The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-11-13

N~heAAA iAsheieas AAsss AAA AhAAA A-esN
man mumhlcd as no sWaycd with
her Ia his arms. Got al tho old
charm and more Game. toor' lie
laughed foolhhly. then IN drunken
gravity asserted: well. I'm the
man. the stronger vessel To turn
hate into love. that"
You've taken your price, You've
had your hour" she told him. Her
head Was thrown hack. her eyos
were closed. her teeth were cirnched
as II IN a final struggle Tor self.
restraint
Courteous pressed hla lips 60 hers
then In sudden frenzy no crushed
her closer and fell 90 kissing her
cheeks. her neck. her throat, lie
mistook her shudder OF abhorrenee
for a thrill responsive Of his passion,
and hiecoughed:
You're mine again, all mine. aud
I'm mad about you, I'm aflarhe.
This is like the night OF our mar
ri0ge. whatr'
Are you satisfied. now that you've
made me suffer- DO you still mag
inc care FOR that foolish boyG'
"Phlllipsg BAH A noisy swine"
Again the Count ehuckied. but this
timo his merrlment ran away with
him until he shook ana until tears
came into his eyes.
without reason Bllda Joined In his
laughter. Together they stood rock
ing. giggling. snickering. as n az
some cScruc'ating jest
"He-he tried 90 steal YOU from
me. From me. Imagine III Then
he struck me. Well. where IS he
now. ehg'
II never dreamed that YOU cared
enough FOR me to-do what you did.
To risk 40 much"
"Rlskg"
How did you manage the affair
that fellows ruiue II frighteus me
TO realize that you can accomplish
such things
Tho Count pushed his wife away.
what are you talking aboutg" he
demanded.
In spite or his deep intoxieation
the man stitl retained tho ombers OF
suspicion and when she spoke OF
Pierce Phillips they began TO glow
and threatened 20 burst into flame.
Cunningly. persistontly she played
upon him. however.
She won az last She dragged the
story from him. bit by bit. playing
upon his vanity. until he gabblcd
/ boastfglly and took a great de-
| light in repeating the details. II was
a tale distorted and confused. but tho
truth was there. She made an e.
cusc 10 leave him. finally, and re.
manned out Of the room for a long
time. When she returned 4 was 10
/ find him sprRwled across the bed
and fast asleep
/ For n moment she held tizzily 10
/ the bedpost and stared down at him.
/ Her mask had slipped now. her face
was distorted with loathinE. and so
/ deep were her feelings that shc
could not bear TO touch him. even
20 cover him over Leaving him
spread .saEled rs he was. she stag.
gered out Of his unclean presence.
linda was dcathly sick. objects
were gyratlng before her eyes; sho
felt a hidoous nightmare sensation
OF unreallty. and was fii,ed with an
intense contempt. a tragic disgust
for herself. Pausing AZ the foot o.
the stairs. she B;rove 20 gather her
SELF together. then slowely. passion
ateIy. she cursed the name OF Pierce
Phillips,
CHAPTER NNNI
Tom Linton and Jerry Quirk to,lcd
slowly up the trail toward their
cabin. Both men were bundled
thickly in clothing. both be-whisk-
cred Yisagcs bore groteaque breath
masks OF ice. even their eyebrows
we're hoary with frost. The partners
we're very tired.
Pausing in the chip.lIttcred space
before their door they gazsd down
the trail to n mound Of gravel which
stood out raw and red against the
universal wilderness. This mound
was in the form Of truncated cone
and on It's level top was n windlass
and a pole bucket track. From be
meath the windlass issued cloud
of smoke which mounted 10 pillows.
as " breathed forth from con-
ceaIed 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.
ners: after watching II for a mo-
ment. Tom took n buck-sqw and fell
stlffly 10 work upon n dry spruce
log which lay on the saw.buck: Jerry
spat on his mittens and began to
split tho blocks as they fell.
Darkness was close at hand, but
both men were so tagged that they
, found IL impossible to hurry. Neither
: did they speak. Patiently, silently
they sawed and chopped. then car
ried the wood into the chilly cabin
while one lit the lamp and went for
n sack OF ice. the other kindled n
fire. These tasks accomplished. by
mutual consent. but still without ex
changing a word, they approached
tho table. From the window sill Tom
: took coin and balanced II upon his
thumb and forefinger; then. in an
I swer to his bleak. inquiring glance
| Jerry nodded and he snapped the
| piece into the air. While II wa,
| still spinning Jerry barked, sharply
| "TailsF'
| Both gray heads bent and near
| siRhtedly examined the coin