The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-02-12
A NOVEL RENDEZVOUS
Cb,alpter 22

self on the ground and putting his head over the brink of the well he sniffed like tracking hound.
 He caught a faint scent of some thing that was not earth or brush and certainly not rotting hides And it was rotting cattle hides which he expected to smell.
 Resting a moment, he tried again. This time he caught the scent strongly enough to recognize it. Quicklimel
 Rock sat up, suddenly sweating, though he felt cold chill. He felt no doubt that down this well, hum dreds, perhaps thousands, of cattle hides had been dropped-not one of which bore the Preston brand. The knowledge staggered him. Suspicion, after all, was not fact. And logic told him that until he had actually seen hidden hides, with other brands than Preston's, he had no actual proof Yet he would have staked his life that his suspicious were correct. He would bidc his time, and at favorable opportunity he would come down here with a hook of some kind, and plenty of rope, and he would fish one of those hides out of the well.
 Rock crawled on hands and knees back along the edge of the path. making certain not to leave. the slightest mark. He found another piece of quickline, and several smaller pieces. No doubt they had spilled out of sack. When he got to the boot tracks he scrutinized them with the photographing eyss of a trailer of long experience. He cut twigs from the under side of a bush, and with minute care meas ured the length and breadth of the most clearly defined print. These twigs he stored in his pocket.
 He retraced his steps back to the open, and saddling the horse the boys had brought up before they left. he mounted and rode quickly away to get out of the stench. aeMore than one kind of a stink there, I reckon" he rnuttered.
 The daily phenomenon that gave this Pass it's name was in full and glorious sweep when Rock reached his cabin. Weary and worried as he was, he had to sit down and watch the beautiful end of day.
 Rock shaved and changed his clothes, thinking of everything he could to keep away the tantalizing and heart-depressing thought of the interview with Thiry, so soon to come. Yet behind every vague and swift idea that he called up how cred the shadow of this girl and the unfortunate circumstances in which she must be involved, and the fate that had lured him into her life.
 He had made sure, this evening, to be on hand before the first sup per bell. All the younger members of the family, except Tsliry, came at the call The children romped from one side and the boys raced from the other. Alice, who had rung the bell and called, gayly, Come and get it." took her seat beside Rock.
 Were livelier when Ash and Pa are away said, smiling.
 50 I notice. Sure hope they stay away long," he replied, remarking how singularly she spoke of Ash before her father. Rock kept rowing eyes on the quest for Thiry. But he was looking the wrong way, when her voice, almost at his elbow, gave him a pang that was both pain and joy in one. She and Mrs. Preston were bringing in the sup per
 Mrs. Preston was the last to take seat at the table, and she occu- pied her husbands place. Thily, as before, sat opposite Rock. and when he could summon courage to look straight at her he suffered another twingle at the enhanced sadness Of her face.
 Nevertheless, Rock had such hold on himself that he amused and in- terested Mrs. Preston, brought smiles to Alice's face and shouts of glee from the children. But as soon as he had finished supper he ex- cused himself and seeking the gloom of the pines, gave himself up to turbulent anticipations.
 The moon appeared long in. ris- ing, and ROCK. patfolling q beat under the trees, both longingly and fearfully watched for the silver radiance over the rim It came at last and found him unprepared. How could he bear to terrorize Thiry Preston by confessing ais determination to stay?
 At length he could no longer pro- crastinate. Skirting the edge of the pines. he circled the slope: and coming to a stream he followed tlBat up to level, and soon found the great pine under which be had talked with Thiry the night before The far side of the Pass was b1anched in moonlight; this sidt was dark in shadow. Rock was un-