The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-10-13
LContInued rrom Nc.lerdn,l

knew about Death Tie know the woe
and the travail that is ne utter sub
scryicnco 90 the raw forces 81 the
North; and yet lac dared not die This
WAS the basic instinct, Compared "a
10 freedom was a feeble urge that was
soon forgotten. This whole wlntTy
world was pcnplcd with living crca,
lures who hated lie and yet who
dared not leave a. Tho forces OF the
North were near and commanding TO-
night; they were showing her up,
stripping her OF her deluslons, laying
hare the secret places OF her heart
and soul. testing her as she had never
been tested before.
Could she too take the fighting
chaneel Could She too rise above
this awful first fear; master it,
Icorn Il. so her brave way In the face
bfts
But before ever she found her
answer. she found herself az the
cabin door. II seemed 10 her that she
had crossed the intervening distance
ON the wings ~ the wind, In as short
a time morc Doomsiorf could reach
the newer cabln-and the lssue would
be decided, Either they would be
free, or under the immntable sen.
tepce Of death. not Just Bess and
Ned. but herself toe, She would pay
the price with the rest The wind
would sweep over the island and
never hear her voice mnEling with
It's own. For her. the world would
cease 70 be. The fire was warm and
kindly IN the hearth, but she was re.
nounciug a. for she knew not what
% cold and terror, Not just Ned and
Bess would pay The price but she too
ListleSs. terrified almost 20 the verge
Of collapse. she turned the knob and
opened the door, poomstlorf had not
yet gone to his blankets. otherwise
the great bolt Of iron would be In
place. He was Stiu sitting before the
great, glowing stove, dreaming his
savage dreams The girl haitcd be.
fore him. leaning against a chair.
At first her tongue could hardly
shape the words Her throat filled,
her heart faltercd In her breast.
"Bess- asked to see you. she told
him at last. "she says for you to
come-to her cabin
The man regarded her with quick.
ching interest. yet without the slight.
est trace OF suspicion II seemed al.
Amost incredible that he did not see
|the whitening terror behind those
blanched checks and starting eyes
and Immediately guess is cause:
only his own colossal arrogance saw.
"a the plot AZ the outset. He was
,imply so triumphant hy what seem
"a 10 be Bess' surrender. 40 drunk
With his success In handling a prob
en- that az first had seemed so diffI.
'ult, that the idea Of conspiracy could
not even occur to hirn. He hardly
saw the girl before him: II he had
noticed her al FIRST, she was forgot.
ten al once In his exuItatiou Even
the hfeless tone in which she spoke
made no impression upon him; he
only heard her woros.
he got up at once. Lenore stared
At him as II in a nightmare. She had
hoped In her deepest heart that he
would refuse TO come. that the great
test u her could be avoided. but
already he was starting out the door.
She had done her part: she could
wait here. II she liked. iii the thing
was settled. In n few seconds more
1he would know her fate.
Yet she couldn't stay here and
await. To Doomsdorrs surprise. she
Followed him thru the door. into the
glare OF the Northern Lights. She
did not know what impulse moved
her; she was only aware Of the grow.
ing cold Of terror Not only Ned and
Bess would pay the price IL the plan
failed. She must ray too. The
thought haunted her. every step.
every wild beat OF her heart.
All her life her philosophy had been
OF Self And now. that Self was once
more in the forefront OF her con.
seriousness, she found her wild excite
ment passed away. her brain working
clear and sure. The night itself ter.
rified her no more. She was beyond
such imaginative fears as that: re.
Inembrarre Of Self. her own danger
and destiny. was making a woman Of
her again. Only n fool forgot Self
for dream. Only a mailman risked
dear life for an ideal. Once more she
was down TO realities. she was stead.
led and Gained. able 10 balance one
thing with another. Aud now she
had at her command a superlative
craft. even degree OF cunning.
She must not forget that lately her
position had been one Of comparative
comfort. She was a slave. fawnIng
upon brute in human form. but the
cold had mostly spared her: and she
knew nothing Of the terrible hard.
ships that had been the share of Ned
and Bess. Yet she was taking equal
risks with them. II il better to live
and hate life than to de; # Is better
TO be living slave than a dead free.
man. Besides. lately she had been
awarded even greater comforts. won
BY fawning upon her master. Her
privileges would be taken swiftly
from her II the plan failed. She
would not be able to persuade Dooms
dorf that she was gu!ltless Of the plot:
she had been the agent in decoyinR
him to the cabin. and likely enough,
since her work took her among the
various cabin stores. he would at.
tribute to her the finding and SNUG.
Cling out Of the tin of snuff. II the
plot failed. Doomsdorf would punish
her part with death--or else with
pain and hardship hardly less than
death. II Bess failed TO reach his
eyes with the binding snuff. If Neds
ak missed IFS mark. she as well as
they would be utterly lost.
Doomsdorf was walking swiftly; al.
ready he was half way from the door.
The desperate fight for freedom waa
almost at hand But what was free.
dom compared to the fear and dark.
ness that Is death?