The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-12
THE
SKYLINE
SPRUCE
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swrr. There arc few meats IN THIS
imperfect earth 60 compare In Ma.
vor with that OF the great, woodland
caribou. monarch of tho high park
lands.
THAT means we DO some climb
ing, instead OF watching In tho oeav-
er meadows. I'm ready--eny tina"
They took the game trail NJ the
ridge. venturing at once into the
heavy spruces but curtously enough.
the mysterious hush. the dusity
shadows did not appali Beatrice
greatly today. Tho miles sped swirl.
~ under her feet. Always there
were creatures TO notice. or laugh At
"a squirrel performing ON q
branch. a squawking Canada jay
surprised and utterly baffied by
their tall forms. poroupine
hunched into spiny ball and pre-
tending ferociousness that de
cetved not even such hare-erained
folk as tho chipmunks In the tree
roots, or those queens OF stupidity,
the fool hens on the branch. In the
way OF more serious things some
times they paused 10 gaze down on
some particularly beautiful glen
watered. perhaps. by cleaning
atrcam-or long. dark valley
steepcd deeply in the ancien, mys'
ticism OF the trackless Willis
He helped her over the sleeps.
waited for her at had crossings,
and meanwhile his thoughts found
easy expression In words. lilo had
10 stop and remind himself that she
was his foe. Beatrice herself at
tempted no such remembranee. she
was simply carrying out her resolve
20 mako the best Of n depiorahie
situation.
She could sec. however. that he
kept close watch OF her. He In.
tended to give her no opportunity
TO strike back at him. Ito carried
his rife unloadsd. 10 that II shs
were able, In an unguarded moment.
TO wrest Il from him she could not
turn II against him. But there wa
no Joy for her in noticing these
small precautions. They only 70
minded her OF her imprisonment,
and she wisely resolved TO ignore
them.
They climbed to the ridge top
following IL ON TO the plateau where
patches of snow stan gleamcd white
and the spruce grew la dark ciumps
leaving open. lovely parks between.
Here they encountered their first
, caribou.
This animal. however. was not "a
their liking In the way Of meat fof
the table. A turn In the trail sud
denly revealed him at tho edge OF
the glade. his white name cleaning
and his graceful form aauiver with
that unauestionahle vitality that
seems to Do tho particular property
OF northern wild animals. but Ben
let him so HE way. He wa. an old
bull. the monarch OF hts herd: he
had ranged and mated and fought
his rivals for nearly a score OF
years In the Wild heart OF Rack
There--and his flesh would be most
~ sinew.
Ten minutes later. however. ths
girl touched hi. arm. She pointed
TO . far glade. fully three hundred
yards across the canyon. Her quick
eyes made out . tawny form against
the thick~t.
II was . young carfbou--a year
ling buek-and his flesh would b
tender ~ . spring fowl
It's just what we want. but
there's not much chance Of getting
him at that range" he said
Try. anyway. You've go; a long
range rife. II you can hold tru.
he's yours."
This was one thing that Ben wa,
skilled at---hoiding true. He raises
the weapon 10 hls shoulder. drswins
down finely on that little speck o.
brown across the gulch. Few time
in his life had he been more anxious
to make n successful shot. Yet h
would never have admitted the tru,
explanation: that ne simply desire,
10 make good in the girls eyes.
He held his breath and pressed
the trigger back.
Beatrice could not restrain q low
happy cry OF triumph. She had for
gotten all things. for the moment
but her Joy at his success. AM
truly. Ben had made a remarkable
shot. Most hunters who boast o
iong-range hits do not step Off tn,
distance shot: fifty yards IL caiie,
n hundred. hundred and fifti
yards three hundred. and 70 xii
true at this range Ia not the accus
toned thing on the trails OF sport
The bullet had gone true ss light
shaft. striking the animal thru tn
! shouidcrp ana he had never stirra.