF the moose meal.
1t was the work Of the whole aft.
ernoon TO urge the sled up the ridge
and then draw it home through tho
drifts.
Virginia was lonely and depress.
ed all the time Bill was absent.
"You can call me Virginia, il you
want to-" she told him. Last
names are silly out here"
Bill looked his gratitude, and she
helped him prepare the meat. Some
Of 1t he hung just outside the cabla
door; one Of the great hams was
suspended in a spruce tree, fifty
feet in front Of the cabin. The skin
was fleshed and hung up behind the
stove to dry
cts going to furnish the web
for our snowshoes," he explained.
In their talk that evening she
was surprised to learn how full had
been his reading.
Other evenings he told her Ma.
ture lore; the ways Of the living
creatures that he observed, and in
the daytime he illustrated his
points from life.
Continued in Our Next Issue)
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