Evening star., 1935-09-08
The Woman on Deer River
Continued from page nine
Continued from page nine

around her head, at the smooth brows
like dusky wings above her eyes.
Blue eyes they were, deep and
beautiful, smiling into his own. The
red mouth below them was sweet to
tempt man.
But somehow he could not stoop
and kiss it, as he had kissed a many.
There was something about this
woman that was different. a grace,
dignity. courage. which set her aside.
He wanted rather to take her hand,
to say how he admired her, but he
only looked at her while the smoke in
his fingers died and the loon still
laughed in the sedges.
They talked late that night, and
when they rose at parting Conwell
held out his hand. She laid hers in it
instantly. as if some power beyond
her own had drawn it there, curled
her long fingers around his.
Tomorrow | shall be leaving" he
said, land l had rather say goodbye
tonight"
"Oh, but I'll see you in the morning!
You'll not go without another break
fast?"
mo - but that will be daylight.
Tonight - here in the soft dark -
is the time for friends to part. feel
that we are friends. Do you?"
Ma'amselle caught a light breath
across her lips, an odd little catch as if
something had hurt her suddenly.
YES" she said, half whispering.
Then may stop ON my down trip,
- providing L am alone? l would
not like you to see - to see "a
prisoner, if I have one"
Yes" she said again, a strange
flood Of laughter shaking her. 1t
sounded like the looms, hollow and
mocking.
Don't laugh, Ma'amselle," he
said, 1T is no laughing matter to
track woman down, no matter what
she's done"
I'm not," she said on note that
sounded like sob, 'I'm not laughing
at - that - poor woman. I'm laugh
ing. think. at life itself which plays
such scrubby tricks! Good night -
Conwell of the Mounted. III see you
in the morning"
The sun was high above the forest
when the man brought his tall horse
to the posts door. He stood bare
headed and smiled at Sandra on the
step, and Dorien and LeFaver
watched respectfully from one side.
One of the latter's dark skinned tots
was laboring across the clearing with
bunch of woods flowers in its pudgy
hands, its shy face eager. Watching
Ma amselle, its small feet stumbled. it
fell sprawling, its precious posies
flying, the bottle that had contained
them rolling to the strangers feet. He
stopped to pick it up, but something
was upon him like an avalanche -
the woman, reaching frantic fingers
for the container in his hand.
Give me that" she cried, painting
suddenly Give it to me-"
Instinctively, being an officer of the
law and used to strange developments,
he held it away from her, looking at it.
1t was SO innocent thing. merely an
empty bottle which the baby had
found to put its pretties in. But in
that one sharp glance everything in
the post had changed - the place.
the atmosphere, the woman herself.
Even the golden sunlight changed -
to Conwell of the Mounted. With
awakened knowledge and astonish-
ment those gimlet eyes of his went
over her from head to foot. The color
had drained from her face - leaving it
paper white. The dilated eyes were
black as polished onyx, brilliant,
sparkling. The brows above them
matched them now. Only the hair -
the short gold curls, blowing entranc-