The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-01-09
Chapter IS
DEPARTURE

DEPARTURES
CURT stood mp and gave Sonya
~ his hand to rise. As his glance
met hers he saw tears In her eyes,
saw her lips trembling. "All right,
Curt" she said quietly. with q hu-
mility that shamed him. She
glanced down at the ground. started
to say something more, checked her.
self and turned away to her tent
He thrust the clips into his pocket
and walked up to the little stone fort
which he and Paul had rolled to-
gether. Paul was carefully inspect
ing It and plugging chinks so that
no arrows could silt through. They
did not count on having to use the
defense; but their situation was
delicate, LeNoir was a crafty fellow,
and 1t was wise to guard against the
unforeseen.
At the upper tip OF the island
Ralph was sitting at the water edge
occasionally drawing In q fish on the
hand-line he was holding. He looked
lonely and disconsolate. Curt won.
dered whether Sonya had really told
him the truth about her trip. Ralph
was an unselfish soul. but to bring
the girl he loved into that country
and help her join another man
seemed q bit too self-effacing even
for him. Probably she had spun
him some lie.
AS he brought Paul an extra rock
he was startled by the low quavering
call Of an owl six hundred yards out
upon the lake. He dropped the
rock. stood listening. LeNoir? It
couldn't be; the red star was
nearly two hours high. But then
the call came again. no nearer but
louder: and he distinctly caught the
falsetto quality of it.
"Hell! It is LeNoir. Paul! He's
come early for her."
Paul nodded. Eyes, its he. Siam.
Klale and he must want to get the
whole business over with tonight! I"
They crouched down behind the
rocks and waited. Curtis eyes were
upon the tent, where Sonya would
come out He had not imagined that
her going would be an ordeal, he had
even thought he would take q saw.
age pleasure In being free Of her
for good: but now when she actually
was leaving, It seemed impossible
to let her 60.
When she stepped outside the tent
and looked around cautiously to see
where Paul and he were. he rose up.
overwhelmed by the impulse to 70
down there and keep her from leav.
Ing. Paul checked him. took q part
OF the burden Of decision upon him.
self.
Don't, partner! You'd be sorry.
Let her leave. She'll be IN no dan.
ger. Remember, we are following
her and can see that she gets safely
out"
Sonya hurried on down the island.
In the owl dusk her slender form
grew fainter and fainter till Curt
no longer saw her. A canoe grated
on the pea.gravel a. she tugged at
the craft to get II ahoat. A dark blur
moved away from shore Curt GOV.
cred his face with his hands to shut
out the sight Of It. When he looked
up again. the blur was gone.
DAUL touched his arm, moments
: afterward.
Wed better be somewhere else
In an hour from now. This island
Is going to have visitors"
Curt pulled himself together.
sYes. we'd better 90" he said Jerk.
lily. We'll take what We need Of
our outdt and get away to one Of
these other islands, and then split
mp"
FRANCOIS and Jocku haven't come
back"
Curt turned toward the carbon
island. barely visible IN the deem
dusk. It Just then occurred 70 him
that 'hs had not heard the guides
shoot Their silence was strange:
they had been gone long enough to
make two such trips.
He hurried to the lower end.
launched the remaining canoe and
darted down lake. A few rods OF.
shore he called IN 4 guarded voice:
"Jocku! You and Frsncois ret out
Of there. Come alive! W. haven't
any time to waste
No answer came back. His voice
sent the little band OF caribou tear.
Ing through the swamp birch to the
other side Of the island, but neither
TrancoiSenor Jocku answered.
The explanation dawned On him
with : crash. He remembered. too
late. that the guides had sat OF BY
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