San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-19

the stove-"are some things you'll
need. The time will come when you'll
need showshoes, too. There's a pair
on the rafters. Now I'm going back to
the cabin to spend the night-in more
agreeable company"
For moment the two men stood
regarding each other in absolute
silence. Then Doomsdorfs keen ears,
eager for such sounds, caught the wlis-
| per of Ned's troubled breathing. Pres
sently leering smile flashed through
the blond beard.
"you mean-you and Lenore will
be alone" Ned asked.
"You saw the squaw start out
with Bess?" was the triumphant an
swer. but why should you care: 1t
was IGNORES own wish to stay. Shed
take me and comfort any time, sooner
than endure the cold with you. Or
such stuff, my boy. are women made.
Ned's face. lifeless and white as
stone, was no longer loose with Ter
ror. A desperate fury had brought
him to the verge of madness.
"That's a foul lie." he shouted.
reckless of Doomsdorf's retaliation
"She didn't dream that you would do
that"
Docr,sdorf struck him off, hurting
him against the wall: but it wa not
with the idea of inflicting punish
ment.
Ned could not speak, but Dooms-
dorf looked at him with the fire OF a
zealot in his eyes.
| II don't want anything that's that
easy" he said with infinite contempt;
Sometimes the game is harder,
fake back something, 1 inferred a
moment ago-that all women would
do the same. The best of them, the
most of them, still will go through
hell for an idea; and that's the kind
whose spirit is worth while to break
Do YOU know any one who right now.
likely enough, is trudgins along
through this hellish snow with III
mounds of traps over her back"
Ned. shuddered, hurting off his
doubt. believing yet in the fidelity OF
his star. II don't know, and L don
| care" he answered.
"That's what Bess Gilbert is DO
ing. and you know it. There, young
man. is woman worthy OF my
STEEL" H.
He turned and strobe out the door
Ned was left to his thoughts and the
still. small voices of the waste places
alone with the wilderness nIghl
whose word was the master word OF
life. and with the wind that sobhed
unhappy secrets as it swept his
cabin roof.
Tins began a week of trial for Ned
For the first time in his life he was
thrown wholly upon his own re
sources. standing or falling by hi
own worth. Should he fall insenslbl'
in the snow there were none to seel
him and bring him into shelter. Il
he should go astray and miss tE'
cabins there was no one to set nm
on. the right path again. He. wa
meeting the wilderness alone, ah'
face to face.
He crossed the divide to the Fork
cabin, followed the springs to Thirty
Mile cabin, descended to the sea, AM
along the shore to the home CABIN
lust as he had been told to do. HI
nut out his traps as he went in VIVA
seemed to him the most likely places
using every vile Doomsdorf ha'
taught him to increase his chance
for catch. In spite of the fact tha
he went alone, the second day wa
ever. so much easier than the first
and he came into the home cabin onl'
painfully tired. but not absolutei
J exhausted, on the fifth.
: All through the five days he ha
strengthened himself with tn
r thought that Lenore awaited him a
the journeys end; and she ha
e never seemed so lovely to him a
l when returning in the gray twilight
: he saw her standing framed in tn
e lighted doorway of the home cabin.
i Doubtless it was his own .eagernes
that made her seem so slow in con
! ing into his arms; and his own grea
: fire that caused her to. seem to lac
t warmth. He had been boyishly al
t ticipatory, foolishly exultant. Yet
( was all sweet enough. The girl flu