The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-10-01

Tho happiness he had expected
In tails long awaited nlght had
failed 10 matcrlalire. lie ate his
great meal sat awhile In sporadic
conversation with tho SRI In tho
snug cabin then went YEARLY 10
his blankets. lilo hardly knew
what was missing Her beauty was
no less: II was enhanced. n any,
thing, by tho flush 81 the wind on
her cheeks. Yet sha didn't under,
stand what he had been doing
what he had been thru. Ito held
her interest but slightly a. no told
Of his adventures on tho trail
when IN turn Sho talked 10 him. II
was OF her own wrongs. and the
old quick. eager sympathy some
how failed 10 reach bis heart. Hut
Il was an he could expect on this
terrible island lilo must thank
what gods there were for tho one
kiss she had given him-and be
content All happiness was cloud
ed here.
often. IN tho lit.ia hour after
supper about tho stove. he wax
cned from his roycry 10 find that
no had been thinking about Bess.
She had come In from her line
tho previous day and had gone out
again. and no had not dreamed
that her absence could leave such
a gap In their little circle. lie
had hardly regarded her az ALL yet
he found himself missing her. shs
was always 30 high spirited. en-.
eoumginE him with her own high
heart or course tho very fact
that they were Just three. exiled
among foes would make her abb
sence kcenly felt. The mere bond
OF common humanity would do
that Yet no found himself wish.
Ing that he had shown greater APP
probation o. her Kindness. her
courage. her sweet sollcitude for
him, on her lonely trap line out
IN the wastes Il was AZ n she had
gone forever fIe found himself
rcsentlng tho fact that Lenoro had
but cold asstn, 10 his praise Of
her. wholly unapprcciative Of tho
fact that her own case was due
largely 10 Bess' offer TO do add.
tional work.
But his blankets gave him stun.
Der. and he rocs In the early
hours. brcakfasted. and started out
on his lonely trap line. lie was
not - little excited as 20 tho re
suits OF this mornings tramp,
Every skin he took was his. 20
protect bis twn body from the bit.
ter, impending cold.
Tho first fow traps had no,
been sprung. ou,wi,,ing tho Wild
creatures was seemingly not tho
easy thing he had anticipated. The
bait had been stolen from mar.
ton trap at the edge OF tho bar.
rens. but tho jaws had failed 10
10 home. and subsequent light
snowfall had concealed Tho
tracks By which no might have
Identified tho thief. Was this tho
answer 10 bis high hopes7 But
hc had cause 10 halt when no
nearcd tho trap on the beaver
dam.
For a moment he couldn't locate
tho trap. Then no saw that the
wire. fastened securely TO tho bank.
had become myateriousiy taut. Not
daring 70 hope no began 90 tug
Il In.
AZ tho end Of tho wire he found
his trap. and In the trap wan. a
large beaver. drowned and In prime
condition.
The moment was really a siEnif.
icant ono for Ned Tho little
traps OF steel placed hero and
there thru the wilderness. had
seemed a doubtful project at bcs'-I
but now they had shown results.
The incident gave him added con.
fidencs In himself and hls ability
TO battle successfully these perilousI
wilds, Tho rich. warm skin would
help 10 elothe him, and he would
easily catch others TO complete his
wardrobe.
Tho beaver was Of course not
frozen: and the skin stripped Off
easily under the little. saving
strokes OF his SHINING knife. He
was rafhcr surprised at its size.
II cams of nearly round. and II
would stretch fully % inches in
diameter. Washing Il carefully. hel
put It over his back and started
on.
Other traps yielded peits In his
long days march. The trap on
the beaver landing contained n
muskrai; he found several moro OF
the same furrcd rodents in his
traps along the creek: and small
skins tho they were. he had n
place for every one. Once an OF
ter. caught securely by tho hind
leg. showed fight and had to be
dispatched by a blow on the head
with club: and once he was
startled when mink. scarcely
larger than his hand. ieaped from
the snowy weeds. trap and all.
straight for his ankle.
There was no more feroclous
creature in all tho mammalian
tt.l. tfffn Tnvfh