Show CHAPTER IX continued 15 with a long wavering cry like the howl of a wolf San Sandom domar nr rushed into the water to break the shock of landing ills pals followed cheering ebe ering the triumphant shout rose until it topped the bellow of the storm and beat out against the blast to give fresh heart to the struggling exhausted voyagers but the aleuts aleuns only leaned forward from their hips grunting starl staring ng it was not for them to wave their ar arena M s and yell de defiance flance to the demons 0 of t wind and sea yet nan thought she saw n passing luster in their dull dark eyes the boatmen back paddled for their lives the boat lunged in k knocking the sailors headlong but its speed was checked and the aleuts aleuns steadied it to land soon the palefaces had lifted their three comrades out of the hatches oray gray haggard and quivering their hair streaming their eyes sunken and dead they were hard to recognize as the same bold hardy men who had boarded two hours before the master of the island lacked strength to stand alone San domar had only to raise his arm to wipe him out yet eric revived enough to reel to the boat again grope in the hatch and bring to light the drenched rumpled limp figure of an aleut child the crowd gazed long it had not occurred to them that eric had actually won his goal they had been content with a dead hent bent to cheat the sea of the three lives that had challenged her and never dared think that too had been snatched from the boorga bjorga only two of the women had asked after the child in their hearts and neither had breathed a word one was Chug allm dark woman of the island she had dared not interrupt the excited palefaces miracle workers and half gods to seek her daughters fate the other was nan who could not believe beleve I 1 that the eric she knew had turned back defeated after so brief a battle it did not surprise her to see the child hauled up op from the hold but only gave freer passage to her tears she expected some such end but somehow she had bad been afraid to question mother Ilor tons old heart had overflowed at erics return but for these few brief seconds the stake he h had d fought for had slip slipped ped her mind NO now w she he uttered a shrill yell and clutched the child to her withered breast ashes alive the tremulous voice thrilled 1 I can see her breathe it was true the girl was exhausted half dead from exposure but a few hours sleep and a pint of warm seal oll oil down her throat was all the medicine she needed in a few days she would be ready for further explore i tlona to the outlying rocks and sand spits stammering crying with dry eyes Chug allm burst through the wondering crowd and gathered in her own half curried between and wilcox eric reeled to his turf hut lie ile had forgotten tits his revolver anyway he lacked strength to take it back if roy koy eliose chose to keep keel it IL ills mind was like a lighthouse in fog lie ile knew who walked beside him how hp cime to be on land instead of amid thundering waters for what prize lie had touch mo BO pingy many arx yf alfo ifo almea which way to turn the wheel at last he found himself on an his own pallet too tired to rise and lock the door behind his departing friends too dulled to care whether his enemies stole upon him in his unguarded hour nan had not followed her friends ho home e wind pearled and buffeted by an Inner storm she bhe had crept into a cave elike e like hole in the hark bank for a brief rest shivering she crouched down and burled buried her face in her hands when she looked up Fire hearts slanted eyes were peering into herjo her own wn you mighty big fool the squaw told her somberly she spoke in low tones hut but in the wind pocket of the rocks nan heard her plain 1 I wonder it if I 1 am Elre eareheart heart was the quiet answer but in a different way nan thought than was meant white chief mighty tired alc sick go lie ile in hut why you no no go go with him lie ile leslae him hold him in arms armal lie ile no love you yes the white girls lips trembled saw them lie does love me ile he love you he be want you still you no go ile he no love Firc heart think she ugly squaw but if he call me Fir eheart como come quick no lie ile beside him no hold him in arms just sit bit by him bring him food watch over him while he sleep nan leaned forward forwar il hoedl holding n g hor her breath but I 1 thought you hated him I 1 the squaws squads ink pool eyes shifted right and left Fir eheart hate him because he no call her no want her love it like grass cut off stamp down 1 f you mighty big fool the squaw told her somberly always grow again in first rain like river freeze build dam always flow on when sun shines when floods come when aleuts aleuns say make inake medicine against white chief pray god give him bad luck charm stick in fire hearts throat why you think white chief still alive because rineheart rire Fir heart ebeart stand between him and people dut but why do you tell me this because you so big fool you see him fight bomorra save little girl he not e ven even know make squads squaws heart jump in mouth salty tears flow and hum burn but what you do girl he lovel love you no go get in arms feel d n lucky 1 you snap finger think about roy noy you heap big biff fool I 1 yes and she was still thinking about roy three months ago she had never dreamed that she could ever think about any other man as a life mate and it was not a simple thing to cast him out of her mind and heart she could not forget that forlorn island was only an interlude in her life these cloudy skies would pass the dunes and crags fade like a dream and she must return to the cold harsh light of her lost world she had always seemed cool headed practical the cynic daughter of 4 sophisticated age and even now she was childishly afraid of what might prove only n romantic illusion but now she must either yield to that fear or put it away forever she had come to the forks of the trall trail the one level find and sandy and cool the other steep rough with many a pitfall winding vp up to the wild summits of the range and the she must make her choice she rose gravely startled too stood erect 1 I am a fool rire heart but not in any way you can understand der stand 11 she said to in low resonant tones A dim smile played over her wistful mouth im going to go now and get in erics arms she turned and strode away into the ac teeth of the gale the fire