The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-12-26
Chapter 29 SONYA'S WELCOME

THE next morning Curt and | Smash started north once more in the plane.
 On that long trip up across the attitudes, Baldwin's suggestion in the car the night before haunted him like a nightmare. He fought against it but stray thoughts kept getting past his guard
 There was Sonya's passionate de- termination to go into the Lilluars. Her secrecy. Her mention, once, of a weekend trip to Juneau. LeNoir's order that she must not be harmed. The woman's description of the tall Russian who'd been so frequent a caller at the Volkov home.
 In the hush of twilight they sailed over a spearhead range and saw the Iskitimwah lake nesting in it's mountain cradle. They cut off ignition, made a long fourteen-mile glide, and drifted down upon the water.
 Curtis canoe was there near the cabin, where he had left it. He noated the craft, shook hands with Smash. gave him final instructions, and set out down the Iskitimwah.
 It was a little before midnight when he threaded the river delta and pointed his canoe out across the lake toward camp. After three days of freedom from ambushes and ramhorn bows. he was op- pressed by the feeling of danger closing around him again With Siam-Klale's main band whipping south and LeNoir probably suspect. ing who Paul and he really were, something drastic was bound to happen, and quickly too.
 The island loomed up. ahead, dark, and silent Everything seemed peaceful there. Presently he dis tinguished the outlines of the two tents. Thank God. nothing had gone very wrong while he'd been away,
 From the upper tip of the island a hawk-owps chuck challenged him, so sharp and peremptory that he had to smile. Trust Paul to spot any canoe approaching that island.
 He answered back, landed at the lower end, beached his canoe and hurried up to camp. Beside the boulder fort" Franeois and Jocku were rolled up in their cider pokes, sleeping soundly while Paul stood guard. On a spruce mattress under his tent fly Ralph was tossing rest lessly in a dream. The Indian, Tenn Og, was not around.
 Beyond the tents Sonya was sit ting on canoe near the water edge. looking out toward the willow island.
 She sprang up from the canoe and whirled around.
 "Oh-oo. Curt. It's you, I wasn't expecting-Curt, where have you been all these days? Why did you leave us that night?"
 "Tve been prospecting a creek that old John told me about" he lied. Everything went all right here. didn't it?"
 "Yes. but you were gone so long and Paul wouldn't tell me thing, and I-I worried about you" IN THE ghostly light her face was A white and ethereal as she con. fronted him, and her bosom still was heaying from the start he'd given her. She appeared so afraid and alone that all the stern things he meant to tell her dropped away. as once before in the canoe at Rus sian Lake.
 "I worried about you too, dear Are you glad I'm back?"
 "Awfully glad! Paul is depend able. but he's-he's not you"
 Her fingers frightened upon his as though asking him not to go away again. Impulsively Curt swept her into his arms.
 "Sonya"-his hand caressed her hair, he was fiittingly conscious of that small automatic beneath her blouse as he held her close to him you seemed so glad-when you saw me. ... Cant hope you do care "a little bit, sweetheart?"
 Sonya did not look up or answer his question. For few moments she lay in his arms. not resisting. with the velvety softness of her cheek against his own.
 "Sonya. listen." he urged. not knowing how to interpret her pas siveness, 'I know it's wrong to force myself on you when you feel under obligations, but l can't go on not knowing"
 She stopped him. Don't say that, dear; you'd never take advantage ,,f obligations" But even as she said