The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-01-09
FORBIDDEN VALLEY


/ she unused: commissioner. wife
OF the Provincial Commissioner
that's an awfulIy high position for
Pme to live up to. Curt. don't know
whether can make good at 1t or
not"
"Bct think Of what I'll have to live
up to, sweet. Look"-he took her
hand and laid IL upen his own. her
slender taperfng fingers upon his
rough caIioused ones.
-Don,t" Sonya stopped him. She
raised his hand to her lips. this
hand fought for me. and was
wounded. Do you remember" they
were passing Curtis tent-'renem.
Der the evening when came By here
and Paul said Bon soir' to me? Z
didn't know you were In the tent or
even that ron 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 so
long that he believed she must have
dropped OF to sleep but when he
glanced down he, saw that she was
looking up ct him. studying. him.
"Y0n'rs sorry aren't you, Curt?"
"SoFTy-foF what. dearT'
THAT we're not going to live in .
country like thiss That we're going
back TO the cities"
II an. . little" he admitted. 81
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
LilIuars. I'm being honest with you.
Sonya--I don't want TO go back
down north. This. work I'm taking
on Is q responsible position. and I'm
egoist enough to believe that even.
tually I'm climb on past #"
CHE tWined her fingers with his, as
- though she had been worrying
about bis happiness and now was
treasured by his words.
In the distance he could see the
rudy glow OF old Johns campfire
and the twinkle Of figures passing
back and forth IN front Of Il. A night
wind rustIing IN the woods behind
brought him the purT Of an overfalls
and the sad elemental song Of the
pines.
Low in the southwestern sky red
Autares. Sonyg's tryst star ana the
star he had watched at RaIph,s
DEATH Was sinking cut Of sight IN D
notch between two mountains.
When he glanced down at Sonya
again. long minutes later. he saw
that her eyes we're closed. He did NOT
stir. or wake her: It was TOO pre-
eious 10 have her asleep IN his arms.
She seemed so different at heart
from what she had been on their
trip noEth-rlore cheerful and at
peace. With the death or Karakhan
black load had fallen away from
Der. She could begin to forget that
tragedy in distant foggy vladivos-
tok. aud start to live again.
He marvelsd &C the strange des-
tiny which had brought hsr 20 him.
from the voIga 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 tie rain. lonely and moody. with
that fearful trip ahead Of her.
Far away across the lake q volt
lifted Its wailing cTescendn. It's voice
laden with the loneliness and saw.
assFy and beauty Of the Northland.
Sc wouId miss al that Curt thought
soFrowfnIIy--tha Arctic prairies. the
Nahanni Mountains. the happy free
dom which had been his for q. year
and which he would put behind him
irrevocably that fall.
e seemed 20 him that when he
had sent hla plane crashing into
Karakhanss ship. it had been IKE
folding up his wings and hldding
to adventure. From the
very beginning of the Karakhan
hunt intangible bonds had bsan
tightening upon him IEafle 81 nttia,
drawing him back to his destined
course of life.
But he id not feel That Ne was
leaving the wilderness FOR GOOD and
all They could come back 70 Il. he
and Sonya and live Cor . while Ia e.
There would be times when Their
would need to come back-to keep
their perspective and ret q new hold
On their strength. what II he ala
regret the mnsk-ox prairies and the
whits.wolf hilisf One could not have
everything.
He falt e. he smoothed . wiap of
hair IRON Sonya's cheek. that he had
received hiB fun share. and more.
BE had health and courage. ana .
positioa that challenged al his
powers and The vista cf still more
challenging heights toward which
be and Sonya ecnld climb together.
fcosyrssAs. WRisan 3. MeweryI