The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1934-01-06

over Ralph and the wolf-foot and the
plot of black lilies. Far away, so far
it seemed mere pinpoint of sound
in the night silence, crescendoj
wailing arose, and was taken up and
answered from a dozen mountain
peaks. SKIS
In the last two hours, since reallz-
ing that Ralph was not to be with
them, Curt had made up his mind
to go back north and try to capture
Karakhan. Tenn-Og could take
them to that headwater lake. II
Smash had kept his rendezvous,
they would have plane and could
make the trip in less than three
hours. M
With any luck at all, he would not
only end his long hunt then and
there, but he could shield Sonya and
bring her out In spite of her associa-
ton with Karakhan he felt it his
duty, as a man, to look after her
safety. She was white girl, she had
shot square with him and helped
him and Paul out of a desperate
plight.
Besides, he was vaguely beginning
to suspect that there was something
to her relations with the Russian
which he knew nothing about. Her
letter to the man and her talk with
LeNoir stood as mountainous facts
against her, but still he was
troubled. His bad mistake about
Tenn-Og, of whose treachery he had
been so sure, made him wonder
whether he might not be partly mis-
taken about Sonya too.
THE time verged on midnight.
L Red Antares, glttering in the
southwest. hung low over the dis.
tant peaklne. Through the trees he
watched it sink and vanish. When
he glanced again at Ralph he was
surprised to see that the latter's
eyes were open.
He took Ralph's hand. to let him
know that a friend was with him.
Ralph looked around. evidently look
ing for Sonya. The delirium had
passed, he seemed to be in no pain
whatever; but he was not altogether
clear-headed, and his consciousness
was the last faint fiare-up.
He gazed up at Curt for moment.
His Inns parted. Curt bent lower.
where are-we, Curt?"
Down river, Ralph. Back at the
Iskitimwah."
"You thought-could get me
out?"
Curt nodded, not trusting his
voice. SIC
where's Sonya, Curt? I'd like
her-a little talk"
Curt started to say that Sonya
was on her way to Karakhan, but
he checked himself. No need to re-
call that painful fact to Ralphs
wandering mind.
shes sleeping, Ralph. I'll wake
her before long. She asked me to-
Then she didn't try--to reach
him, Curt?' Ralph asked, struggling
weakly against the fog in his brain.
Curt could see him cropping to recall
the happenings of that dim time be-
fore he was stricken. Il thought
she did co." H f4-
mo, she gave that over, Ralph"
I'm glad. She'd have been left
alone in Herewith those Indians
tried to tell her so-but she be-
lieved she could get out-somehow
-afterward."
Curt thought that Ralph's mind
must be wandering badly. What did
he mean by "left alone in there?
She would be with Karakhan,
wouldn't she? And what did Ralph
mean by shed get out, somehow.
afterward"? After what?
you'll watch out for her now.
Curt?" Ralph begged. "She likes you
more than she-lets herself think.
You'll take care of her, won't your"
Curt promised. He felt himself on
the verge of something portentous,
a discovery of the whole truth about
Sonya's trip. Very plainly she had
told Ralph.
Before he could word the ques-
tions in his mind, Ralph's lips were
moving again.
"She wanted to-trust you, Curt.
Wanted to tell you. and ask your
help. But she felt she-didn't dare.
She wasn't sure-just who you
were: and she was afraid you'd
judge her harshly. Afraid you'd
send her back outfit you knew
That would have been-a terrible
blow to her. She couldn't rest,
couldn't live-till she'd hunted him
down."
Ralph sank back, limp and quiet.
A tremor passed through him. For a
moment Curt thought it was the
end. But then came faint rally.
The incoherent words he had just
listened to bewildered Curt. Ralph
VISA distinctly implying that when
Sonya reached the headwaters lake
she would be exposed to some great
danger.
| copyright. 1888. Wiliam B. Mopery)
Curt cufs n Iohcfick Monday