Part 20 (1/2)

Plunged from one extreme of mental strain to another excitement that was as acute in its opposite effect, John Aldous stood and stared at the tent-flap that had dropped behind Joanne Only a flash he had caught of her face; but in that flash he had seen the living, quivering joyousness of freedo where a moment before there had been only horror and fear As if ashamed of her own betrayal, Joanne had darted into the tent She had answered his question a thousand times more effectively than if she had remained to tell him with her lips that MacDonald's proofs were sufficient--that the grave in the little box canyon had not disappointed her She had recognized the ring and the watch; froolden serpent ht suddenly leap into life and strike

In spite of the ht have made for self-control Aldous had seen in her tense and tortured face a look that was more than either dread or shock--it was abhorrence, hatred And his last glione, and in their place the strange joy she had run into the tent to hide That she should rejoice over the dead, or that the gri that nen into her face and eyes, did not strike hiun to rise and set He had corave must hold its dead; that the fact of death, death under the slab that bore Mortih's nas for hiht not be In hiht that Joanne was free, and the grave had been the key to her freedoular contrast to the perturbed condition of his mind a few ht for, to win if he could; and, knowing this, his soul rose in triuht back the almost irresistible impulse to follow her into the tent and tell her what this day hadthis came swiftly a realization of what it had meant for her--the suspense, the terrific strain, the final shock and grueso, that she was huddled down on the blankets in the tent She had passed through an ordeal under which a strong le in there alone turned him from the tent filled with a deter, both with hian to whistle as he threw back the wet canvas from over the camp outfit that had been taken from Pinto's back In one of the t-hide panniers he saw that thoughtful old Donald had packed materials for their dinner, as well as utensils necessary for its preparation That dinner they would have in the valley, well beyond the redcheerily He was still whistling when MacDonald returned He broke off sharply when he saw the other's face

”What's the matter, Mac?” he asked ”You sick?”

”It weren't pleasant, Johnny”

Aldous nodded toward the tent

”It was--beastly,” he whispered ”But we can't let her feel that way about it, Mac Cheer up--and let's get out of this place We'll have dinner so until only the tent remained to be placed on Pinto's back Aldous resuirths, and killed time in half a dozen other ways A quarter of an hour passed Still Joanne did not appear Aldous scratched his head dubiously, and looked at the tent

”I don't want to disturb her, Mac,” he said in a low voice ”Let's keep up the bluff of being busy We can put out the fire”

Ten riht cut down a few trees,” suggested MacDonald

”Or play leap-frog,” added Aldous

”The trees'd sound more natcherel,” said MacDonald ”We could tell her----”

A stick snapped behind the theasped Aldous ”Joanne, I thought you were in the tent!”

The beautiful calmness in Joanne's face aether the reet her when she came from the tent

”I went out the back way--lifted the canvas and crawled under just like a boy,” she explained ”And I've walked until my feet are wet”

”And the fire is out!”

”I don't mind wet feet,” she hurried to assure his Joanne caain that deep and wonderful light in her eyes This time he knew that she meant he should see it, and words which he had determined not to speak fell softly froray? That which you dreaded----”

”Is dead,” she said ”And you, John Aldous? Without knowing, seeing me only as you have seen me, do you think that I am terrible?”

”No, could not think that”

Her hand touched his arht, where we can look down upon the little lake?” she asked ”Until to-day I had made up my mind that no one but ood to me, and I must tell you--about myself--about him”

He found no answer He left no ith MacDonald Until they stood on the grassy knoll, with the lakelet shi+ht below theesture, she said:

”Perhaps you think what is down there is dreadful to me It isn't I shall always remember that little lake, almost as Donald re I love, but because it guards a thing that in life would have destroyed me! I kno you must feel, John Aldous--that deep down in your heart you must wonder at a woman who can rejoice in the death of another human creature Yet death, and death alone, has been the key froe of millions of souls that have lived before mine; and there are men--men, too--whose lives have been warped and destroyed because death did not come to save them One was my father If death had come for him, if it had taken my mother, that down there would never have happened--for me!”

She spoke the terrible words so quietly, so calmly, that it was impossible for him entirely to conceal their effect upon him There was a bit of pathos in her smile