The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-01-25

Of the Provincial Commissioner
that's an awfully high position for
me to live up to, Curt. don't know
whether can make good at It or
not"
"But think Of what I'll have to live
up to, sweet. Look"-he took her
hand and laid it upon his own, her
slender tapering fingers upon his
rough calloused ones.
DON'T" Sonya stopped him. She
raised his hand to her lips. This
hand fought for me. and was
wounded. Do you remember
were passing Curtis tent-"remem.
Der the evening when came by here
and Paul said Bon soir' to met
didn't know you were in the tent or
even that you existed. Six weeks ago
1T doesn't seem possible, Curt"
A thousand yards from the post
they sat down on . lichen-covered
rock near the wave edge. Sonya mes
tied against him. her tired head
against his shoulder.
She was motionless and silent 80
long that he believed she must have
dropped OF to sleep. but when be
glanced down he saw that she was
looking up at him. studying him.
you're sorry, aren't you, Curt?"
'Sorry-for what. DEAR"
'That we're not going to live in .
country like this. That we're going
back to tho cities"
II am, q little" he admitted. n
can't help being. dear. But my place
is down there. You helped me see
that. And besides, we'll have all this
summer for our honeymoon in the
Lilluars. I'm being honest with you,
Sonya-I don't want to 60 back
down north. This work I'm taking
on Is responsible position, and Pm
egoist enough to believe that even
tually I'll climb on past It."
CHE twined her fingers with his. as
- though she had been worrying
about his happiness and now was
treasured by his words.
In the distance he could see the
ruddy glow Of old Johns campfire
and the twinkle Of figures passing
back and forth In front Of 1t. A night
wind rustling In the woods behind
brought him the purl Of an overfalls
and the sad elemental song Of the
pines.
Low in the southwestern sky red
Antares. Sonya's tryst star and the
star he had watched at Ralph's
death, was sinking ont Of sight in =
notch between two mountains.
When he glanced down at Sonya
again, long minutes later, he saw
that her eyes were closed. He did not
stir, or wake her: It was COO pre-.
cious to have her asleep In his arms.
She seemed so different at heart
from what she had been on their
trip north-more cheerful and at
peace. With the death Of Karakhan
= black load had fallen away from
her. She could begin to forget that
tragedy in distant foggy vladivos-
tok, and start to live again.
He marveled at the strange des-
tiny which had brought her to him
from the Volga Of old Russia. across
Siberia, China. Canada, to this north.
ern wilderness where he and she
had met. He thought Of the night
when he had seen her looking out
into the rain. lonely and moody. with
that fearful trip ahead Of her.
Far away across the lake q wolf
lifted its wailing crescendo. its voice
laden with the loneliness and saw.
agery and beauty Of the Northland.
He would miss all that, Curt thought
sorrowfully-the Arctic prairies. tho
Nahanni Mountains. the happy free
dom which had been his for year
and which he would put behind him
irrevocably that fall.
Il seemed to him that when he
had sent his plane crashing into
Karakhan's ship, It had been like
folding up his wings and bidding
goodbye to adventure. From the
very beginning Of the Karakhan
hunt Intangible bonds had been
tightening upon him little by little.
drawing him back to his destined
course Of life.
But he did not feel that ho was
leaving the wilderness for good and
al. They could come hack to It. he
and Sonya, and live for I while II II.
There would b times when they
would need to come back-to keep
their perspective and got ! new hold
on their strength. What II he did
regret the musk-ox prairies and the
white.wolf hills? One could not have
everything.
| He felt. - he smoothed 4 wisp OF
hai1 from Sonya's cheek, that he had
received his full share. and more.
He had health and courage, ana 1
position that challenged all his
powers. and the vista Of still more
challenging heights toward which
he and sonya could climb together
/ fcopyrioht. william, ,, Koysryl