Show 0 i it t r L ti Jr r i J aC son lie or orrY 2 rY f. f s n. n riff f lt l Ing g. g She Slie w went went t to Yo the c VeS en eu trance and looked out The ever everlasting ever lasting whisper of ot the pines thin ancient hushed voice olce which through f the countless centuries has never ne been still save when briefly Jy tJ by the snow which had borne Us its message to Gloria when on that first day she went with Mark King Into the mountains set chords vibrating softly In her bosom Instantly It bore a R message to her such a ames ames- mes message sage as from now on she would hear hearIn In the quiet vol voices es of ot her little camp camp- fire It was the eternal call caU of at the mother earth that one like Gloria must hear and harken barken to and understand understand understand under under- stand before she could set firm feet upon the as ashes es of a vanquished self elf to rise to the true things of wom woman woman woman- Ii hood hood There must be wood woo brought for tor forKing's forKing's Kings King's fire She turned back for forthe forthe forthe the rifle and rope She saw that King had not stirred that he seemed plunged In a deep quiet sleep Bleep She stood over him 1001 looking Ing down at him with her love for him softening her ber eyes He was going to get well if well If she did her part And her part was so Lo ar clearly y Indicated ed 1 to give him film broth and to keep his I Ore fire going She and nd she was not afraid 1 l s as as she went went wenC down the cliffs She meant to be Mark Kings King's mate she meant to be worthy of being his mate He had hadnot not Dot h hesitated he had bad not b ben n afraid when one man against five he dropped down Into the lowest cave She like him was of pioneer stock Three times that night she made the trip up and down the cliffs cUffs bringing wood The bear meat was boiling bolting and bubbling she poured oft off offa a little of ot the broth cooled It and then as she had given King the coffee corree she forced some of ot the strong soup between his teeth She chafed his feet teet and wrapped them again In 3 a hot bot blanket And then t therewith I with 1 all of her ber covers given to him she drew drewa a coat about h and and and- sa sat sat- at his side on the edge of ot his blankets And here throughout the night she sat dozing and waking rising again and again to keep the fire burning She started up to find It full day she bad had been asleep her head I t against his knee King lay as he had laIn Iain 1 last st i hla ls' ls cont continued e 1 II N coma was like a a. a profound q quiet e sleep Bleep All day long she ministered to him going back and forth tirelessly since love and hope Inspired every step she made None of Brodle's Brodies men had come she fell teU a. a strange confidence dence dente that tha they would i not conie They were afraid of K King ng as Jackals are afraid bt ota ota- of a a lion further rt the they did not know he was wah wounded At a little before noon i m Gloria stooping over ver the fire start started d ere erect erect and whirled about Kings King's eyes were open She ran to him dropping dropping drop drop- I ping on her knees beside him catching catch catch- ing lug up his hili hand han w whispering L Mark I fj J Oh f a k thank h k G God I IP P He looked at her strangely There bewildered ex was a puzzled expression expression In lii his e eyes eS She s sv saw v his lips Ups move he move he wanted to say somer something something some- some r thing to ask something ai and l de deserted desert desert- e 7 T ed cd now by all of that magnificent strength on which he had always leaned was as weak as a baby She gave his hand a last squeeze and hurried back to the fire his eyes still shadow filled followed 1 her curiously She came back to him with cup and spoon spoon This could understand he opened his 1 ls lips forthe for tor the spoon he lie accepted what she gave him and when she had finished lay looking up at her wonderIngly Mark she whispered we are arc f safe sate here because because because-because because you are areso a BO so wonderful I You were like a god the the bravest noblest best man In tn 0 all the world I You came la- la time la-time time t c you OU saved me Mark ark th they had had riot not put hands upon me A And d I 1 am welland well welland and strong now I am nm going to to take care of or you you must Just lie still and get well well well-Oh Oh Mark Mark Mark- I c His eyes closed again he seemed very faint taint very ery weary Hushed she i sat at tense her c eyes es ne never ner r moving I from his face tace After a long time he be opened his c eyes es again he tried trIe 1 again to speak when the words did not come he managed a strange shadowy smile with his bloodless lips Ups and In another moment had T sunk again Into that heavy sleep that was so like death When next nest next tw two hours i r In later r she she- again brought his broth he stirred at her touch and aw awoke k l time i his eyes cleared swiftly he remembered tiered the other awakening and her words He lie looked at her long and searchIngly b and arid she understood what hl lay back of ot that look he was wondering how she managed how 7 1 she endured to care for them both t J how hose without bis his a active ald she withstood with stood hardship And And th this