Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-12-23
@Do0-Litth, Brown Company


a line of conference.-the forest
people-and if the woods teach one
thing it is to make the best of any
ad situation"
As she talked she was slowly un-
wrapping the little parcel she had
brought. Presently she held it OUT
to him.
1t was Just a box of homemade
candy that she had brought for
their days picnic. But it was a
| peace offering not to be despised.
CHAPTER XXI
The Forest Stronghold
When the swirling waters car
ried the canoe down into the gorge
of the Yuga both Ben and Beatrice
were instinctively awed and stilled.
Even the walls Of the gorge grew
more steep, until the sunlight was
cut off and they rode as If In twl-
light.
In mid-afternoon Ben began to
think of making his nights camp.
In one of the more quiet stretches
of water he saw the place-a small
cove and a green, tree-clad bank.
with the gorge rising behind. Han
ding his canoe with greatest care
he slanted toward it. A moment
later ne udu CduSLL biO
waters edge, stepped off into shall
low water, and was drawing n
canoe up onto the bank.
Were through for the day." he
said happily, as he helped Beatrice
out of the boat. "1n confess I'm
ready to rest"
Here's where you sleep tonight
Beatrice" he informed her.
AS twilight lowered they sat down
to their simple meal, tea, sweetenei
with sugar, and vegetables and meat
happily mingled in a stew.
Beatrice fell into troubled sleep
but wakened when the first ribbon
of light stretched along the eastern
horizon. She sat up, laying the
blankets back with infinite care.
This was her chance; Ben still lay
asleep.
Just to steal down to the waters
edge, push off the canoe, and trust
her life to the doubtful mercy of tho
river.
She could discern the black sha-
dow of the canoe. She stepped
carer.
But at that instant a subdued
note of warning froze her in her
tracks.
A great, gaunt form raised up
from the pile of duffle in the canoe;
and his fangs showed ivory white in
the wan light. 1t was Fenris, AMI
he guarded the canoe. He crouched,
ready to spring if she drew near.
The girl sobbed once, then stole
back to her blankets.
After breakfast they took to the
river, yielding themselves once more
to the whims of the current.
Shortly before the noon hour
Ben's quick eye saw a break in the
heavy brushwood that lined the
bank and quickly padded toward
1t. In a moment more he pushed
the cano4 into the mud of the creek
bank.
They crossed a low ridge, follow
ing down another of the thousand
that water the northern
lands. In a moment it led them to
long. narrow lake, blue as a sap
phire in it's frame of dusky spruce.
And all at nee Beatrice, walking
in front, drew up with a gasp.
She stood at the edge of a little
perhaps thirty yards ros
at the base of the cliff. TIL.
creek flowed through it, the grass
was green and rich, beloved by the
antlered herds that came to Craze.
the tall spruce shaded it on three
sides. But it was not these things
that caught the girls eye. Just at
the edge of a glade a dark hole
.awned In the face of the cliff.
cts home" the nan said simply.
CHAPTER XII
A Strange Comradeship
Ben and Beatrice went together
to the canoe, and in two trips
they carried the supplies to the
cave.
Tired from the hard tramp, yet
sustained by a vague excitement
neither of them could name or
trace, they began to prepare for the
The silence dropped about them,
settling slowly; and all except the
largest heap of red Goals burned
W to gray ashes.
The brush cracked and rustled
just beyond the glowing Goals.
Some huge wilderness creature
v~enturing toward them, at the
edge of the little glade.
What is it?" Beatrice whispered.
The mans eyes strained into the
II don't know. It may be Just a
moose, or maybe a caribou. But it
may be"