Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-02-19
mo. I had forgotten n .

lightly. He could not tell what II was.
Tor they were In pool of darkness.
But whatever 1t might have been, a
railing leaf. twIg. even shadow Itself
! 1t filled him with a strange exalta-
tion. Ont of the wreck of a world
obliterated in a scourge of horror he
had soul beside his own to fight for
Twice in the next hour Odd halted
and gave grow which warned of
/ danger In the air Ieems strained his
eyes TO see and his ears to hear-and
once more. when they stopped to
listen. he felt the gentle touch against
bis shoulder.
They struck a deer run and fol-
ldwed it into plain between two lines
OF nils where devastating fire had
passed some years before. Here they
travelled through a Young growth of
hnshes and Trees reaching scarcely
| above tlrir heads. with the light Of the
Stars falling on them. 1t stirred a
soft radiance In Tninette's smooth
haf and illnmined .Ieems face until
| the wounds made by her hands were
plainly revealed. They climbed the
northernmost hill after time. and at
the top Of 1t stopped again to rest.
.Ieems. like Odd. stood tense and
listening. searching the slnmhrous dis.
| tances of the wilderness which Law
| abont them. He caught all movement
and all sound. the direction OF the
wind. the shifting play of the shadows.
the almost noseess f1ntter of an owls
| wings over their heads.
And then he knew what had touched
| his shoulder In the darkness-Toi-
| nette's cheek pressing against II for a
moment as lightly as feather.
He felt her trembling. When she
looked at him. her eyes rested on the
brand of the musket barrel which lay
IN red stripe across his forehead.
The stars seemed bigger and clearer
when at Inst they came to the half
In Lussan's clearing. II was the road
down which Jeems Ind watched Ton
tenr and Paul Tache and proud little
| princess ride to the sale years before.
| Now the princess walked unsteadily
at his side. She was white and fragile
In the starlight, and her strength was
gone Her dress was torn by brush
and brlars, and the thin soles OF her
cHnaG a f,ny bar
She struggled braveIy as they entered
| the clearing, with tile ruin OF Tile
house ahead Of them. Both were SO
tired In soul and body that their
journey as relief from longer sup.
porting the burdens of the flesh In
way. it was like coming to Il home
which they had forgotten. For this
cries Of hope and triumph and bitter
ness ont Of which 1t built welcome
for them even In its loneliness
Toinetie's lips almost smiled. as il
she saw Madame I.nssan at the
threshold Of tbe door calling to her
above tile Iailghng voices OF men and
women. above her fathers CHEEKY
greetings 10 friends and -neighhors.
above the restless stamping OF her
horses boots and the crying OF the
auctioleer. She might hive seen and
heard these things but yesterday. now
there WAS sleep--a dark and lifpless
ghost Of Il house. crickets rasping their
wings in the tangled grass. jungle
growing where before there had been
broad and level green.
Both were children now. seeing the
ghosts as only children could see them,
wide-eyed and little afraid at first.
and yet comforted by the nearness OF
that yesterday In their lives. The stars
and the crickets and the rnstling
grass and the wind In the trees
seemed to listen and move to the eau
tious tread Of their feet. rabbit
ran ahead OF them. An owl flew of
the roof Of the house A bat dipped In
spirals and curves before their eyes.
and thorns caught playfnlly at their
shoes and clothes. And they felt safe
A warmth crept through their blood.
and with II relaxation OF nerves and
eyes and brain. Here was sanctuary.
Rest. Peace. They sensed these
things without speaking MS they sp-
preached the building The door was
open. Starlight splashed like the
golden glow OF candles on the floor.
They entered and stood silent az II
listening anYIously for the voices OF
sleeping ones whom their entrance
might arouse. Emptiness was here,
a spectral vacancy} but with It were
neither death nor fear
They were little apart. and
Toinette looked like a broken flower
ready to fall.
"Walt for me here" said Jeerns. II
am going for an urmfnl Of grass"
He made bed In corner OF the
room, and Toinette sank npon 1t. He
covered her with his fathers coat
which he had brought from the valley
and went outside to watch and guard
with Odd.
He could hear her sobbing as tears
came az last to give her comfort. He
fought back tliickening in his throat
and hot flame In his eyes as the boy