The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-20

(Continued From Yesterday
Her uneasiness was swiftly dcvri-
eplng into panic. Just today she was
willing to risk his life for her free
dom: u was certainly folly now 10
goad herself to despair by dwciling
on hts mysterious absence. IL
might speed the passing minutes u
she got up and found some work 20
DO about tho cave: but she simply
had no heart for A. once she sat up.
only TO lie down again
The moments dragged by. Surely
he would have had time TO reach
camp by now. The storm neither In
creased nor decreased. only played
its mournrul melodies In the forest.
The song Of the rain was despairing
low mourneui notes rising 70 n
sharp crescendo as the fiercer gusts
swept u into the tree tops The limbs
murmured unhapplly as they ymo'e
together. and a tall tree. swaying In
tina wind. creaked with a maddening
regularity. She was never No lonely
hefcrs. % darkiy miserable.
Il want him 20 come" her voice
suddenly spoke aloud II rang
strangely In the gloomy cave i
want him 70 come back 20 me"
she Eel; no impulse for the words.
They seemed TO speak themselves.
Presently she sat erect. her heart
ieaplnx with inexprcssiele relief at
the sound Of q heavy tread At the
edge Of the glade.
The steps came nearer. and then
PAUSED She sprsng 20 her feet and
went 20 the mouth OF the cave. A
silence that lived between the beating
rain and the complaining wind settled
down about her Her eyes could not
pisrce the Darkness
lis that you. BcnT- she called
She strained into the silence for his
reply. Tho cold drops splashed into
her face
~Beng~ she called again. Is that
your
Then something iesped with an az
pioz,ve sound. and running feet
spiashed IN tho wet grass In hight
The little spruce trees at the edge OF
the glade whipped and rustied as a
heavy body crashed thru The steps
had been only those of some forest
besst--a caribou. perhaps. or q moss
come 10 meek her despair.
she remembered that Ben had been
wishing for Just such q visitation
these past few days: Of course In the
daylight hours when he could &c 70
shoot Their meat SUPPLY was almost
coma
she cid not go to her cot again.
She stood psering into the gloom.
Al further effort 10 repei her fears
came TO nothing. The storm was al
ready Of two hours duration. and
Hen would have certainly returned TO
the cave unless disaster had besaiien
him Was he lost somewhere In the
INTERVIEWING trails. seeking shelter In
q heavy thicket until the dawn should
show him his wAyr There we're 20
many pitfalls for the unsuspecting In
these trackisss vida
Yct shs could b Of no std 10 him
The dark woods sersfchsd intcrnin-
ably: abe would not even know which
war 70 start n would Just mean 70
b lost hsruslf should she attempt to
seek him The trails that wound thru
the giAdss and over the ridges had
no end
-Beni- shs called again Then with
Increasing volume Benz"
but no echo returned The dark
ness swallowed the sound At once.
The night was chill: she iongcd for
the comfort Of tho FIRE. The actual
tator OF building Il might take her
mind nom her fears for . while al
least: and 'ts warm glow might dis
pei the growing cold Of fear and
loneliness In her breast Besides. n
might be n beacon light for Ben shs
turned AZ once TO the pile Of hndlins
Ben had prepared
But before she could build a really
satisfactory fire, one that would en-.
dure the rain. she must cut fuel from
some Of the logs Ben had hswn down
and dragged 20 tho cave. She lighted
a short piece Of pitchy wood. intend
ing 20 locate the heavy camp are
Then putting on her heavy coat--ths
same garment Of iustrous fur which
Pen had sent her back for the day Of
her abduction--she ventured into this
storm
Tho rain spiashef In vain at her
torch The pitch burned with fierc'
flame. But her eyes sought In VAR
for the axe.
This was a strange thing: Ben al.
ways left ~ Ieaning against one Of
the chunks OF spruce. Presently she
halted. startled. gazing into the blacl
depths Of the forest