The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-25


There were few witnesses OF this
infinite giving Of hers ben himself
sun fingered In a strange stupor, re-
memtcring nothing. knowing neither
tho etrl nor himself. Perhaps the
wild thinga saw her desperate efforts
to ind food IN the wildcrness--the
long hours % weary searching for
handful OF berries that save such ut
tie nourishment 70 hsa weakened
body. or for a few acorns stored for
winter hy bird OF rodent. Sometimes
a great -antlored moose-an easy
trophy II the rifle had been unhrokcn
saw her searching for wocns like a
lost thing IN the tenacious mud OF
the marshes: and almost nightly a
silen, wolf. paudng In his hunting.
gaxed uneasily thru the cavern NAV.
but mostly her long hours OF service
in the cave. the chill nights that sho
sat beside Ben's cot. the dreary
mornings when she cooked her own
Scanty breakfast and took her un-
easy rest. the endless labor OF fire
mending so that the cave could be
kept az an even heat went unoo-
served by mortal eyes The healing
forces OF his body called for warmth
aud nourishment. but for all the
might OF her efforts she waSed los
Ing fight.
What little wocus she was able to
find she made into bread for ben: yet
Il was never enough TO satisfy his
body's craving. The only meat she
had herself was the vapid flesh that
had been previously boiled for Bcn's
broth. and now only a few pieces Of
the jerked raeat remained. She her
self tried TO live on such plants as
the wilderness yielded. and She soon
began 60 notice the tragic loss 90 her
own strength. Her eyes were hoi-
low. pretcrnaturaily large: she ex-
perienced a strange. floating sensa-
ton. as II spirit and flesh were dis
Isolated.
Still Ben fingered In his mysterious
stupor. unaware OF what went on
about him: but his fever was almost
gone by now. and the first begin
nings OF strength returned 20 his
thews His mind had begun 20 grope
vaguely for the key that would open
the doors OF his memory and remind
him again Of some great half-forgot-
ten task that still confronted him.
some duty unperformsd. Yet he
could not quite seize n. The girl who
worked about hts cot was without his
bourne Of knowledge. her voice
reached him as n from an infinite
distance, and her words penetrated
3nly 70 tho outer edges OF his con-
seriousness. n was not strictly. how
ever. return Of his arnnesia II Was
simply an outgrowth uf deiiriufn
caused by his sickness and Injuries.
20 be wholly dispeilcd as soon as he
was wholly we'll
But now the real hour Of crisis was
NJ hand-not from hts Illness. but
from the depletion of their food sup
plies Beatrice had spent hard AFT
ernoon IN the forest IN search of
roots and berries. and as she crept
honeward. exhausted and almost
empty-handcd. the fun. tragic truth
was suddenly laid bare. Her own
strength had waned without tho
miracle Of a fresh food supply she
could hardly keep on her feet another
day. Plainly and simply. the wolf
was AZ the door. His cruel fsnRs
nenaced not only her. hut this stall
wart man for whose life she had
fought 20 hard.
The fear OF the celebrating dark
ness known TO all the woods people
pressed close upon her and appalled,
her. she loved life simply and print
lively: and II was an unspcakabls
thing 10 lose at the end Of such n
battle. Out so far. surrounded by
such endless. desoiafe wastes Of
gloomy forest. the Shadow was cold.
inhospitahie: and she was afraid 10
face II alone. II Ben would only
waken and sustain her dropping
spirit with his owni She was lonely
and afraid. in the shadow Of the inert
spruce. under the gray sky.
She could hardly summon strength
for the evenings work Of cutting
fuel The blade would not drive with
It's old force into the wood The blaze
itself burned duly: and she could not
make II leap and crackls with It's old
cheer. And further misfortune was
In store for her when she crept into
the cave TO prepare Ben's supper.
A pack rat--one Of those detested
rodents known so well 70 all north
ern peoples-had carried off In her
absence two OF the three remaining
sticks OF jerked caribou. For n mo-
nent she gazed IN unbelieving and
speechiess horror. then made a fren-
lied search In the darkened corners