The evening world. Newspaper, March 17, 1915, Page 19

PY ee ee 2 ARE ‘By B CHAPTER VII. ‘ (Continued) HERE,” eaid the man, and Sophy saw she stood in the mouth ofa tiny cave, opposite, of all - places, the store- “You've been awfully kind. Won't “you syén tell me your name?” she 9" wyén'll hear it eoon enough !f Don- in..comes back,” with sudden grim- mee. “Here's your goki." And he ‘ould draw breath. « ‘OSFOr @ moment the girl stared at aecaveret that she could jain. She should not have into the dark cave before man who had taken it, and yet how @ story that l@-she ever mean. hig 1? Sophy untied Secbbe, handkerchief that held, the sold 1m) every ni on ie "ground. omesosy could find It, and like horses all and dead at night, ae s £ geste ani ae cabbage. only things the men groaned for. Hasard no iilusions sbout | things; the ich would come when the first flush of the gold was over, and there was—as there never wou! be—no sign of Ridgeway coming with Provisions. But it was no use to dis- count that now. ratched, in- stead, for the snow; with the aid of Sophy, and woful, green moosehides, worked at home-made snowshoes till his head ‘was nodding and fingers Diistered. They were not the snow- shoes of commerce, and Olsen, sesing them, turned gilently to work on of his own apt ‘was just where he was wrong. It came on them suddenly in the night, without warning, out of a sky that was clear with the moon at ; came silently, without wind; and changed the face of creation. Rider, issuing from the bunk-house at the first daylight, checked om the hresh the death-white BA 4t'any way they liked—but It ‘sae Dot going to be Bopuy Ridge- and CHAPTER VIII. E had hot been prepared for {ts being Hasard, though. When early in the morning he knocked at her door “ne with his pockets bulging rrcgke could only stare at him. borne By Jove,” he said rather ruefully, Cesayy got your gold! ‘Found it down o ‘Yanding behind @ rock.” ‘cals gisped Sophy; it wes _.the oniy thing that lent her a decent semblance of surprise. The strange mas must have been behind her all x d geen her drop it, known it for her. She was Mked such care or “Tr Pampiie. 6t those poor devils must ev shage thrown, it there, or else it was Ssittie ghost that took it.” Hasard had b noticed her lack of surprise, nor Of plepsure, apparently. ‘Mepby frowned. ‘There's no ghost,” -pY@he'said uncomfortably. “I wonder if {{itliote ‘poor men ever got anywhere.” jd knowing, unless they starve back. Anyhow, i and it's about the last ~ we needed to make things look wsepeqcetul. It's funny, but Lastluck et Seems a different since we got <oid. of that ever they t! wi aye Api dt did. Even Olsen's blood es" plecidly in him when day at- vy , and there was no sign ps its about except that centred in little mining camp. He was tim- ing the mine like a genius, doing ba: men's work by sheer knack. 4 had found tunnel! after tun- * converging to the main chamber ‘the queer place, and he worked like madmen after clearing out the gold as it was sate to dig. To his aurprise the person who od, t over the thing was y. She had sj the truth ‘Seuple ‘coming: to Lastivcky it ir le coming: to tlucks not of the unknown Donkin, so much as of the other man “knew too well. There it be ‘Atherton could do if he did the girl was eaten with } fo wet the gold out of ‘and safely hidden somewh, ashe would rather have died 2 ‘Hasard know why. ft was true that with finding had dared to be happy Huck, and she was quite honest raelf ae to the reason. Every in her body eang Hazard’s name abe knew it. If she also ‘he loved her she was proud of for. holding his ton, about it, as she always felt eafe with him bad neyer known safety in her never tell Hazard any- about mn, who had pre- to jo’ and then lied to fa the haunting thought of | the gold that was to make ywerless she almost forgot she Terding her tongue about the 3 if-man who had restored her gold. lot @uite; since it was clear to her he was feoponsible for the quiet Cytol fe least she had even again. el ‘Was. soon too tired to think fy * If Rider checked lasard’s improvised ow made the rails useless, as .. Don’t forget that Next Week’s Complete on,” Kelly jeered hind him, “it’s @ oe as took in the black and whiteness round him his face changed with bis sent- | ence. “It’s going to be a devil of a day,” he concluded curtly; and retir- ing, shut the bunk-house