The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-10-02

At the thought, lie saw IT;na
again, standing in that wine-colored
robe, facing him with level eyes,
and the light touching her hair. He
heard again the quiet voice, "I'm
not frightened" Tomorrow -.
Colin was asleep.
He woke to the crackle Of famea
in the stove and the sound of water
simmering. Alec had gone. Through
the window Colin saw smoke rising
from the other cabin, and bright
sunlight streamed down across the
lake. In its warmth the snow was
melting from every treetop, and the
smell of moist earth came to his
nostrils, bearing the promise of In
dian summer - those golden days
when the northern world basks
briefly in the warmth and sunlight
of belated autumn before the icy
hand of winter closes.
About the edge Of the little clear
ing the berries of saskatoon had
already turned purple, and beyond
the lake shore stretched the old,
familiar sky line: the one gnarled
pine that rose above the others, the
yellow spearheads Of aspen, breath
takingly brilliant in autumn color
ing.
With a great sense Of well-being,
Colin dressed and hurried across
the clearing. Blair had already fin.
ished breakfast and was drawing
on her mittens when he entered.
"Alec and l are going on ahead"
she told him. "It's just possible
they may radio Learmonth that l
left yesterday, and Father will
start worrying"
Better stop by the post and tell
Rodney that Miss Meredith is here"
Colin advised. "We1l be right after
you"
At the table Trina sat almost con-
cealed behind a huge tin cup of
coffee while Colin helped himself
generously to hammock and smoked
fish. He looked at her untouched
plate.
Better take something substan-
tial," he warned. There's q six
mile hike ahead"
"I'm not very hungry" she an
swered and lit a cigarette.
A half hour later they we're on
the trail and, in spite Of the suns
warmth, the wind from the north
whipped the blood to their cheeks
as they bent to face it along the
lake shore.
At the first turn q frantic bark
ing burst upon them, and Colin saw
Alec's dogs, chained to pine sap
lings, gaunt and still snarling over
the remnants Of food Alec had
thrown them.
Keeping back within the partial
shelter Of the trees, they walked
for nearly an hour along the windy
trail, and at last emerged upon the
granite-ribbed banks of Play Lake.
Ducks and innumerable geese dotted
the waters surface, and the thin
ice crust rose and fell, moving be-
fore the wind, filling the air with
a faint tinkle as of broken glass.
To the north Colin saw the out
1 iiitc VI bIuuhcH iSiduu anu, IdILneE
away, Forestry Island, with its fire
tower looming high against the sky.
But now his eyes fixed with new
interest on the group Of buildings
that lay directly across the lake
the Indian school, headquarters Of
Jonathan Dove.
Three large buildings, a barn, a
dock, and fence surrounding them.
Set well apart from the others and
screened by thick growth of trees,
stood another building, q long, two
stored structure almost indistin-
guishable except that sun had
touched to fire the upper windows.
Something unobtrusive and dis
arming about those low, SQUAT
buildings in the sun-disarming az
Dove himself-and Colin wondered
IL within their walls might lie the
answer TO questions that had borne
him unwelcome company through
many q sleepless night.
Ito be continued)
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