Evening star., 1933-12-15
VALLEY
~ Wiiiaas Bqsox llows,u+

worried about you"
In the ghostly Light her face was
white and ethereal Is she confronted
him. and her bosom still was heaving
from the start he'd given her. She ap-
peared SO afraid and alone that all the
stern things he meant to tell her
dropped away, as once befoe. in the
canoe at Russian Lake.
II worried about you, too, dear. Are
you glad I'm back?''
"Awfully gladl Paul Is dependable,
but he's-he's not you"
Her fingers frightened upon his as
though asking him not to 70 away
again. Impulsively Curt swept her into
his arms.
"Sonya"-his hand caressed her hair.
he was fittingly conscious of that small
automatic beneath her blouse as he held
her close to him-"you seem 80 Glad
when you saw me-can't hope you do
care-a little bit, sweetheart?"
Sonya did not look up or answer his
question. For q few moments she lay
In his arms, not resisting, with the vel
vety softness Of her cheek against his
own.
"Sonya, listen," he urged not know
ing how to interpret her passiveness, IT
know it's wrong to force myself on you
when you feel under obligations, but I
can't 60 on not knowing"
She stopped him. Don't say that,
dear; you'd never take advantage of
obligations" But even as she said it.
she tried to draw her hand away, and
Curt felt her stiffen against him. Dear,
please" she insisted, as his arm tight
ened about her. II asked you not to
once"
He allowed her to free herself. When
she looked up and saw the bitter dis
appointment On his face, she kissed
his cheek, q brief, formal caress which
meant no more than her assurance
that she forgave his impulsiveness.
"Sonya, look here" he demanded, sis
there somebody else?"
She turned his question aside. curt.
I wish you didn't idealize me so much.
You have ever since we met. You
know so terribly little about the actual
me. Our codes are so different. Some
thing that consider right in my deep
est heart might seem to you an un-
thinkable wrong"
Are you meaning this trip Of yours?"
She debated q moment. YES"
you're making a mountain out OF
some molehill. The idea of you doing
an 'unthinkable wrong is ridiculous"
I'VE won't argue it, Curt. You Just
wouldn't approve, you'd violently dis
approve, Of my trip"
"But you told Ralph, and he evi-
IDENTIFY doesn't Oppose"
"Ralph's too gentle to oppose anybody.
This has to be matter Of my own
choice and conscience. Afterward, after
it's all over, I'll write you or let you
know somehow-I1l answer every ques-
ton you've ever asked me-"
ssvNII cav you'll u-rjfo y,,o-ruoy,x
you afterward? Can't I come to see
you?"
She laughed. bitterly. You may II
you want to. But you won't want to-"
Before he could stop her she turned
away from him and disappeared in the
darkness toward her tent.
Curt stared after her, torn by the
desire to follow and find out what she
meant. He thought It ominous that
she had not answered his question, as
1t somebody else?" She seemed to be
at war with her self, doing something
which violated a part Of her instincts,
yet driven to it by a passion she could
not resist.
In tortured mood he started up the
island to join his partner. That ugly
1igging through his brain again, and
for once he could not dght 1t away.
Paul came a little way to meet him.
ANY luck In Vancouver" he asked
in guarded voice.
Nothing that I hoped for"
You still don't know what she's do
ing in this country?"
Dyou mean you found out somet
thing?"
Paul changed the subject abruptly
Our Indian friend has decamped."
"Tenn-Og? wherp"
Last night. anew he was going,
but didn't try to stop him We don't
need q prisoner to guard; our party is
$50 he pitched OF! Well, you did the
tarily he'd only have been a bother. Did
he steal one Of our canoes?"
mo, he swan it. A little matter like
bullet through his shoulder bothered
him not at all"
"Hmmph!" If he ever gets the
chance. I suppose he'll show his graft.
tuoe to us by sticking us full of arrows
What else happened around here?"
Paul fdgeted and looked out across
the dark water. His reluctance and the
somber pain on his face struck a chin
into Curt
What's worrying you. Paul? It's
something about Sonya, isn't it?"
Il hate to be the one who brings
odious news"
why, Paul, what is ita"
Paul sidled into his story with slow
unwilling steps. y ' CAV"
Sonya was partly the cause of Tenn
Ogs going away. On the day after you
left she made friends with him. and I
knew she had some reason for doing
tnat. Last night when he left. she sent
message by him. I overheard. THG
were here by these sentry rocks. On
my sef-respect into my pocket, and
crept up close enough to listen"
Sne sent message by him?"
To that breed
lie Noir?" Curt gasped. ITO that
FELLOW! Why, Paul, you've-you'ye made
some mistake therei" 0
II heard what I heard" pau1 IN.
sisted. "She had trouble making Tenn,
Og understand and she repeated her in.
structlons SO many times that I caueht
every bit Of her message. She's meet.
ing Le Noir tonight. Over on the willow
island. That's why she's staying awake
down there"
Tomorrow, Curt sustains the hardest
blow Of his career.