The Snowflake herald., 1923-02-02

ten. The world they had known be-
fOre-a world of sorrow and pleas
ures, of mountains and woods and
homeS-faded out and left no reali-
ties except each others presence.
All about them were the snow fur
ries that their eyes could not pene-
trate, and it was as if they were two
lone contestants on an otherwise un-
inhabited sphere who had come to
grips at last. The falling snow gave
the whole picture q curious tone of
unreality and dimness.
Bruce Strengthened, and his face
was Of iron. "Well, Simon" he said
you've come"
The mans eyes burned red through
the snow. "Of course | would. Did
you think you could escape me?"
at didn't much matter whether l
rather quietly. Neither one of us
10 aninu tn nenonn tho storm and the
cold. | suppose you know that"
II know that one of us is. Be
cause one of US is going out-a more
direct Way-first. Which one that is
doesn't much matter" His great
hands clasped. Bruce, when
have done more. l could have sprung
a few feet farther and had you arounl
the waist-taken by surprise. The
fight would have been already over.
I think l could have done more thar
that, even-with my own rifle as you
came up. It's laying there, just beside
the horse"
But Bruce didn't turn his eyes to
look at 1t. He was waiting for the
attack.
Il could have snatched your life just
as well, but wanted to wait" Simon
went on. II wanted to say few
words first, and wanted to master you
mot by surprise-but by superior
strength alone"
1t came into Bruce's mind he could
tell Simon of the wound near his shOul-
der, how because Of it no fight between
them would be fair test of superb
his lips. He could not ask mercy Of
this man, either directly or indirectly,
any more than the pines asked mercy
Of the SHOWS that covered them.
"YOu were right when you said
there Is no escaping from this storm"
Simon went on. "But it doesn't much
matter. It's the end of a long war;
hot 80 ,(0Ao lo
neither here nor there. 1t seems all
the more fitting that we should meet
just as we have-at the very brink Of
death-and Death should be waiting
at the end for the one of us who sur
wives. It's so like this id, terrible
wilderness in which we live"
Bruce gaZed in amazement. The
dark and dreadful poetry of this mans
nature was coming to the fore The
wind made strange echo to his
words-a long, wild shrek as 1t swept
over the heads Of the pines.
"Then why are you waiting?' Bruce
asked.
so you can understand everything
But / guess that time Is here. There
Is to be no mercy at the end of this
fight, Bruce; l ask none and will give
none. You have waged war against
me, you have escaped me many times,
you have won the love of the woman
love-and this Is to be my answer"
His voice dropped a note, and he
spoke more quietly. SIN going to kill
you, Bruce"
Then try It" Bruce answered stead
lily. Tn In hurry to go back to
Linda"
Simon's smoldering wrath blazed up
at the words Both men seemed to
spring at the same time Their arms
failed, then interlocked; and they
rocked long tlme-back and forth
In the snow
For the first time Bruce had full
realization of Simon's mighty strength
With all the power of his body he
tried to wrench him off his feet, but
it was like trying to tear a tree from
the ground