The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-08

To Bon the falling night brought
. return Of his most terrible mooda
Beatrice scnsed them IN his pale, set
face and his cold wolfish eyes The
wolf sat beside him. swept by hts
masters mood. gazing with deadly
speculaiions into the darkness nea-
trice saw them a. enc breed tonight.
Tho Wild had wholly claimed this ro-
patrtated son. The law Of the Beast
was heavy upon him: the softsnlng
influences OF civilization seemed
wholly dispeiied There was little
here 10 remind her that this was tho
twentieth century. The primitive
that lies Just under the akin In all
men Was In tho asccndancy. and
th1re was little indeed 20 distinguish
him from the hunter OF long ago. n
kriz1led savage af tho edss OF the
Ice who chased the mammoth and
wild pony. knowing no homo but the
forest and no gentleneaa unknown to
the wolf that ran at his heels. !.
The tenderness and sympathy he had
had for hor earlier that day seemed
quite gone now. shc searched for n
In vain IN the dark and savage lines
OF his pale face.
Because Il has always been that
the happiness Of women must do
pend upon the mood Of men. her own
spirits fell The despair that do
seconded upon her brought also rs-
sentiment and regc: and scoa she
clipped away quietly To her bed. she
drew the blankets over her face: but
no tears wet her cheeks tonight
she was dry-eyed. thoushtful--ruli
OF vague plans
She hay awake long time. until
~ last a little. faint ray OF hope
bcamed bright and clear. More than
. hundred miles farther down the
Yuga. past thu mouth Of Grizzly rtv.
err not far from tho great. north
flowing stream or which the Yuga
was q tributary. lay an Indian viii
lAxe--and IL only she could reach
n abe might enlist the aid of the
natives and make a safe return. by
q long. roundabout way. to her faith
er's srmn. The plan meant deliver
ance from Ben and the defeat Of all
his schemes Of vengeance--perhaps
the salvation OF her father and his
suboriinatcs.
She realized perfectly the reality
Of her fathers danger. She had
read the iron resolve In Bcn's face.
She knsw that n she failed 20 MAKE
IN immediate escape from him. all
his dreadful plans into the uncx.
piorcd maxes OF Back There TO effect
her rescue and fall helpless In his
trap What quality Of mercy he
would extend TO them thsn she
could readily guess.
Just 20 set down to the Indian VII
hge: this was her whole problem
Hut II was Ben's plan 70 Land and
entar the interior scmswhsre In the
vnst Wilderness between. from which
en0ps could not b made until ths
Uood waters Of fall Tia wAy would
rematn open but . few hours mora
A1ne 70 ths stmpAs fsct that the
wassrs wsrs STEADILY Milling snd the
ssvsr-bottom ersga forming impars-
ubis barriers 1t some poinfA would
~ opposed II So s,ads ~ escape
at al q sswSf be soor.
Yet she could not attempt n at
might. She could not $50 10 guido
the canoe while tho darkness lay
over the river. Just one further
chance rcmained--to depart In thu
xirrs gray Of dawn.
sh> fell into troubled sleep. but
true TO her resolution. Weakened when
the first ribbon Of Hight stretched
along the eastern horizon. She sAt
UP. laying the blankets back with
infinite care. This WINS hers chance:
Ben stiIi lay asleep.
Just 20 steal down 20 the waters
<rtdge. push off the canoe. and trust
her life 10 the doubtful mercy Of the
river. The morning soon would
break. n shs could avoid the first
few crags she had every chancs 10
guide her craft thru 10 defiverance
and safety. BY no conceivable
chance could Ban follow her. lie
would be left In tho shadow of the
gorge. a prisoner without hops or
prayer Of deIfverance. There was no
crossing the cliffs that lifted No stern
and gray Just behind. Before he
could build any kind Of craft with
N and fire. the waters would fall
TO q death level. beyond any hope Of
carrying him 20 safety. The tables
would be turned: he would be left
as helpless TO follow her as Nelson
had been to follow him.