door. It certainly was. While the men were at breakfast the wind came up with @ roaring leap that shook the stout bunk-house, and bade fair to bring theill-built office round Hasard’s bushes ears. There would be no working till the wind fell and the snow gto} he told the men eo. Ins grumbled, but it was a cheering the ling, and Hazard laugh- healthy o. He had plenty to do in the office, but somehow he could not settle to it; the very turmoll outside him reatl jess. Toward the middle of the he slipped the ‘Senge ef his snow-shocs and, witha -laugh at hie own childish- ness, went out. It was « tough busi- ness even to shut the door bebind him, a tougher to fight against the wind ana snow that streamed down after t “has it come to you that the wi solid; assure himself basin would not be choked with snow too hard to tunnel into; @ thousand thi 4 really he just wanted to stand alone.in the hissing storm and realise that luck Lastluck Lake. It wae not so wind-ewept in the basin ae on the way there; and cunt gor were adequate. Hacard, at would go, were juat a leisure to realize all he had done, felt @ sharp pleasure in the thing he bed accomplished with his of men; an elation of good work; a hope, even, that he could wear through the winter, even § Ridgeway never came ck, And very height of it, use) » he turned raare oh bis own heel, and looked behind him with @ sudden sense of being watched. ‘There wae no one visible, but with the wind in his face the snow cut like Bven under the lee there was nothing to see in the white smother, unless it were above his head; nothing to hear but the hundred notes of the wind and snow, Yet he felt eome one looked at him. “Kelly,” he thought viciously. Yet supposing it were Kelly, nothing worse than or monkey curl- osity would have it him. Has- ard shut his mouth before he had opened it lio, enough to shout Kelly’s name. It was not Kelly; it was bniy—— He tried to ram a snow- ball together out of the candy, snow that would not stick, and sent id dering at something that moved on the basin side above his “Nothing but @ plain wolf,” he eald diagustedly He had seen the iron gray fur through the spruces, and he turned comfortably away. Half way up the opposite side of the basin he etopped, and this time sent a stick hurling in front of him. “The cheek of the brute,” fer “trying to cut me off in road day! onder if we're fons to have many of them—they'll be a D if we do.” Quite suddenly he was sure the beast was not watching him, but some and_a sick terror went _ For all he knew, Sophy clos® to him, never on bis track, bu! ahead and in cover. “By George! I believe he is bunt- mg something; he'd be clever enough to know the difference between a man and a woman, too,” he ¢! it, and as he gained the top of the Gage got § marpriee, thes neetty made him alip headlong down the cliff. morning his moccasined feet into ;,, ther is so bad, and I peels weat ir LJ |, ane aee a long time. ‘The sheds are all rlgnt?™ t as nails!” Hasard had a jon about seeing the wolf on the ided to swal- how; stein'’s wi omen out of it, and go home wit rophecies of stolen mvat probable starvation. “It’s a bad day.” nodded. “It will freese solid this, Mr. Haszard;” a froken bas no warm clothes?” Hasani forgot about the stray wolf. “No fAscled clothes! How @0 you meant’ . had come at last to 9, stockings has she to And all the rest. The girl je not clad; she 1s cold.” “How do you know?’ But he was furious with himself for not noticing phe ® common miner had seen easily. “Wolf do?’ said Hasard, with eud- den recollection. ‘The man did not look at him. “Not Wwolfekin; they smell,” be slowly. “And—eshe would not like it, Some- thing else.’ “By George! I believe I've an old fur coat. e can have that if she'll wear it. I was a fool not to think of it. How do you mean has no stockings?" Fags, foolish; keep wea! eal) as they rea: door. to you, Olsen.” The man gravely. Hasaré, hot with shame at his own carelessness, ransacked his trunk when what he called his dinner was eaten. There was a coat, rags and tattera of it still a coat he ruthlessly sacri- ficed on bi ta. bis meagre Armed with them he marched in at Sophy’s door, and had another shock at the way he had neglected ber for the sake of the min At his knock she had evidently rise he been ly’ tossed it on . he entered, but he had time to see how tired she looked before