The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-12-30
FORBIDDEN VALLEY

81 Wleins,s Buscm Mcwt

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In wishful fancy she tried to imag.
Inc him there with her, his rifle
between his knees. his lean hard
face between herself and danger;
but the memory Of his change and
his whitening coldhess drove the
fancy away. He had even ignored
her overture to him that last eve.
ming. Her cheeks burned at the
thought of her confession. and his
silent scorn Of It; and yet she knew
that it she came out OF this alive she
would write to him and ask him to
come to ssslter
A few yards down the portage
trail two Indians unexpectedly came
swinging around q bnckbrush thick.
ct. They were carrying a loaded
canoe, and behind them came others.
. large party. Eonya started to her
feet N surprise. The churning over.
falls had mufied the noise: she had
not known they were about Till they
suddenly appeared.
They were Kiosohees. Why. they
were the main bandi-there were
Siam.Klale and LeNoir! A sudden
fear surged through her. Ralph and
Cart and Paal-what had happened
TO them? This band had intended. to
stay down there and hem that little
Island IN all they had killed the
three men. Had they made another
attack. successful this time?
+ ENOlR'S glum face treasured
- her. AS she went up to camp with
the party, he told her the news. Mich.
OILS had been wounded, he said: the
other two had made a shelter for
him the next day and he had not
been seen walking about. Shortly
after dark that evening they bad es.
capped. In some unknown fashion.
They had whipped south: an uni.
Identified canoe had slipped through
that bottle neck and 1t must have
been theirs. They probably were get
ting out Of the country. hut on the
chance that they might swing north
again he was taking the main band
Aome to protect his chief.
Sonya guessed that Curt and Paul
were hurrying Ralph out to civilisa
tion where he could get medical at.
tention. She prayed he was not bad.
" hurt. She was glad OF their es.
cape. but In another way the news
plunged her into black detection.
Hitherto she could feel that Curt
was within two or three days swift
travel OF her and that she might pos.
sibly get back to him. She bad even
hoped that he might be coming
north on her trail. But now when he
was heading south. out OF the LII.
iuars. she felt completely and final.
~ abandoned.
At the camp LeNcir sent Tenn.
Og's nalf brother and two other Ia.
dams on ahead to take Karakhan
the nevs. The main party was to
travel on that night. too: but they
would have 70 pause for supper and
so more slowly and so could not
reach the lake tlll morning.
Sonya wondered why LeNoir In.
sisted on travelling that night. For
some reason he seemed In a great
hurry to deliver her to Karakhan.
He commanded hei gruffiy. as he
brought her some fish and dried
meat: Tonight. on res OF dis treep.
you stay close BY me. Dom step into
de dark: don get out my canoe:
keep hold my belt wen we walk
cross any portage. Understand"
Sonya promised to obey him. Dur.
Ing the hasty meal she was aware
bf SiameKlale ogling her with mar.
fowed eyes. as he had done at the
LlllHar forks: but now his stare was
so brazen that Il unnerved her.
AS the party was setting the boats
TO water. he trundied over to lie.
Noir and said something to aim and
ierked thumb In her direction. I'm.
nediately q violent quarrel sprang
up between them. and Sonya gath.
cred that slam.Klale was demand.
Ing she should 90 In his canoe.
LeNolr won the argument. and
she stepped into his canoe. She was
grateful to him In q way. but she
could read his secret thoughts and
they frightened her His proprietary
attitude was yelled now. because he
was afraid Of Karakhan: but what
about sthe time. only q few hours
ahead when Karakhan would lie
dead fl HIS cabln7 That incident at
Russian Lake showed her what she
could expect from 'Teeste LeNoir.
In that whole band she had but
one friend. Tenn-og's half brother.
Like Tenn-Og. he seemed less bound
than the others 10 the benighted
customs OF bis tribe: and he ap
peared to have . certain influence
with the ether men. For an Indian,
he had been good TO her on the trip
He might possibly take her across
the mountains By . secret trail and
hand her over to acme treaty band
who would get her back among
white people. But II was a slender
hope.