The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-13

chunks OF spruce log. with a bit Of
bark remaining. for fircsids seats
And for more than a week. Beatrice
wnn forbidden 70 enter a certain
covert Just beyond tho glade lest
shs should pr-nstursiy discover an
cvcn greater wonder that Han. In
Off hours. was preparing for q sur
prise
F,rum sfne 20 trina she heard him
busiiy At work. the ring OF his an
and his gay whistiinx as he whitfield
bolts Of wood. but other than that
:, concerned the grizzly skin she had
not the least idea Of hls task. hut
the worn was compistcd at last. and
then came two days Of rather siw.
nifieant siisnoc-auits incomprehen.
able 10 tho girl She WINS at . ioss
why Ben did not reveal his treasure.
But one morning shs missed the
familiar sounds Of hi. fire-bundinx.
usually his first work on Weakening.
Tho very fact Of their absence
startled her wtdc-sw~ks. while other.
wise she would have perhaps slept
iats into the morning. Ben he'd
seemingly Vanished into the heavy
timber aoroas the ssAae
Presently abe hard him mustsr.
ins and grunting ~ be moved sumo
heavy oh5sct 70 The door Of the
cave Boytshiy. he could not walt
for the usszal late hsour whsn shs
waksn<d Re made . wholly IN
nsocs~Axy amount of noise - h
bum The fra Than he thrust his
lean head into the cavern opening.
I hops I hayeat wAkod you upT
hs sid.
The girf smiled secretly. wanted
TO wake up. snyway--todAy.-
Il Wish you'd get up and coma and
look At somsthins ugly I've 70, juss
outside the door,
she hurried into hsr oussr gar
nentA and In q moment appeared
II was ugly. certainly. thu object that
he had fashioned with such ursles-
toll; not fitted si all for . stylish
city homes jet ths girl. for one short
instant. stopped breathing. II was
q hammock. suspended on q stou,
frame. 20 tsts tho place of her tree
bought bed on tho cave floor. He had
used the grizzly skin. hanging n with
unbreakahle rinsw. and fashioninx n
in such a manner that folds of tho
hide could be turned over her on cold
nights. For moment she gRxsd. very
earnestly. into the rugged. homeiy.
rnw-boned face Of her companion.
Beatrice Was deeply and inexpfica-
bly, sobcr~d. pet curious happiness
took swfft possession Of her heart
Reading the Rratituds In her eyes
Ben's lips broke into a radiant smile.
Il guess you've forgotten what day
~ is.- he said.
"of courss. hardly know tho
month
Tive noticed each Gay. you know
And maybe you've forgotten--on the
dde out from Snowy Cuich--we
talked OF birthdays. Today r. yours
sha stared NJ him In genuine
ACCOMPLISHMENT. CHE had not dreamed
tina. this little confidence. given in
careless moment ~ long weeks he-
fore. had fingered IN the mans rnrrn-
Org. Che had supposed that tho fury
and savngcry Of his war with her
father and the iatter's followers had
effaced all such things as this
And n was true that had this birth
day come few weeks before, on the
river Journey and previous 70 their
occupation Of the cave. Ben would
have let n pass unnoticed. The srnoi-
derinR fire IN his brain would have
scared 20 ashes any guch kindly
thought es this. But when mo Wild
hunter leaves his ieafy LAIR and goe-
20 dwell. man rather than a beast.
in permanent abode, he has thought
for other subjects than his tribal
wars and the bIood-lust OF his hates
The hearth. and the care and friend
ship Of the girl had tanned Ben 20
this degree. nj least.
But wonders were not dons The
look IN the girls eyes ruddeniy melt
ed, ms the warm sun melfs ice, Some
Of the frozen bitterness of his spirit.
TITS your birthday---and hope you
have many Of EN-" he went on. mo
more like this--but all Of 'em happy
AS you deserve"
He walked townrd hor. and her eyes
could not leave hin He bent soberly.
and brushed her Hips with his own.