the blood came to her fi “Oh, Sophy: cried Hasard; her name was none of his business, bus 't its frightfully untidy here,” lightly. “What on earth are you car- rring™ “Things you should have had lon, ago,” he tried to get bold of himsel: but he was not doing { i hadn't the sense to think of even no’ “Not more than apy of ue—you o- pecially,” she y- aible, and unless she were careful 50, you out of this, somehow, before the snow came. My dear, I know the food's beastly”—he ever even knew what he had called her—“and I believe you're not even warm in here unless I come round to bully you. I've been a fool as well as @ brute to let you stay.” eaytier Soa Eau cals iy one cowl " gal iy quickly; somebody had to be sen- it was not going to be Hazard. “I'd be bad dead by now if you'd sent me away; besides, none of stayed if I hadn't.” truth in it than efther of them knew. “You couldn't have sent me out alone with the men.” “Well, I didn’t, an: matter-of-factness ha Bever mind hop heart-sick he was for her, ft was no time to make love to her, and that was what he had been on the verge of Solng, “he ordered; “That's rude!" “Not so rude as having let you sit in that office checking gold all day till you were worn out. I'll put Olsen at it to-morrow; we can’t do any more timbering, anyway.” “And what am Ifo do?” But she sat down thankfully; !t was sweet to be taken care of, sweeter to know he wanted to do it; she had had enough of loneliness that snowy day. “Oh, you can stay in and sow.” He was putting away the last of th dishes, and turned to hand her t! coon coat. “It needs mending, and it tan’t the newest style,” gravely, “but you'll have to wear it. The blanket’s for puttees; I'll cut it into trips.” “They're yours and both,” cried Sophy hotly. do wish Olsen bad held his tofgue; I wasn't cold! You ought to have that coat on this very day. No, I won't take it!” “I don’t need it. And don’t you be the old coat, anyway, and put it om when you go out. 0! and that reminds me! Don't go out how!" Her steadied him; uu need them his aione, anywhere, for the next few @aya.” Sophy turned the scarlet of re- membered guilt. “Why? The men are right. I was silly ever to be afraid of them.” “It isn't the men. I got a giimpse of a timberwolf this morning, and the brute had the cheek to dog me— or Olsen. Not that it mattered, but I wouldn't like'it for you.” “What?” cried Sophy, and it was curious that Hazard had ever thought she could be a coward. Of course it might have been a real wolf, but she wished she were sure! If it was that man in the wolfskins—she had trusted him when she was with him, but was not so sure about him now. He had looked crazy, and been crazy when he talked about a Donkin she had never heard of, and it would kill her—just kill her—if anything hap- to Hasard because she had Peon. RE been fool enough to hold her tongue about a crazy man. “Dogged you?” she said faintly. “Oh, they're not dangerous, I only know thought you might get a fright if ma Tur shoot ‘nim yor saw two.” For # moment he did not think she heard him. Suddenly she turned nar- rowed eyes full on his. “I don't want ‘him shot,” she said eharply. If it was the strange man ehe could not let Hazard shoot bim, nor, would she let him hound Hasard etter, A it him in a day or lease promise me jut the words her bloodless face. Hazard turned away to, which was to and eay foolish ngs care of her against all the wolves on earth without shooting one of them, the only thing was to go. “Well, I Rea ores morrow, anyway, je eal door. “I'll sen ir tunch you, and you've got to eat it.” But Sophy eat looking at the snow outside, without even a' word of thanks, It was an awful day to go anywhere, but she he had got to ge. Hasard only thought she was done up,'and hecould not wonder. He got together all he could find that she might eat and carried it over to her himeelf, When his third knock was not answered he walked in, with a foolish terror that she might be il was ever to tell @ "Feol that I woman not to do anything.” ace swore, staring at ied nail weer phy’s outdoor garments were won! to hang, clattered the food down on the stove and turned out after her into the swirling snow. Rider would be waiting at the storehouse for him, but Rider could wait. He would have no peace till he had corralled Sophy: CHAPTER IX. ‘LIKE, Hazard went off in the very wrong direction; Sophy