The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-13
THE
SKYLINE
SPRUCE
I'D Sj,Sou MdExhdlE

pistol cartridges was ali but gone
but worlds OF big game remained ia
fall back upon.
Ben never ceased regrettinK that
he had not brought a aingie fish
hook aud a piece OF line. lie had
long since carried tho canoe from
tho river bank and hid II In tho tall
reeds OF the lake shore. not only FOR
ple.lsure'a sake. hut 90 preserve II
for the autumn floods when they
might want 90 float on down 20 the
Indian villages; and surely II would
have afforded tho finest sport In the
way OF trolling Tor lake trout. But
with utter oallousneaa he made his
often he would crawl down. emu
tlously as stalking wolf. TO the
edge of a trou, pool. then fire mer.
ellcsaly at great. spotted beauty
below. The bullet itself did not pen.
citrate the water. but tho shock car.
ried thru and tho fish usually turned
white belly 20 the surface. A fat
brook or lake trout. dipped In flour
and fried 20 chestnut brown. was
u AtMkNah Ntt4&h hNNNA kANM MtAs
At every fresh find Beatrice
would como triumphant into Bcn's
presence: and at such times thoy
scarcely conducted thcmseivo. like
enemies. An unguessed boyiahncaa
and charm had come 20 Hen In those
ripe. fun summer days: the hard
lines softened In his face and most.
~ the hard shine left bis eyes.
Beatrice found herself curiousiy
eager to please him. taking the ut.
most care and pains with every dinh
she prepared for the table. and n
was true that he made tho most
joyful. exultant response 10 her If
forts. The soaring heat back OF his
eyes Was quite gone. now. Even
the scarlet fiuid OF his veins seemed
TO flow moro quietly. with less fire.
with less madness. A Ecntling In.
fiucncs had come To bear upon him.
great kindness. q new forbeannce
had frightened his outlook toward
all the world. A great redemption
was cven now lowering close 10
him--soms unspeakAhio and uiti-
mate blessing that he could not
mama
Their days wars not without
pleasure. often they venturct far
into the heavy forest. and always
fresh delight and thrilling adv~n.
ture awaited them. Ever they
learned more OF the wild thinr that
were their only nclEhbors--ercatur
all the way down the scale from
IN. iortiy moose, proud Of his grow.
ting nntiers and monarch Of the
marshes. 90 tho small pika. squeak.
ing on the silds-rock Of tho high
peaks They knew and loved them
all. they found cver.inereaninx en-
toymcnt In tho study Of their shy
ways ana fartive occupations. they
observed with delight the droli awk.
wartinees Of the moose calves. the
tmpertinence and s.ucy speech ~
the Jays. ths hurnor Of the black
bear and the suriy Arrogance Of the
grizzly. They knew that supcriatvs
cunning Of his wickodneaa. ths vob
vsrfns: the stealth Of tho r~d fuxs
the fsrocsuusne~s az ths smins
whose brown skin. soon 70 BE- wilma
suggested only somsthins szfken ana
soft ana tendsr fnsseAA of . nsnd
ish cutthroat terror Of ths Little
Pcopis: tho skufking ecwArdsos OF
the coyote; and tho incredible cav
agsry and agility Of the nsher--thAt
middis-sired hunter that catches and
kills everything he can master az
copt 1sh. They climbed high hills
40 AZ
valleys. they padded long. dreamy
twilight hours on the lake. they ira
verSed marshes wher. the moose
walIowed; and they walked thru an
caent forests where tho docaycd veg.
citation was q mossy pulp under
their feet. Sometimes they forgot
the poignancy Of their strange lives.
romplng sometimes. xosssplng like
Jays In the treelimbr. and some
times. forgetting enmity. they told
each other their secret beiiefs and
PHILOSOPHERS. They had picnics In
the woods: and long. comfortable
evenings before th~ir dancing fire.
But there was one enduring Joy that
always surpassed all the rest. q hap
p,ness that seemed 70 have It's or
lEin In the silent places Of their
hearts- II was just the return. after
a fatiguing day In forest and marsh.
10 tho shsitsrfnx walls Of the cave.
with his az and hunting knife
Ben prepared n complete set Of FUR
nfture for their little abode. His
first work wns a surpassing-mar
vicious diuinsroom suite Of a table
and two chairs Then he put up
shelves for their rapidly dw,ndlins
supplies Of provisions ana cut