New Britain herald., 1923-09-21

he gazed down al her, great hand
resting on her chair.
You're a pretty little hellseat,e he
told her, In enFiously mnffled tones,
what makes you such hghierf"
She tried 20 meet his eyes, y have
10 be. In this climate" she answered,
Where would you. get your fnrsH-
He uttered one great hoarse syl.
liable. as II In the beginning Of laugh
ter. That's not what | mean, and
you know IL, You'd sooner walk ten
miles through the snow than give an
inch, wouldn't YOU 90 His hand
reached. closing gently upon her arm.
aud a ahiver OF repnls,on passed over
her. That's lne little muscle
but you don't want 10 work u OFF.
Why don't you show a little friend
ship"
The girl looked with difficulty into
his great drawn face. Ned stiffened,.
wondering II the moment OF crisis
were at hand at last. Lenore watched
appalled,. but the native went on
about her tasks as II she hadn't heard.
you can't expeet-much friendship
from prisoner" hess told him
brokenly Her face. so white In the
yellow lantern light. her trembling
lips. most of all the appeal for mercy
in her eyes-raised to this beast
compared with whom even the North
was merciful-wakened surginE des-
perate anger In Ned. The room
turned red before his eyes. his
muscles auisered and he was rapidly
reaching that point wherein his self
control on which life itself depended.
was jeopardized. Yet he must hold
himself with an iron hand. Hetmust
wait to the last instant of need.
Everything depended on that. In
avoiding the crisis until he had made
some measure of preparation.
Your little friend seems to be get
ting nervous" he remarked to Bess. |
$50 not to disturb him further. let's
you and l go to the new cabin. I've
taken some fine pets lately-I want
YOU to see them. You need new /
coat"
He seemed to be aware Of the
diseased nerves with exutation. But
here was, from his listeners, but one
igniflcant response at first to the evil
that he made with such
niquitous fires in his wild eyes and
UGH strange, suppressed tone in his
oice. Bess expression did not
hange. 1t had already revealed the
lttermost depths of dread. Ned still
le1d himself, cold, now as a serpent.
Waiting for. his chance. But the
quaw paused a single instant In her
york. For one breath they failed to
ear the clatter of her pans. But
eemingly Indifferent, she Immediately
vent back to her toll.
Bess shook her head i'll desperate
ppeal. wait till morning" she
loaded I'm tired now"
Ned saw by the gathering fury OF
heir masters face that her refusal
,ould only bring on the crisis, SO he
saped swiftly into the breach. Sure,
TESS let's go to look at them" he
aid. I'm anxious to see EN-, too"
Doomsdorf whirled to him, and his
axe was as a trial of fire to Ned
ct the latter did not. finch For a
ing second they regarded each other
i implacable hatred, and then
sudden start told that he
ad been visited by inspiration.
lis leering look of contempt was al
lost a smile. Sure, come along"
! ~ 4 h tn
, you, too. To spare IGNORES feel
lgs-we'l go to the other cabin"
Ned was not in the least deceived
Y his reference to Lenore. Dooms-
off had further cause, other than
gard for IGNORES sensibilities, for
,ntinuing their conversation in the
her cabin What it was Ned did
IT know, and he dared not think. i
nd he had vague impression that
lille he and Doomsdorf had waged
cir battle of eyes. Bess had mys-
riously moved from her position
e had left her Just at Doomsdorf's
ght; when he saw her again she
as fully ten feet distant within a
W feet of the cupboards where the
uaw kept many of the food supplies.
d now was busy with her parka of
ribou skin.
She led the way out into the clear,
: night. 1t was one of those still,
,ar late winter evenings, not so
Id as it had been, when the frozen,
owswept world gave no image of
atty to the senses. The snow
Lstes and the velvet depths of the
Y were lurid, flashing withsa thou
I'd ever-changing hues from the
mt. kaleidoscope of the Northern
yhts Moved anda held by this
nder that never grows. old to the
rthern man. Doomsdorf halted
IN lust outside the cabin door.