Part 5 (1/2)
He stepped into the cabinet and, with deft fingers, dreith charcoal the characters
”Like that,” he smiled
”Yes,” she smiled back, ”there is one”
”Grand!” he exclaiet it at once, shall we?”
They hastened up the hill Marian wondered at herself, as she handed out the letter; wondered that she did not question hihtful owner But there was so It disarht she caught a look of disappointment on his face If she did, it quickly vanished
While she was dispensing the accustoan” and a cup of coffee, she felt his eyes resting upon her , he turned and spoke hesitatingly:
”I--I'd like to ask a favor of you”
”All right”
”If another letter like that comes to me here, you keep it for er I' north I'll be back before then But if I'erness about hiuess so But what shall I do if you don't get back before I leave?”
”Take it with you Leave here I can find you and take it”
”You see,” he half-apologized, after a e hands so ht lose one of these letters, and--and--they'reto be Will you do it? I--I think I'd trust you--though I don't just knohy”
”Yes,” Marian said slowly, ”I'll do that”
Three s and sending thee boys,” she whispered to herself ”They co in the sand of the beach I've seen so many come up here as he is, happy and hopeful, and in three or four years I've seen theo 'outside,' old beyond their years, half-blind with snow-blindness, or worse; broken in body and spirit I only hope it does not happen to hiave a sudden start For the first tiiven her his name
”And I promised to personally conduct that mysterious mail of his!” she exclaimed under her breath
CHAPTER IV
FOR HE IS A WHITE MAN'S DOG
Two e boy had passed on north with his dog-teas could have happened to hi away at the vast expanse of drifting ice which had been restless in itsbreak-up, she wondered what had happened to the frank-eyed, friendly boy He had not returned Had a blizzard caught hi their banks now, though thick and rotten ice was still beneath the milky water Had he co to make his way southward? Or was he securely housed in so for open water and a schooner?