in the eyes burned out leaving them like charcoal in rain as she stared after the wind buffeted form hut but nan had not told her true she did not head straight for erics hut A lingering obligation to roy made her go to him first to tell him her decision and give him one last chance to plead his hi cause flarried and hustled by the wind she he flung open his door without knock ing hut but she stopped at the threshold alive to some deep drama moving here when roy looked up and met her gaze on hla his face was a look she had never seen gerore at once grim jubilant masterful want had changed him so in one glance she found the answer ills arm had find dropped to his side and in his hand he held erles revolver staring she crept further into the room where did you get that eric handed it to me before he went afir aak r chicak what tire are you going to in with it im going to keep deep it roy riols tone I 1 was rough and strong what do 10 you ye think tm im going to in do with it give it lin lincic vic tier her heart glowed wit aloi swin linger anger ile he you with it you cant betray hint flint rift I 1 i cant IT 17 well see talk to kric eric about trusts not to me sava your sentimental appeals for some gome one who appreciates era em have you ever known me to be turned aside by anything but a cold fact no the she never had lie ile was only being true to himself yet her eyes grew hard and bright does anyone else know you have it Sandom San domar nr knows ills eyes aro are devilish quick he must have seen erie eric pass it to me because he tried to stalk me on the beach a few minutes ago As I 1 dropped my hand he ha stopped if hed come on another step id have shot him but no matter I 1 intend to publish the fact this evening 1 I do you mean youre going to take command she spoke very quietly 1 I mean nothing else why not do you think for a minute I 1 cant do what eric did and do it better ive never had a chance all im not one to ignore fact to tn attempt the Impossible but hut now the main fact Is in n my handl hand I 1 my turn hrs has come erics reign Is over what it if he tries to take the gun lie ile wont try it in the first place tt it was lils his whole strength rind and lie he let it so go if he does try it ill rive give him one in the lei leg anil and dont think ill miss it ft the cold assurance on his face appalled tier her it may lay hire him up for a few lays days hut hell be able to take his trick nt at the oars when we start home she did not quest question lon this grim declaration la slip she knew that roy hoy had had military training and was a cool quirk buic k shot you wont go that farl far I 1 eh she e warned it if you do have t to 0 shoot me too plain drivel nan anyway therell be no revolt the king kin Is dead long live the king lie he broke with hard humor yet she knew by the glitter of his eyes that he was coldly exultant bitterly in earnest the new administration Is going to be based on facts not fancies he went on rapidly the heads going to rule the heart and pretty sentiments will he be kicked into n cocked hat ill lin handle vidle Stin domar all right lie knows that to the victor bel belongs angs the spoils and ill force the aleuts aleuns to break their taboo and go for help with fair luck hick we can hk he hack back in chiv before next spring bitonie again the girl drew a long troubled breath 1 I let you betray eric even if you could put me in my own house tomorrow in your own house or in mine ile he strode toward her and took her hand in a strong grip enough of that nonsense about eric swe sweetheart ethear ll 11 he fie told tier her fondly 1 I can see how you were attracted to him youre a rather primitive being at heart hut but all you really wanted of him was his protection and its no longer worth having she shook her head fiend confused it Is more than that whatever it was its confined to forlorn island soon to be a memory 11 lie he swayed toward her a and nd kissed tier lips you ton must come to ni me now dow well make our vows in the queer little chapel cli apel before the tarnished candlestick diest alestick dle stick lek and the he funny old akon what do you say 1 I say that im still going to choose eric im going to stand by him now that hes lost out soon see the light now take it easy while I 1 look over this gun eric said to examine it what he meant I 1 dont know before I 1 fired it I 1 suppose he wanted to be sure id get the hang of it re lie began to unscrew the ramrod from beneath the barrel forgotten nan walked to the open door and stood gazing out at the gale swept moors vainly she tried to untangle truth from falsehood reality from illusion at last she was called from her thoughts by movements at the door of the erics enemies were massing there and she sensed something ominous in their quick gestures their crouched bodies presently ann domar wheeled large at his flank and led his pack down the village tillage row nan watched him with the narrowed gaze of a hunter lie ile did not move fast but in an odd shuffle somehow violent and terrible ills head was thrown forward he suggested an n 11 old man ape instantly she knew that the truce of the storm was over she turned with a choked cry royl roy 1 what Is ills hoarse tone arrested the frantic sweep of her gaze and made her postpone everything for a brief second while she scanned his face it was wal not the same she had seen ten minutes before the pride the mastery the exultation that had mazed her so en had passed like a flame it was wai turning gray as ashes why lie he had not sew seen the chars charge up the village row toward erics hut true her cry had bad showed a crisis impending but instead of leap ing to meet inert it lip lie was breaking before her eyes why did he stare so blankly not at her but at ohp he revolver in his hand why did he be hold it so ao unsteadily so awkwardly nowa your chance she he implored with the swift instinct to encourage him those brutes are arc going after eric cut them oft off and show them chos master put he stood like a figure on a totem pole 1 I cant you dont understand the dull voice made her flesh crawl oh koy dont fall met me there abere a moment to lose but he only shook hla his head baffled f fled impotent desperate she ran toward him s snatching for the revolver she ex pecked min him to in clarc hi it it hut but his hand opened like a fainting mans sho ahr caught the shrieked and a ayd td T d out dep en nic |