The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-12-07
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upon him, however. She enticed.
she coquetted, she cajoled; she mad
dened him with her advances; she
teased him with her repulses; she
drueged him with her smiles, her
fragrant charms Time and again
he was upon the point of surrender.
but caught himself in time.
She won at last. She dragged the
story from him, bit by bit, playing
upon his vanity, until he gabbled
boastfully and took crapulent de-
light in repeating the details. 1t was
q tale distorted and confused, but the
truth was there. She made an ex-
cuse to leave him, finally, and re-
manned out of the room for long
time. When she returned it was to
find him sprawled across her bed
and fast asleep.
For a moment she held dizzily to
the bedpost and stared down at him.
Her mask had slipped now, her face
was distorted with loathing, aud SO
deep were her feelings that she
could not bear to touch him, even
to cover him over. Leaving him
spread-eagled as he was, she stag
gered out Of his unclean presence.
Hilda was deathly sick; objects
were gyrating before her eyes; she
felt hideous nightmare sensation
of unreality, and was filled with an
intense contempt, a tragic disgust
for herself. Pausing at the foot OF
the stairs. she strove to gather her.
self together; then slowly, passion
atelv she cursed the name of Pierce
Phillips.
CHAPTER XXVI
Tom Linton and Jerry Quirk
toiled slowly up the trail toward
their cabin. Both men were bun
died thickly in clothing, both be-
whiskered visages bore grotesque
brea,h-masks OF ice; even their eye
brcws were hoary with frost. The
partners were very tired.
Pausing in the chip-littered space
before their door, they gazed down
the trail to q mound OF gravel which
stood out raw and red against the
universal wh;teness. This mound
was i'll the form OF a truncated conc
and on its level top was windlass
and poe bucket track. From be-
meath the windlass issued a cloud
OF smoke which mounted in pillows,
as if breathed forth from 4 con-
cealed chimney smoke from the
smothered drift fires laid against the
frozen face of pay dirt forty feet
below the surface. Evidently this
fire was burning to suit the part
uers; after watching it for a mo-
ment, Tom took buck-saw and
fell stiffly to work upon a dry
spruce log which lay on the saw
buck: Jerry spat on his mittens and
began to split the blocks as they
fell.
Darkness was close at hand, but
both men were SO tagged that
they found it impossible to hurry.
Neither did they speak. Patiently,
silently they sawed and chopped.
then carried the wood into the chilly
cabin; while one lit the lamp and
went for a sack of ice, the. other
kindled fire. These tasks accom-
plished. by mutual consent, but still
without exchanging a word. they
approached the table. From. the
window-si!l Tom took a coin and
balanced it upon his thumb and
forehnger; then, in answer to his
bleak, inquiring glance, Jerry nod
ded and he snapped the piece into
1.-The air While II was still
|; Jerry barked,. sharply:
"Tails!'
! Both gray heads bent and near
sightedly examined the coin.
Tails she is" Tom announced
He replaced the silver piece, crossed
the room to his bunk, seated him
self upon it, and remained there
while Jerry, with a sudden acces!
of cheerfulness, hustled to the stove
warmed himself, and then begar
culinary preparations.
/ These preparations were simple
but precise; also they were deliber
ate. Jerry cut one slice of ham, h.
Emeasured out just enough coffee 70,
kone person, he opened one can Of
corn, and he mixed half-pan. Of
biscuits. Tom watched him from
beneath frown, meanwhile Juggling
Emoodily at the icicles which still
Eclung to his lips. His corner of thu
cabin was cold, hence it was a pain.
full process. When he had dispose t
Of the last lump and when lie could
no longer restrain his irritation, hl
.broke out:
"Of course you had to make bread
didn't did, You. you? Just because you know
1T come tails, didn't it," Jerr,
Inquired, with aggravating pleasant.
mess. 1T amt my fault you're
starving, and you got all night to
cook what you want-after I'm
j done. I. don't care if you bake Z
Player cake and freeze ice-cream
EYou can put your front feet in thu
trough and champ your swill; yor
can root and waller in it, for all 81
me- I won't hurry you, not in tn.
least"
] TITS come tails every time lately,
grumb1ed the former speaker.
Il Jerry giggled. II always wa.
right lucky, except, in pickin' pard'
ners," he declared. In cracked ant
taneless voice he began humming Z
roundelay, evidently intended to ex,
Epress Eaiety and contentment. +
81 Unable longer to withstand hi.
gnawing hunger, Tom secured fol
himself large round bareback, and
Ewith this he tried to ward of thu
\ pangs of starvation. But he haG
small success with the endeavor, fol
his teeth were poor. He flung tn
I thing Of adamant aside, finally, and
cried, testify:
my Godi Amt II bad enough u
eat phonogfaph record withou,
having to listen to the damn ma
chine? Shut up. will you? YQu'vl
got the indecentest singing voice q
lever heard"