time she smiled d at him I have hen been r on bear steaks sneaks she told him light And Ant I have and ly slept kept warm There has been no one near And the days s 's are arc fine flue again It was clear last night the sun has been shining all day Now when youve you've had your own lunch Ill I'll tell teli y you m anything you want to know Only you must not try to talk yet ct Mark not until tomorrow I 1 want you strong and well again you know Its It's lonesome without t you She gave ga him for the first time a n whole cup of broth glor glorying In tn Inthe inthe the certainty that already he was stronger But nut even en yet his weakness weak ness was so great grent that before she had hud spoken a n dozen sentences he was asleep again Clearly even en to Gloria If It but a little more blood had ebbed rout put o t of the wounded side i he be would would never ne have awakened I clearly to Gloria triumphant It had been heen sh she who hud had held him back from death She Gloria King EIng alone had fought the great grim battle hers was the victory I I was awake Awakening he tried to move His Ills utter titter weakness like a great great weight b bearing down I upon him lam held him film powerless But nut mind slowly freeing Itself from the shadows of sleep was suddenly ver very clear He Be could turn his head I Ia a little At At- first he did not see I Gloria but his e eyes es quested until gat at t last Jast they fou found d her She lay by bythe bythe I I Ithe the tire fire her head upon her arms sleeping The little huddled huddle body looked we weary ry beyond expression For a long time his haggard eyes remained with her She lay on the rocks without a blanket His head moved there were blankets under him blankets covering him his feet teet were wrapped In a a blanket He Jo looked ked again at Gloria at at af atthe the fire he saw wood piled near by For Lor many minutes he puzzled the matter In the end It was obvious even cven to a man as sick as King that she roust must have gone for tor wood Perhaps Per haps more than once He knew v now that he lie had been desperately hurt lurt that wounded his fight with Brae Brodle Braille Bra Bro dle ille e had b brought him v very ry near a aI weakness from b blood loss that was I pale twin to death And yet he was alive and warm he had had bad broth and blankets and the tire Ore had icen en kept kepi blazing He managed to slip Ip a a hand band l ni I Inside sl e bis his shirt before his liis fingers found It he knew that the bandage was ris there Gloria had done all this Gloria whom h he had struck Ever since that blow the one act net off his ot-his his life UCe which he would have given ghen so so much muc 1 to td have ha undone he had been ashamed He had bad re re- I Jol ol e ed In h his battle with the le m men n who had threatened Gloria with so worse ts than death eath rejoiced that In to Inome someway some ome way he might make reparation tion But n now V beginning to understand understand understand under under under- stand all that Gloria had done for him how great were the sacrifices i she had ad made for him lying I of sill Lall she did It seemed to him that the thing ln-g ln that be he had bad done a very small thing set set In the hales c s ag against her ber own acts He He wanted to get up and go to her ber to tot put his t blankets la about her to play pIny the mans man's part and protect and shelter But he could coul n not t so much muchas as raise his leis voice vo to call her to him Gloria as though she felt his eyes upon her stirred rose pushed the hair h back ck from rom her eyes and andle came le quickly to to him him She went scent down on her knees beside him and took his hand In her two and held It tight Everything tlE thing is all right Mark An And you ou are better every ery time Ume you wake Ills His lips Ups strove stroye to frame words She bent close to them and heard his wondering whisper er E all i Every thing Every thing right Yes thank God she whispered d db b back ck to him E r In all the wide wide v.-ide world I INo 1 No he could not understand stand that She saw perplexity In his c eyes cs now But she did not mean to let lct him talk yet and It was time ro for broth again But nut again he was whisper wl whispering s er ing n b Blankets yours Blankets yours ours Yes Mark After Arter you ou have ha hail had your nourishment When I need th them em But nut when he had taken his cup of hot broth he slipped sUpped off ofT to sleep p again and Gloria smiling a n tender s 's smile sat by her fire watching himas hl him him himas 1 as a mother watches n a sick baby who the the doctor Inns has Just told her will live lIre CHAPTER XIV TAT night Gloria listening now T THAT to Kings King's breathing now to the crackling of her her fire grew restless heart heart was w s 5 still that V ne new born horn gladness In her bosom there was wassill still sill something staging singing like the liquid voice Ice of a bird It had sung for tor the first time when first she had bad ministered to King when she bad understood what loves love's service was when she had gone down the cliffs cUffs for firewood when because of 01 her tireless nursing n she had been heen r rewarded rewarded re re- warded by Ills opening eyes as ns the hours wore on It hind had grown Into a chant triumphant She She