Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-05-14

light IN darkness.
mo? Fees that sof Mebbe. ma'am-
seile-jus' mebbe, now. some time the
chance she come. ar Peraux prove him
self tender"
LIE turned and went abruptly away,
land with the closing of the door
all eyes turned after him.
All eyes save those calm, contemp-
tuous blue ones under the banded gold
hair. Pierre 10 Blanc looked once at
the door and then at Linda. and the
black eyes under their jetty ,lashes
which gave his face such charm were
warm with alteration.
Before dawn next day Peraux was
gone on his backward trail, with
team-and that was Peraux's way.
He was iron. steel, himself. and all
that ran with him must be Of the
same metal. But in the dark and the
snow while he rode on the empty
sledge or ran beside the gee pole his
active mind was filled with the face
Of the girl at Unveils Landing. and
the devils Of resentment bit at his
vanity. For Peraux was vandal
among women.
At the next trip down he brought
her a black fox skin, worth little
fortune, but she pushed it away.
''Give it to that girl at Angels Lift
who is dying Of q broken heart, they
say. Peraux." she told him.
At that Peraux's eyes famed and
~ A. .y~f- H.
corner.
At the door his dogs lay crouched
on the snow. waiting, patient, sui
lenly, obedisnt.
He flung out, and IS he passed he
struck down savagely with his heel.
1t landed In the side Of Silvershins,i
and the dog rose ominously on hts
four feet. spread apart. His head
dropped low. and he regarded the
man with such hatred that slavers
ran from his lips, shaking back from
his fangs. Linda Derwent saw through
the door the little play. and she ran
swiftly out.
"You-you cowardly whelp" she
cried. II wish I were q man.
The trapper turned.
"Yes?" he drawled. "An' what would
you do, ma'amselle?"
I'D whip you to q standstill or be
whipped myself" she said.
Once more she put q hand on the
savage head, needless Of the danger
and so they stood. the woman and the
dog, allied against him. pale yellow
eyes and blue ones flashing with hatred
for him. and Jacques Peraux went
quite mad with rage.
He licked his lips and swayed on
his feet, hands on his belted hips. y
Some day. ma'amselle," he said
heavily. Il make that whipping my
self A mans dog-and hees woman
he mus conquer"
Tho girl deliberately spat upon the
snow, turned and went indoors.
naughty with contempt. And that
was not wise action.
II 4 4 4
THE long days drew away, one like
the other, there in the lone land
on the far fringe of civilization.
Trappers came to the log store at the
landing. sossipped Of q thousand
away again into the white dimness.
Linda Derwent queened 1t royalty
in her tiny. lost world, leaned her ell
bows on her fathers counters. and
smiled at this and that one. And SO
it came an the winter passed that
Pierre le Blanc came more and, more
often. to the landing from his cabin
on White Stone Gulch, for he fancied
that he saw In the blue eyes Of the
girl a certain softness.
She knew 1t was there, but she was
not minded to betSay its presence
precipitately. At what he hoped he
saw Pierre's dark face would grow
pale as ashes and his slim hand treE,-
BILE on the counter.
"Ma'amselle," he stammered once.
could he tell her he thought-dreamed
-fancied he saw love in her face-he.
the humble trapper?
But jacques Peraux. lounging by
the warm stove on his nights in
Jacques Peraux. wisest Of any there
In the ways Of women-knew that the
big blond beauty had smiles in her
heart for the slim youth.
The knowledge was fire to tow, fuel
to tho flame Of his wounded vanity.
The light In his cruel face grew with
each trip. and his temper became I'M
speakable.
The dogs, those faithful creatures
of hardship, felt the weight Of his
fury. Old Loopo took 1t with patient
eyes, covering. Poor Little Feet
whimpered under the frequent lash.
begging piteously. while Clinker and
sitka Bob fought back to the limit Of
daring-and paid for their courage
with broken flesh and ruined tempers
But Silvershine. the giant leader.
rose on his four feet. spread apart,
and with head hung low between his
shoulders defed him. This defiance
maddened Peraux, for 1t reminded him
of that first day at Unveils Landing
when the girl and the dog had faced
him together with yellow eyes and
blue eyes shining with an Identical
light. That light had been contempt.
Now he looked in his pack for the gun
he carried there, intending to shoot
the husky.
1T can keel heem." he muttered.
but dats not conquering. No, wait.
A mans dog-an' hees woman.
And he put the gun away.
ONE night along about that time
oLinda Derwent stood in the cold
starlight at the stores corner and