Part 50 (1/2)

Bill seemed suddenly to grasp the situation.

”Ethel!” he exclaimed. And then, in a dull, tired voice, ”I--I brought him back to you.” His eyes closed, and he turned his face toward the wall.

Ethel poured a cup of coffee from the pot on the stove, and returning, seated herself upon the edge of the bunk. Deftly her arm slipped under his head, and she held the cup to his lips. Bill drank greedily to the last drop, and the girl filled another cup with broth.

This time he helped a little, and she raised him higher and pillowed his head against her breast. He sipped the broth hungrily, but very slowly, pausing a long time between sips.

Ethel's body thrilled at the touch of him, the little hand that held the cup trembled, and the man, close-pressed against her soft breast, heard the wild pounding of her heart.

Suddenly he looked up into her eyes. Her face flushed crimson, and the swift down-sweep of the long lashes hid the soft, blue eyes from the intense, burning gaze of the hard grey ones. In confusion she averted her face.

There was a swift movement beside her, and the next instant strong arms were about her, and she heard, as from afar, the heavy thud as the porcelain cup struck the floor.

Vainly she struggled in a sudden frenzy of panic to free herself from the embrace of the encircling arms, and her heart was filled with a great, pa.s.sionate gladness at the futility of her tiny efforts as she felt herself drawn closer and ever closer against the mighty chest of the big man whom, in spite of herself, and of his own shortcomings and weaknesses, she loved with the savage abandon that is the wonder-love of woman. She knew, too, that the deep music in her ears was the sound of his voice which came in short, stabbing, half-sentences.

”Ethel! Ethel! Little girl--you are mine, mine, _mine_! You _do_ love me! Darling, better than life itself, I love you. I have always loved you! Tell me, dear, it was all a lie--about St. Ledger. Tell me you love me, dearest!”

The bearded lips found hers, and for answer, her struggles ceased, her body relaxed against his body, her soft arms stole timidly about his neck, and there was a wild singing in her heart.

”And there has never been another?” she whispered a few minutes later as she sat close beside him and watched him sip hot broth from the thick cup. The grey eyes twinkled.

”Don't you _know_, sweetheart, that there has never been another? Why, you have known me all my life!” But the blue eyes were serious.

”I mean, since--since you went away?” For answer the man raised his arm and pointed toward the opposite wall.

”Hand me that mackinaw,” he said. Ethel gasped and stared at him wide eyed. ”The _mackinaw_--that old striped coat next to the slicker,” he smiled.

”But----” she stifled the protest, and the man wondered at the sudden pallor of her face.

”Hand it here,” he repeated, ”there is something I want to show you.”

Without a word the girl crossed the room and, removing the mackinaw from its peg, laid it upon the blanket within reach of his hand. He drew it to him, and the girl watched in silence while he ran his fingers over the lining.

He plunged his arm to the elbow into the ragged hole and explored to the very corners the s.p.a.ce between the lining and the cloth. With a blank expression of disappointment he looked up at her.

”They are gone,” he said in a low voice. ”My letters and my picture.

_Your_ letters, dear--and _your_ picture----”

”Letters!” the girl gasped, leaning forward and staring into his eyes.

”Why, yes, darling. There were only a few. You wrote them when I was in Europe. They were all I had--those few little letters, and the photograph. You remember--the one you gave me----”

”But--I don't understand----”

”I always kept it on my desk at home,” he continued, ignoring the interruption. ”And your letters, too--all sealed in a big envelope. And the morning I went away I bound the picture to the envelope and put it in my pocket, and I have always kept it with me.

”A thousand times, dear, I have looked at the picture. It has been my fetish--the little amulet that keeps a man from harm. And whether or not it has succeeded, dear heart, you must judge for yourself.”