The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-02-01
THE SKYLINE
OF SPRUCE
..,,,.,.,,,s;:ifsi.i1s4;iiItiiii''s'' s''isii1''
By EDISON MARSHALL
oopyrirht. 1874 Little Brown q Company

! tho suedued light A. abe ggvr the
wolf a parting cares Hut no eopld
not stay with them The primal Laws
OF hts bclng hado otherwise. ills way
was the way OF the open trails. the
nights OF madness and tho rapture OF
hunting and these were folk OF the
caves They were not hia people.
altho his low for them burned like
fire IN his heart.
Hc could not deny the call Of his
followers On the ridge II was like
chain. drawing rcmorselessly 20
them. Whining. he had sped away
into tho darkness
The firn had bean built up. Beatrice
had rallied her spent strength ey full
feeding OF the rich. dried meat. and
had done what she could FOR Nelson
injury. Hen. exhausted. had lain
down N some OF the blankets OF his
onemy's outnt Nelson was not.
however. mprtally hurt The bullet
had eourscd thru che region OF bis
shoulder. missing his heart and lungs.
and altho he was alt but unconscious.
they had every reason 10 BELIEVE that
a few weeks OF rest would see him
well again.
Hatrico hathed the wound. han
dAged q tho hast ahe could. then GOV.
cred him up warmly and let him 30
Ito sleep. And the time came az last.
long past the midnight hour. that she
erept once more 20 Ben'a side
There was little indeed Tor them 10
say. The stress Of the night had TAX
en- from them almost all doaire 10
talk But Ben took hsr hand Ia his
feehly. and held Il agains, his lips
Were safe now" Beatrice told
him. her eyes still bright with tears
We've seen Il thru. and we're SAFE"
Ben nodded happily. II Was true:
there wns nothing further for them
20 fear. with the aid Of the rifles
OF the three fallen. they could pro
cure fnca; IN plenty for their remain
ing time az Back There; besides. IN
store OF ierked caribou and moose
was enough 70 hold them over. When
the rains came again. tho three Of
thsm-Neiison and fIen and neatrica
could glide on down % the Indian
encampments In the canoe. Thence
they could reach the white settle
msnts beyond tho mountains
Her glance Into the future went
, stiIl farther. because ahe knsw cor
tain news that as yet Ben had no,
heard. She had heard from Rays
lips that might that Ben'u claim had
been legally fled; he had only 20 re-
, turn and take possession. II straight
ened out the future. promised sue
, cess In the battle Of nfe. ERse him an
interest % hold him In theso northern
forests But ahs would no, tell him
|, tonight II could wait for a more
, quiet hour.
, Presently she saw that he was try
! ing 20 speak 20 her. whispering. Try
, ing 70 draw her ear down to his lips
She smiled. with an infinite tsndar.
4 ness. Dtmiy tho he spoiIn. ahe heard
: him every word
= 4 love you." he told her simply
: He watched her face. al inten1y ~
) this three Wise Man watched ths
! East, for a sign. And he saw II
, clear and innftabiy wonderful. In ihs
. stars that eamo into her sysa-
; II love you.- she answered. win
i equal simplicity. They lay q while IL
! silence. hiissfsll In this wonder eacf
! had for tho other. wholly content
: Just that their hands and lips shotlS
, touch.
| The Same miracle was upon thsft
: both: and thn girls thought. ranging
. far. seizsd upon deep and moylng
: discovery. IAN this belongs 20 uS.
E she told him. indicating with on.
I movement OF her arm the boundissl
: solitudes about them. ~'This IL oul
own country. Isn't II. Benz We can
D evsr-go away
. II was true: they could never leavp
9 the forest Tor long. They wsra Il
: children. bred In the bono. Thsi
4 strong thsws would waste In q gent
: Ter land. II was their heritage. Tho.
must not go where they could not BE-
7 hold the dark limo Of tho foges
: against the sky.
y Tho fire burned down. The mool
/ wheeled thru the sky The tall spruc
y saw the dawn afar and bsckoned.
a THE END.