The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-01-08
Chapter 81
soNYA's PLEA

"uELL get damned bad disap.
= = pointment!" Curt was think.
ing grimly. "When that avalanche
piles down we're going to be else.
where!"
The moment Sonya went he In.
tended to start FRANCOIS and Jocku
back south and send Ralph along
with them. BY travelling at night
and holing up during the day the
three would get out to Russian Lake
easily enough. That would tree him.
self and Paul. Taking nothing but
rifles and light canoe. they would
slip away from the island and be
miles gone when LeNoir and his out.
At came calling. Up the Lilluar
they would watch for Sonya to pass.
then fall in behind her party and let
her lead them to Karakhan.
Through the open flap-front Of
Sonya's tent he could see her NOV.
ing about in the dim interior. max.
ing Aady. he believed, to leave
them that night. He tried not to
watch her. but his eyes kept stray.
ing back. He could steel himself
against her, he could scorn her. but
Indifference lay beyond his power.
She had meant too much to him.
In the tent Sonya was putting to-
gether q few personal articles for
her trip. fully expecting LeNoir to
come and take her away that mid.
night. Her unshakable purpose kept
her steady. and after that long red
trail from vetemsk to Urga the dan.
gers of this trip were not formidable
enough to stop her: but the dark.
ness settling down. tho daunting
journey ahead and the terrible IN.
certainty at the end Of It filled her
with dread.
CLANCING through the nap. she
~ saw Curt lay aside his rifle and
start filling cartridge clips. evident
" getting ready for whatever might
come. The safety Of the party after
she left worried her only . little:
she had an implicit faith that Curt
and Paul could take care Of them.
selves against q dozen like LeNoir
and the sub-chief. They would get
back to safety and get Ralph back.
She longed to step outside and
talk with Curt. . few last words:
but she was afraid to. afraid he
would cut her cold a. he had been
doing for the last four days. She
was utterly bewildered b. his atti-
tude. his icy exaggerated politeness.
his sudden and complete change to-
ward her. Something had happened,
that night Of his return.
She could not tathom the cause Of
his change. It couldn't. be that he
knew anything about her render
vous with LeNoir: she herself had
seen him leaning against the rocks
asleep. and Paul had been In his
tent both before and after she went
And It couldn't be that Ralph had
told him about her trip. Ralph pro-
tested earnestly that he had never
dropped ! hint nor had Curt CUES
toned him.
Whatever the reason. she felt that
she had lost her best friend on earth.
the one person whom she might
have depended on to help her.
When her light pack WAS made up,
she buckied II. laid II aside and
stepped over to the tent door. Curt
was almost done with the clips. In
. minute or two he'd 80 up and Join
Paul. and she wouldn't get 70 see
him again alone.
For Z few moments she wavered,
torn between her pride and the
promptings Of her heart L might
be that she had said or done some.
thing which had offended him and
which she could smooth out When
she thought Of his pleading Cant
hope you do care-a little bit, sweet.
heart" It seemed impossible that he
could care nothing q Ill now. MAy.
be she had been too Spartan with
herself and with him on those two
evenings.
She put her pride IN her poke,
and went out to him.
Cant I help you with those car
tridges1" she pronered . m excuse
to linger and talk.
VERY kind Of you," Curt refused
coldly. "but II you haven't done thi,
before you might load 'em back
wards"
Sonya wondered what he meant
By that. His words carried some
barbed meaning. just % 10 hat