was within two hun- dred yards of him as he turned up the river bed, fighting her way down to the store- house against the wind and snow. She might never have found the place if she had not long ago recon- Roitred its position; she stumbled in, tied the wolf-man’s red handkerchief to @ little epruce tree that grew just inside the entrance before she even cleared the snow from her eyes; and a she turned to go had all she could do not to cry out. ‘The wolf-man himself stood in the darkness of her elbow; not in his gro- th tesque and horrid wolf skins, but in- 4, Sinitely changed in an ordinary blan- ket coat. He took his pipe out of his mouth, smiled at her, and put it back again. “Well,” he said quietly, and as quietly offered her a box to sit on, Sophy took no notice of it, nor even thought of the incongruity of boxes in an uninhabited cave, She was startled and angry, When she had expected only to leave a signal, It did not please’ her to run on the man Dimself; it was too like being watohed for, and there Was too much secrecy about it. @ been dogging Mr. Haz- she said croesly, “and I don’ t B her oddly. Siow do 'you mean?” Sophy told him. she ended wearily, “and I ed e for. “You said you br: wouldn't hunt around and worry us," man’ bdeliev: i 3 Ly E i i gR-F22EF ESS ps i 4 L ‘3 3eh a H ii zi i E i Ee iy 3? ro i 8 4 4 3 2 a = g i 5ek.F i f { | E at. i] i i is this 5 i 5 &g rl ed, as if on} tion of @ stray wolf at‘Lastl Hey im. Por @ moment at and tl was worn to a privetien) there was no need Hig ayes were i f EER: rtf ‘Then at aeudden theught to him the welf-man whistled. so far as he knew, waa Hasard had to bis olali a enough gang of them should turn where would Sophy be? More things were done, in en un- organised country than ever camé out in the papers. med, he exelal: “you're a densible were a man! about thie claim, anyw: meen, the working—the practical end ol Sophy told him, and he grunted, here's no two waya, to your de- serving all you can get out of it,” he commented dry); don't know so much about your father; mor even “Bee here,” very nice, ry ‘ou wouldn't be here if think him one.” She saw teeth in the smile that, if it were a, was half-envious, “Now, listen, know he’s staked your claim, and’all that, but it’s a dea) easier in a new coun- try to find and stake {tls to hold them. What's he i sharply, “about recording the claim’ ‘Done? Why, nothii How oould But she paled. “Do you mean there's danger of any one jumping us at the recording office?’ “1 might,” he fenced coolly; {t was the first thing any one would dé who came to Lastluck, ulless he could somehow prevent them. “How do yay know I won't?” “I don't think you're the kind,” slowly. ides, if you'd wanted that gold you'd. bave had it long ag. ‘And they say women ‘have no logic.” Hé laughed af her openly. “Well, you may be right; bi can think’ that as well ap anything, I don't know why I’ve taken to Pid loved: you for her, sake,’ jem that was for himself. think. eitttte sous pt fe tight) ‘your : ve little soul, hel ties th <4 i. t i i Hi even no home, Hazard made it five hundred and seventy miles to civilization, and so it was, by the way he had come, The . wolf-man, doing aums in his head as he went to sleep that. Dut @ reund five hun ik, to Mac! i ET if ail than fm, righ! FI 4 h 4 a e i 3 } 5 i is ~; ct FI 3 8 & i | H iced and rt i Bi il | i a : Fi tt i Ee i rs E Hi it Ebel the southwest watershed was hie rt! fe i gas F Ei hE FFzE' gf ii os af i iid i i ; i i he a 4 = Hitt i ses t t. i 3 t Z B 3 z 3 g } 3 g ri a5 395 iy EE 34 Bigrriish E i ag ; % s Hi irs 32 ate i ft if itt ce rif B i; fy 72 E E Pitts a5 oF is Hi z 4 ‘1 t E i i He stood paralysed at the ip Reed ap He stood pareleed at the 7am re and hed iocked tenea a ret recoréing tively, out it was neither «eee: hed things, Set. electrified Rider. A mage. " hand, Ing @ red hb % ~* to shot out and lay on hers, and bead wae bowed on it till: wi a and he wanted no to. get hie legs were best in that h bat Sophy felt her blush begin at her of travelling, It was quite true there befo! you; and then you go and do it, and shoulders. “I haven't any m-man,” wae @ price set-on his head near, if Its hero is Allan Quatermain (hero of “Kin Solomaa’est | Mines”), and the story is-written in H ; and most enthralling vein. READ IT. **“MARIE.”’ Novel in The Evening World will be BY H. RIDER HAGGARD