Gloria had been una unafraid and u unswerving she had saved n a mans man's life lite And that life tire was Mark Kings King's I She had made mad amends she had set her feet unfalteringly In a n new trail throughout through out her being she was as aglow with the consciousness of 01 one who had gladly done lov loves love's s 's labor abor Now she waited only for tor the hour when again King must have ha his broth She g gave ye It to him smiled at nt him commanded him to go back to sleep steep promising to talk with him himIn himin In tl the they e morning And when again he hr breathed with Ith the quiet regularity regular ity of or one sleeping she went eagerly about her task They must have bave more meat tomorrow or the next neat day at latest for the steaks which she she had eaten and the strong broths to maintain and rebuild strength In InKing InKing inKing King had cut deeply Into their heir sup sup- ply ply And Ani she knew mew Mark King well enough to be very certain that the moment he could s summon strength enough to command his tottering ho body to stand on two legs he Ie would go It rt was as for herto her to be before him Fortunately It l had bad nt not snowed d since I King ma made e his kill kilt she could follow follow fol tol low v in the trail he had made and It would lend lead her unerringly to the spot where he had left the rest of the meat She had everything e ready j rifle small packet of or food knife even en matches and strips torn from the sack sark for tor her feet teet Down In the gorge clutching her rifle she stood looking listening But there was no man In sight and In the Intense determination possessing possessing possess posses ing her she throttled down all fear thoughts She turned up the gorge a a tiny dork dark figure In an Immense white wil wil- The snow was crisp crunching un underfoot sunny days had III clear cold nights had hadI I frozen and the crust had bad begun to toI form torm Before she had gone a dozen I feet she discovered this and Its Importance importance Im im- im to her ber where K Kings King's weight on the snowshoes along alonga a a twice traveled trail had packed the snow and where now the sun and cold had done their work there was a crust which her slight alight weight she could walk swiftly there was as to b be no o more floundering She could run rim runt I And indr ind- run r run n she h did did when sh she bud bad crested the first ridge and had started started started start start- ed down the far side It was like flying 1 The crisp air cut her glowing glowIng glow glow- Ing cheeks her blood leaped along tier Her veins she breathed breathed deep deeply y a 1 1 d I r j 1 l l l f f Gl r 1 A Great Uplifting ng El Elation ti n Bore or Her Along great uplifting elation bore her along Lo Love Love God God God Is love smoothed love o smoothed the way be before re her the stars ran with her great blazing stars to which again and again she III lined cd her eyes Despite the rags about her ber boots her feet were soon dangerously cold But always alwa's there was the trail King had made leading g her on where he be I Ih h had d gone before she followed followed Where he had made slow progress rem ress seeking game and breaking trail trull she went swiftly on the packed snow So she came at l last st to the thc final ridge whence looking down Into the canyon she saw the end of her trail banging hanging from a bent sapling sapling sap sap- ling was what she knew kne must b be e his bear benr Down the Ufe Step steep st Cp slope she she- went halt sliding fn g half rolling r In Inthe Inthe Inthe the bed bed- of the rn ravine vIne she i landed softly In the drift here she rested sitting n a T nest st of ot snow And there came Caine suddenly out of ot the silence a n strange quivering cr cry bursting out upon her a sobbing throbbing scream r 0 s lI A A uA woman cried Gloria aghast A woman In an nn agony of terror she thought Suddenly terror leaped out upon her striking like a n knife Into her heart Fear car banished hed all this time surprised 1 her and clutched at nt her throat thront and paralyzed her muscles Blind panic gripped her Then came th the piercing scream again and with It It enlightenment o and Gloria sank back seeming to melt Into the snow about her Yonder Yon You der Just upon the next ridge when time the moonlight carved In tine One details n a big bare boulder stood the thing that had screamed Il Long bodied and lithe small mended and mere less muscled steel-muscled and chisel clawed the e big cat riHn snarling j Jaws jars ws sent seni forth Its almost st human lJ call to cut across vast still distances The fhe mountain lion Hon leaped downward downward down down- ward wart softly from stage stave to stage of the canyon side paused pause 1 under the pine lifted I Its head bend and sent forth again Its hungry cry All this time Ume Gloria sat breathless the fear fas still held her powerless She watched the animal crouch and gather Its strength and hurl Its lean lenn body upward The lion fell tell back the ripping claws having missed the meat meaL by hy some two or three thre feet and Gloria heard the low rumbling growl Again It sprang sprang- again It ft missed But In the end feline craft found the way and the cat set Its paws against the tree trec trunk and began to climb Limbs broke |