The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-06-04

She could neither struggle nor cry out.
She felt the hot passion Of his lips on
her face. heard his voice-and then
came moments freedom, and air into
her strangled lungs. Pierrot was call
ing He had come to the fork in the
trail, and he was calling the Willows
name!
McTaggart's hot hand came over her
mouth.
"Don't answer" she heard him say.
Strength-anger-7h flared up
in her, and fiercely she struck the
hand down. Something in her won
derful eyes held McTaggart. They
blazed into his very soul.
"Bete noir!" she painted at him,
freeing herself from the last touch of
his hands. "Beast-black beast!"
Her voice trembled. and her face
famed. "See-I came to show you
my poland tell you what you want
ed to hear-and you-you-have
crushed me like beast-like a great
rock See! down there-lt is my
pool!"
She had not planned 1t like this.
laughing, in this moment. But Nc
Taggart had spoiled them-her care
fully made plans! And yet, as she
pointed, the Factor from Lac Balm
looked for an instant over the edge of
the chasm. And then she laughed as
she gave him sudden shove from be-
hind
"And that is my answer, M'sieu lie
Facteur from Lac Bain!' she cried
tauntingly as he plunged headlong
into the deep pool between the rock
walls.
From the edge Of the open Pierrot
saw what had happened, and he gave a
great gasp. He drew back among the
balSams. This was not Il moment for
him to show himself. While his heart
drummed like hammer, his face was
filed with joy.
On her hands and knees the Willow
was peering over the edge. Bush Nc
Taggart had disappeared. He had
gone down like the great clod he was !;
the water of her pool had closed over
him with dull splash that was like
a chuckle of triumph. He appeared
now, beating ont with his arms and
legs to keep himself afloat, while the
Willows voice came to him in haunting
cries.
"Bete noir! Bette noir! Beast !!
Beast"
She flung small sticks and tufts of
earth down at him fiercely; and Nc
Taggart. looking up as he gained his
equilibrium, saw her leaning so far
over that she seemed about to fall.
Her long braids hung down into the
chasm, cleaning In the sun; her eyes
were laughing while her lips tainted
him; he could see the flash of her
white teeth.
Beast! Beast!'
He began swimming, still looking up
at her. 1t was hundred yards down
the slow-going current to the beach of
shale where he could climb out, and a
half of that distance she followed him,
anu AlAAt6
ing down sticks and pebbles. He
noted that none of the sticks or stones
was large enough to hurt him. When
at last his feet touched bottom, she
was gone.
Swiftly Nepeese ran back over the
trail, and almost into Pierrot's arms.
She was painting and laughing when
for moment she stopped.
'I have given him the answer, Moot
awe! He is in the pool"
Into the balsams she disappeared
like bird. Pierrot made no effort to
stop her or to follow.
"Tonnerre de Dieu!" he chuckled-
and cut straight across for the other
trail.
Nepeese was out of breath when she
reached the cabin. Baree.. fastened to
a table-leg by babiche thong, heard
her pause for moment at the door.
Then she entered and came straight
to him. During the half-hour of her
absence Baree had scarcely moved.
That half-hour. and the few minutes
that had preceded it, had made ire
mendous impressions upon him. Ma
ture. heredity, and instinct were at
work. clashing and readjusting, i'm
pinging on him new intelligence
the beginning of new understanding.
A swift and savage impulse had made
him leap at Bush McTaggart when the
Factor put his hand on the Willows
head. 1t was not reason. 1t was the
dog-and woman.
And here again it was the woman.
She had called to the great hidden
passion that was in Baree and that
had come to him from Kazan. OF all
the living things in the world, he
knew that he must not hurt this crea-
ture that appeared to him through the
door. He trembled as she knelt be-
fore him again, and up through the
years came the wild and glorious
surge of Kazan's blood, overwhelming
the wolf, submerging the savagery Of
his birth-and with his head fiat on