The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-09-21

from its covering of snow. For a mo- |
ment he actually doubted his power |
to set it. It was of obsolete type, |
mighty springed. and its jaws We're
of a width forbidden by all laws Of |
trapping in civilized lands, yet Ned
did not doubt its efficiency. Its |
mighty irons had rusted; but not even |
bears incalculable might could |
shatter them
This was not TO be a bait set, so |
his success depended upon the skill |
with which he concealed the trap. |
First he carefully ref1lled the ex-
cavation he had made in digging out !
the trap; then he dug a shallow hole |
in the snow in the narrowest part of |
the pass. Here he set the trap, util- |
izing all the power of his mighty |
muscles, and spread a light covering |
of snow above.
It was a delicate piece of work |
Ned had no wish for the cruel jaws
to snap shut as he was working above |
them. But his heart was in the ven
ture, for all his hatred of the cruelty |
of the device; and he covered up his |
tracks with veterans skill. Then he |
quietly withdrew, retracing his steps
and following the shore line toward |
the home cabin.
Surely the mighty strength that |
had set the powerful spring and the
skill that covered up all traces of his
work could succeed at last in freeing
him from slavery.
Bess had reached the shelter first,
and she was particularly relieved to
see Ned's tall form swinging toward
her along the shore. Doomsdorf was |
In a particularly on1inous mood to- |
night The curious glitter in his |
magnetic eyes was more pronounced
then she had ever seen it-catlike in
the shadows. steely in the lantern
light: and his cruel savagery was
Just at the surface, ready to be walk
ened Worst Of all. the gaze he bent
toward her was especially eager to-
night, horrible 10 her as the cold touch
| of q reptile.
Every time she glanced up she
found him regarding her, and he fol
lowed her with his eyes when she
moved. Yet she dared not seek shell
| ter in the new cabin, for the simple
reason that she was afraid Dooms-
dorf would follow her there. Until
Ned came, her defense was solely the
presence Of Lenore and the squaw.
There was no particular wormth in
her meeting with Ned. Doomsdorfs
eyes were still upon her, and she was
careful to keep any hint Of the new
understanding out Of her face and
eyes. Ned's weather-beaten counte-
nance was as expresstonIess as Sindy's
own.
The four of them gathered about
the little, rough table, and again the |
squaw served them, from the shad- |
ows. It was strange picture. there
in the lantern lIght-the imperturb-
able face of the squaw, always half IN
shadow; the Iurid wild-beast eyes of
Doomsdorf cleaning under his shaggy
brows; IGNORES beauty a thing to
hold the eyes; and Bess Mortified and
fearful at what the next moment
might bring. Hardly a word was ex-
changed from the meals beginning to
its end. Bess tried to talk, so as to
divert Doomsdorfs sinister thoughts,
but the words would not come to her
lips. The man seemed eager to finish
the meal.
AS soon as they had moved from
the table toward the little stove, and
the squaw had begun the work of
| clearing away the dishes, Doomsdorf
| halted at Bess' side. For a moment he
gazed down at her, a great hand rest
| ing On her chair.
You're a pretty little hell-cat," he
| told her. in curiously muffled tones.
! What makes you such a f1ghter?"
| She tried to meet his eyes 81 have
to be, in this climate" she answered.
Where would you get your furs"
He uttered one great hoarse sylla-
| BILE, as If in the beginning Of laugh
ter. That's not what I mean. and
you know It You'd sooner walk ten
| miles through the snow than give an
| inch, wouldn't your His hand
reached, closing gently upon her arm.
and a SILVER Of repulsion passed over
| her. That's a fine little muscle-but
! you don't want to work II off. Why
/ don't you show a little friendship"
The girl looked with difficulty into
his great, drawn face Ned stiffened,
wondering If tho moment Of crisis
were at hand at last. Lenore watched,
appalled,, but the native went on
about her tasks as II she hadn't heard.
you can't expect-much friend
ship-from a prisoner" Bess told him
hrokenly. Her. face, so white in the
yellow lantern light, her trembling
lips, most Of all the appeal for mercy
in her child's eyes-raised to this
beast, compared with whom even the
North was Neutrality-suspicious. surg
| ing, desperate anger in Ned. The
room turned red before his eyes, his
muscles quivered, and he was rapidly
reaching that point wherein his self
control, on which life itself depended,
was jeopardized. Yet he must hold
himself with an iron hand. He must
wait to the last instant of need Every
thing depended on that, in avoiding
the crisis until he had made some
measure Of preparation.
Your little friend seems to be get
ting nervous" he remarked easily to
Bess. $50 not to disturb him fur
Their, let's you and I go to the new
cabin. I've taken some fine pelts late
ly-I want you to see them. You
need a new coat"
He seemed to be aware of the gath
ering suspense, and 1t thrilled his
diseased nerves with exultation. But
there was, from his listeners, but one
significant response at first to the evil
suggestion that he made with such in