The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-15
CHAPTER XIII-Continued


sapphires as Alan reached them.
She danced around the fire, her
wavy golden hair tossing about her
head, while her father reached a
big hand to grasp Alan's in fierce
grip.
"All aboard for the caribou, Alan,
my boy!" roared the giant. Now
shed those worries of yours! Wen
soon have meat and skins for
clothes, old kill-joyl"
Even the dogs grew excited at
the feverish activity at the camp.
Everything left behind was cached
safely out Of reach of wolverines.
Then the impatient Napayo and
Noel started with rifles and light
packs, while John and Alan waited
for the aid of the moonlight to make
their way with the canoe and the
heavy packs up the trail through the
spruce and around the gorge. On
up the river in the morning went
the canoe, while Heather walked the
shore with the dogs for company.
In the middle of the afternoon the
signs of caribou hair along the wa
ter line increased. The deer were
passing in greater numbers, but
how far upstream? That night the
tired polers made camp late in the
twilight but there were no signs of
the two Indians ahead of them. At
sunrise, Heather and Alan went
back from the river to sweep the
barrens with the glasses.
Rolling away before them reached
the white moss hills studded with
boulders. Alan handed the binocu-
lars to Feather who focused them
on the distant tundra while he held
her rifle. AS she stood like a statue
slowly searching the skyline, his
eyes feasted on the tumbled gold of
her hair. in its wayward luxuri-
ance, then followed the nape of her
strong, round neck to the collar of
her patched shirt and the skin coat
worn over it. Tall and strong and
straight she was in her tattered
clothes, as she swept the tundra
with the glasses, all unconscious of
the silent tribute in the gray eyes
of the man beside her. He wanted
to touch her-touch the gold that
curled at the nape of her neck;
wanted to take her in his arms,
there on the barren. and kiss the
dimples in her brown cheeks.
AS she turned and handed him
the glasses, her violet eyes, deep
ened in hue by contrast with her
tanned face, caught the warmth of
his gaze, and she looked away as
she said. Il see no deer"
IF you knew how you looked,
standing there" he began, but she
interrupted, hoarsely:
why do you say this to me,
when you carry her picture? Oh,
don't think I'm not sorry for you
leaving her as you did with your
heart sad"
He reached swiftly and placed his
hand over her mouth. I'm not
sad, Heather!" he cried. I'm glad
glad that I'm here with you-you!
Do you hear that! Do you under
stand? It's you. Heather! Only you
who count"
why do you still carry her pic
ture?"
1T went into the fire, long ago.
It's you. Heather! You I've been car
rying in my heart!" He impulsively
reached to take her in his arms,
but she stepped away from him.
She shivered as if suddenly cold.
ITS only because I'm here, with
you, Alan. You're lonely-you only
think you've forgotten her. If we
live-get out of this terrible coun-
try, you'd be sorry. if l believed
what you say now. No, it's because
you're lonely. You'd only be sor-
ry!"
He smiled as his gray eyes met
hers. You mean everything to me!
Everything! Getting out with the
gold means little to me, now! It's
bringing you out. safely, that
counts"
Without answering, she started
back over the caribou path toward
the river. Her moccasined feet
seemed uncertain to the man who
followed.
Hour after hour, the two men
slaved at the poles. pushing the ca
noe up against the hard running wa
ter. Heather was somewhere be-
hind with the dogs when they
turned a bend where the river
broadened into long reach of quiet
water and Alan shouted, Look
ahead there! We've struck them,
John! We've got our meat and
clothes, now"
Above them, splashing the water
in all directions, four caribou
plunged into the stream and started
to cross. Antlered heads, backs,
white rumpS and tails out of water,
the frightened deer drove across the
current as if propelled by engines.
Seizing his rifle, Alan dropped to a
knee, while McCord steadied the
boat with his pole, and fired as the
deer reached the shadows. Again,
as they left the water in a wild pam
IL he fred and fUO h1ckS uavered