The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-09
XVI


Hen and Beatrice went together
back TO the canoe. and In two trips
they carried the supplies 90 the eave
by instinct a housekeeper. Beatrice
showed him where 20 stow tho vari-
Gus supplies. what part OF tho cave
was TO be used for provisions. where
their cots would he laid. and where
90 erect the cooking rack shadows
had fallen over The land before they
finished the work
Tired from tho hard tramp. vet
sustained by a vague excitement
neither Of them could name or trace.
they began 60 prepare for the night.
Hen cut boughs as before. placing
Beatrice's bed within the portals OF
the cave and his own ON tho grass
outside He cut fuel and made his
fire' Beatrice prepared the evening
meat.
Tho flesh Of the cub-hear they had
procured that morning would have 20
serve them tonight but moro Do
licious meat could be procured tonnor-
row. Hen knew that tho white
named caribou FED IN the high park
lands Beatrice made biscuits and
hrcwed tea. and they ate the simple
food IN the twilight. Already the
darkness was presiding close upon
them. trcmulou-. vaguely sinister. In
scrutahly mysterious
They had talked rsyiy AZ FIRST: bu,
they grew silent as the fir- burned
down 90 Goals A great preoccupa-
ton seemed 10 hold them both. when
one spoke the ether started. and word
did not Immediately come In answer.
Reatrseo's despair was not nearly no
dominating tonight: and Hen har-
bored q secret excitement that was
almost happiness
trace. Perhaps n was Just relief tina,
tho p~rfious Journey was over. The
strain OF his hours at tho paddle had
been severe; but now they wers safe
upon the sustaining earth. Yet this
fact alone could hardly have given
him such sense Of recurity-an In
ner comfort new 20 his adventurous
life.
The forest was oppressive tonight.
srcmuious with tho passions Of the
Young World Jet he did not re-
spond 10 u as before The excite
rent that .parixied IN the red wins
OF HIS veins was not Of the chan,
and Death. and he had difficulty IN
u up with the thoughts OF
his forthcoming vengeance. Rather
II was q mood that spranw from
their surrounding. here. their shelter
at the mouth OF the cave He felt
deeply at peaca
The fire hlaxed warmly ~ tire cav
srn nav: the wolf stood tense and
stiil. By means Of the secret wireless
OF the Wild fully aware Of the tragic
drama. the curtain Of which wxs the
dark iuss fallen; Jet Bm's Wild BIT
ter thoughts u shs prpcsding night
ana not CONS rsadIiy bach. 70 hirn-
There was = quality hsrs-<n ne
ana me havvn Of the cavs-l
that sooshed him and comforssd him
The powers Of the wfid were helpless
against him now. Ths Wind might
huri down the dead trees. but the
rock OF the cavern wafl would stand
against them. Even the dreaded
avalanche could roar and thunder on
tho steep shove In vain.
There was no peril In the hushed.
GREATNESS forest for him tonight.
This was his stronghold. and some
could assaii T. And n was . ssxnlff-
cant fact that his sense os intimate
relationship with the wolf. Ferris.
was somewhat iess-ned- Fenrfs was
. creatur. Of tho open forest. sleep
ing where fs chose on the trail: but
his master had found = cavern home.
There was . strange and bridxciess
chasrn between such breeds a.
roarned abroad and thoss that slept.
night after night. IN the shelter Of
the same walls.
He watched the girls face. rudy
In the freight. and ~ was increas-
ingly hard 20 remember that shs was
Of the enemy camp-the daughter OF
his arch foe. Tonight shs was Just
a cornrnde. q habitat OF HIS own cave.
For tho first time since he had
found Ezram's body--so huddled and
impotent In tho dead ieaves--he re-
membered the soiacs Of tobacco. He
hunted thru his pockets. found his
pipe and a singie TIN OF the weed.
and began TO inhaie the fragrant.
peace giving smoke. when he raised
his eyes again he found the Girl