Evening star., 1934-01-04
CHAPTER XIX.
THE KISS.

been noticing 1t ever since the
~ old of11cer arrived six hours
"what Is it, A-K?" he asked.
Marlin turned to him with a reso-
Lutte air. Il might as well get 1t over
with, suppose. She. mean Rosalie.
told me to break you the news: I
should have, before now. but it's a
dismal duty"
In q flash Curt guessed the trouble.
Resale had landed q more suitable
candidate than himself! He wondered
sardonically whether the gentleman
was the Edmonton banker or the Seattle
'I believe I know what you're going
to tell me, AK" For Martins sake he
hid his sheer delight over the unex-
pected good news. "Rosalie came to
the conclusion that she and I just
weren't suited for each other, and SO
She"
you're being generous" Marlin in
terrupted, more sharply than he had
ever spoken of Rosalie. 1.-The conclu-
sion she came to was that she wanted
to marry money; and she went after IT.
and-well, she got it, got a whole
steamship line!" He made a weary
gesture and stood up. We'll, you know
now. don't think it's altogether a
surprise to you. Nor" he added point.
edly. "ysry much of a disappointment" /"
mo, 1t isn't" Curt admitted honest
". "I was intending to have a frank
talk with her when was in the city
q month ago, but she wasn't there. Ro-
salie and I can be lot better friends
as things stand than If we'd have mar
ried."
"Yes, you're right. She's got one
idea of what life's all about and you've
got a different idea. and the two
would've been oil and water"
When they went out to old Johns
camp the company had already
gathered. On the packing box Sonya
sat talking with Mrs. Hodkins and Paul
and a girl. The Indians and prospectors
brought his two wolf cubs, still fuzzy
and playful, but now grown too big for
his pocket.
One person Of that former evening
was missing, though; and Curt felt the
loss keenly AS his glance occasionally
met Sonya's across the fire, he knew
| that she, too, was thinking OF Ralph
Nichols and lonely lobstick up the
Lilluar.
Like some wild creature brought in
| from the mountains, Tenn-Og hung
back at the edge of the fireglow, trying
| to understand all those strange tongues
and strange people Of the outerWorld
After an exile Of 120 years. Klosohee
had returned at last to the ancestral
home of his tribe.
Curt felt a proprietary, interest ir
that proud little band which hao
fought him so fiercely. They were hi:
clan. and he wanted to give them a
helping hand and some desperately
needed counsel. Even in that isolated
country they could no longer hold oui
against a changing world. Now thai
the primitive Siam-Klale was dead anc
Tenn-Og's half-brother was leading
them, he believed he could wean then
from their unsocial ways.
Curt noticed how tired Sorya was
too tired to talk or even listen to th'
others. The long trip out Of me Lilluars
ended only yesterday, had been hard OF
her; he himself still felt logy from 1t.
Little before midnight she looked
across at him with an understanding
glance, excused herself and went up to-
ward the factors house.
| After a decent interval he got up anc
left, as inconspicuously as possible. II
the moon shadows of the trading pos
he found her, waiting for him.
You were so long, dear" she whls
| pered, Il thought you weren't coming
/ Curt disarmed her with kiss. :"
had to wait several minutes. and thel
I swung out around the Indian tepee
so those folks wouldn't know I'd fol
lowed you"
He linked his arm through hers ant
they started out the path toward tn
old fort.
ventures, Curt?"
when I told him how you traile'
Karakhan, he wanted to sign you u
for the Mounted"
"Oh, that'd be fun! I think II
do it."
You will not! You're going to cas-
your lot with the provincial police"
She unused: Commissioner, wife o
the provincial commissioner-that's al
awfully high position for me 70 live u
to. Curt. I don't know whether cal
make good at 1t or not"
But think Of what I'll have to liv
up to, sweet. Look"-he took her hant
and laid it upon his own, her slende
tapering fingers upon his rough, cal
loused ones.
DON'T" sonya stopped him sh
raised his hand to her lips. 'FThi
hand fought for me and was wounded
Do you remember were passin
Curtis tent" remember the evenin
when came by here and Paul sal
Bon soir' to me? I didn't know yo
were in the tent or even that you ex
isted. Six weeks ago-it doesn't seer
!. possible, Curt"
A thousand yards from the post the
sat down on a lichen-covered rock nea
the wave edge. Sonya nestled agains
him.. her tired head against hi
shoulder.
She was motionleSs and silent S
long that he believed she must hay
dropped of to sleep, but when h
glanced down he saw that she wa
looking up at him, studying him.
You're sorry, aren't you, Curt
"Sorry-for what, dear?"