Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1932-08-04

iAuSc steduliy anu swiftly IKE u mhn
With a definite objective who did moi
care to be spied on. In twenty min
utes he came to the disintegrafing
ruin OF a cabin. The walls had disap-
peared long ago. save for two or three
rofting logs. but a small rectangle OF
slightly raised ground indicated how
they had extended.
Here he made his breakfast from
what was ready cooked in his pack.
dispensing with the fire, which would
inevitably tell Brodie of his presence
Kings first interest was centered on
the ground under foot. He went back
and forth and about the ruin Of the
cabin several times seeking any sign
that would tell him If Brodie and Andy
Parker had been here before him.. But
there were no tracks i'm the softer soil.
no trodden down grass. 1t was very
likely that no foot had come here since
Kings own last October. A look OF
satisfaction shone for an instant In
his eyes.
He made sure that he had left no
sign of his visit here, not so much as
a fallen crust Of bread, caught up his
pack and found the familiar way down
the cliffs. striking off toward the high
er mountains and the high pass through
which he would travel tonight.
To have followed the pace which
King set that day would have broken
the heart OF any but a seasoned
mounfaineer. At six o'clock he made
a fire In a bleak windy pass. surround
ed by a glimmering ghostiy waste. He
rested by his fire with his canvas
drawn up about his shoulders. smoked
his pipe. remade his pack. and went on.
BY the time he got down to the
timber line the moon was up. He left
the country Of Five Lakes well to his
left. heading tenaciousiy toward the
tiny lakelet which. so far as he knew
had been nameiess until his old friend
Ben Gaynor had built a summer home
there two years z and had christeneh
he pond among the trees. Lake
Gloria Though he had never so much
as set his eyes on either Gloria or her
mother. King had his own opinion of
both OF them. Nor did be in the least
realize that that opinion was based
rather less on actual knowledge than
nodded by his own peculiar form OF
Jealousy. that jealousy which one
time-tried friend feels when the other
allows love Of women to occupy q
higher place than friendship.
And at nine o'clock next morning he
stood or the bench OF d tfmbered slope
whence he got his first glimpse OF Lake
Gloria and Of the rambling log house
which Ben Gaynor had been prevailed
on TO build here in the wild. a dozen
miles from the Lake Tahoe road
An hour later he came TO the grove
OF sugar pines back Of the house. He
saw a number of persons coming out
of the house. a dozen or more. pouring
out brightly. as gay as butterflies. men
and women He wanted to see Gay
nor. not a lot of Gaynorss San Fran
cisco guests No, not Gayner's. rather
the friends of Gaynor's womenfolk.
IL was Kings hope that they were GO
ing down toward the lake: thus he
would avoid meeting them
He stood very still where he was.
unseen as he leaned against a light
and b adow- dappIed pine. A girl broke
away from the knot of summer-clad
figures. ran a few steps down the
path toward the lake. poised gracefully.
executed a STACY little pose with head
back and arms outfiung as though In
an ecstacy OF delight that the world
was SO fair. Then. as in sheer youth.
she yielded her young body up to an
exfrayaganf dance. whirling away as
light as t~histle-down across the
meadow. The guests went trooping
gaiIy after her King seized his chance
and went swiftly toward the house
Ben Gaynor had seen him through a
window and met him at the door. Their
hands met In the way OF old friend
ship. gripping hard.
My wife has been saying for years
that you're q myth" said Gaynor. the
CLEAN in his eyes as youthful as ii had
ever been: that you are no more
flesh and blood than the unicorn or the
dodo bird. To-day I'll show her"
In the meantime we can talk said
King. 1--WE got something to tell You.
Rem"
Gaynor led the way through d room
where were piano and ~victrola and
from the floor of which the rugs were
still rolled through a dining room and
into what was Mt once a small library
and Gaynor's study. A chair pulled
forward. a box Of cigars offered. and
the two friends took stock In each
Others eyes of what the last year had
lone for each
"You look more fit than ever, Mark
and younger ].
King wanted TO say the same thing
of his friend but the words did no
Come They had been friends together
since King could remember. since Ber
had big-brothered him, carried hin
!; on his back, taught him to swim anf
shoot. Then one cal while King wa
off at school his friend took unto him