Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1926-07-29
CHAPTER Xxx

PAINFULLY across the clearing at WALL
ing River. At the tail Of the sled fol-
lowed two men, whose haggard eyes
and frost>cracked faces bore the scars
of the barrage Of the January biz
yards.
1--WE have worried much, Michel and
l." said the factor, as Steele and David
thawed out before the trade-house
stove. "You struck terrible weather.
Did your rations hold outf"
eyes, by cutting them In two" re-
piled Steele with a grimace.
well give you your fill as soon as
1t can be cooked. And your mission
it was successful7" hazarded the curl
GUS st. Onge, ignorant Of the purpose
of the six-hundred-mile midwinter
journey.
TT was" and Steele handed the fac
tor the oil-skin envelope. "Read that 7"
st. Onge read the release in open
mouthed amazement
'cMan, mani How did you get 1T"
he gasped.
Steele described his meeting at AL
bany with Lascelles.
Unchecked tears slowly gathered in
the eyes Of the overjoyed old man.
my boy" he said brokenly. ut would
be the proudest day Of my life. You
still care for her, don't your" he de-
manded anxiously.
"You know I care for her." Steele
oopf1r Hhp< xr,o~$ $o
bany for her-not for myself. You
must promise me that she hears moth
ing of this until I have left. She
would think she had to pay-feel hon
or bound. know her, monsieur. You
must not tell her"
But II she cares7 feel, In her
heart, that she does," protested St.
Onge.
'She must be a free agent" insist
ed Steele. II go south as soon as the
dogs are rested. I shall talk to her
first"
"Tm sorry, but as you wish it, I
shall not tell her."
That night, after what, to the hun
CRY Steele, was sumptuous meal,
consisting largely of caribou, st. Onge
left his guest and daughter alone.
During the meal the girl had fur
lively noted the frostbitten fingers of
the American, the drawn cheeks, black
ened and cracked by the wind Of the
Albany trail, the strained look In the
gray eyes. Steele had warmed to the
sincerity of her welcome, the evident
pleasure in her greeting. Exhausted
as he was, the days before his depar-
ture were too few to waste one eve
ming by seeking rest, 80 he watched
her with hungry eyes as they talked,
wondering whether her heart had
changed. But she gave no sign, and
he was too proud to ask.
On the evening before he left with
David for Nepigon, he again sat alone
with the woman for whose welfare he
had given the best that was in him
for whom he had toiled and planned,
faced the sting Of the norther and the
pinch Of the soaring cold; the woman
he loved too deeply to make himself
the recipient of her gratitude.
"You have never told me, monsieur,
why you took that terrible journey to
Albany" she said, after silence In
which her black brows were drawn to-
gether In evident abstraction
The mans eyes softened as they
fingered on the clean lines Of her pro-
file, the masses Of her dusky hair, for
she had asked the question with avert
ed face az If fearing his answer.
IT went to. Albany" he said, ITO
test my Judgment Of human nature"
"And you found-T'
II found-that was a mind reader,
he answered with smile.
us It a very great secret7" she
asked with wistful look In the dark
eyes that searched his.
"No, you will hear-tomorrow."
But, tomorrow-you go?'
Eyes"
"And I am not to know until you
have gone? SO that is itr'
''You will observation-disclosures y
he put her OF with.
For long interval she sat gazing
at the rug at her feet, then leaned to-
ward him, her face tense with feeling.
what must you think Of mer' she
demanded. 'You have planned and
worked for us, my father and me-
given-given-gfven! And we we
have sat with folded hands while you
toiled-and won. Oh, I want you to
know how fine you have been through
1t all-want you to sense my gratitude
before you CO."
She had risen and was pacing the
foor-restraint gone.
81 have been selfish-inhospitable,"
she stumbled on, her eyes avoiding his,
''but want you to know that there
Is nothing nothing which ! will not