A MATING IN THE WILDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19813, 3 December 1919, Page 4

A MATING IN THE WILDS.

(By oirr>LL rixxs.) Ct/iAPTi'-.R I. The man in tlic canoe was lean and hardy, and '.Yielded Up paddle agamst the slow-moving current of the wide, river with ;i dexterity that proclaimed loiit pva-tice- lli> bronzed lace was lhat of a f|tiiti' young ni,T,i, but his brown hair was interspersed with grey; and his blue eyss had a gravity incompatible with youth, as it already lie had experience of the .-priourou-ss 'd lite, and had paten of us bilier fruits. Up. was in a gala dress of tanned deerskin. I rinsed and worked by native hands. th<> whifh had quite prohablv i'ii-i hiin more than titp mu-t elegant .ml hj;. a lioiid Street lailor. and tin p(f;r* wa.-. a.'- piclurcstpie as liip lipatt of ;-, young male ponld desire, 'lo ho ;•• keeping with «--;icli .'.ay attire, hi- • hoiil'l have wc-vu a -smiling lare. and -ung ■-'into joyous chanson i-l the o,<J vovagonn-. nut lie noilhiM stim.' ln>' smiled; paddling steadily on toward;, hi.- destination. This w::- a northern post of flip Hr.'l--ou iiay Company, built in tho iofni • I a hollow square with a wide fro'ita'.ie oppti ta the river. The? trading slur-.', liio warehouse, and the factor's rcsidp::;'p with Us trim I'lirdeti occupied \\v o.!n-v throe sides ol the square, and along flip rivpr iron',, was a small lloalins wharf. A till flag-polo rosp aboutap building, and th.p fin;.; ii.seif fiui.terc.l gaily in tlip slimmer brect'.e. lakiniV the imp at once with its brave ouringThe young man in the en nop noticed : 1 whil-t l',p was half a mile awa\. and for a moment, ceasing h.i- pa:!rlliug. JicInUcfl .-,( ii doubtfully, hi? brow puckering ovpr hi : . "rave eves. The canoe i-Piian to drift hack-van! in the current. | hit hp uu.de no elforl to check it. iv,I stout, hf. sat there starine at the. ois- | t"nt Hhjr. with a musing look upon his ■ i face, as if ho were debating Rome quesI Tifiii With himscll. At last lie spm; ■ ■ el )iid. after the habit of men who dwelt | iniiph al■.■'lie. ; "Tii-'' steamer can't have eon:.' yet. j It. pro!)-.lily means nothinc; except, that ; the far-tor k expectine- its arriv.--!. Auy- '; war. 1 must have the grnb, f.rjl I 0111 I get awav in tlip morninc" ' lie dipped his paddle arrp.in. Th" ■ eanoc pcasod to drift and to : fov?;e j'head towards thp post. TWore ■ hj? drew ].?vo) with it. hc> ■ I;. j steer nero-s the ctiri'ent. hut instead of '" niakini; for the wharf, beached hi- ; eariMp on t.hp rather marshy bank to the north of flic building-: then, hav--1 in-' lifted if ont of tho water, he stood to his full lieirrht and stretcher! Ivint- ■ s"lf. for he had been iravellino- in th" ! caiio" elftve.n days, and wru conscious j of body stiffness owin;' to the crai'ipe I lvsitiimjie had so long mrmivainerl. j Siandiii'j; on the \vv\i. he stirveye-l j I he river carefully. Except- for a drift • i iiiE loir, there was nolhiuc rnovinvf on I ;ti wid" cvpans'e, He listened intentlv. Th-> soft wind was blowing down river, 1 but it did not In-inc. with it the throb of a steamer's, screw which he half e.\I pelted to heai. Kc nodded to liimsell. "Time enough I" Then hr bvoame aware of sounds lor which he had not listened—f he voices of men somewhere in the post's enclosure, and, nearer at hand, that, ot someone singintr iu some soft Indian dialect. He turned swiftly, and. cominp sloim 7. half-defined path between Ihc willows, caught sight of the sjnj;er-~a native Ji'.rl of amazitijr beauty. She wore a tunic of headed cariboti--kin. which, fitting; closely, revealed rather flint 1 concealed the lines of her lithe young figure. Her face was Hsrhfbrnnze in colour, every feature clearlv cut as a e-iineo. tho forehead smooth and high, the now delicately atpiilino, thp lips a perfect cupid's bow. (he ryebrows hisrli and arched. The eye'tlipmsplves. were soft, and dark, and had the wildness of iho wilrlerness-burn. whilst, thejiair, black and luminous as file raven's wine, crisped in curl?) instead of ha using in the straight, plait, of the ordinary native woman- Sh< moved forward slowly with gracch stride of one whose feet hnd novel known (ho cramping of civilised foot gear, tall and straight and as roval looking as F-ve must have, hceu wher shpjeft the hand of find To the man as he stood there s-hi seemed like an incarnate spirit of th, wilds, liko the soft- breath of the North land spring, like - j Similes failed him of tb e suddprtest lor in that instant the girl mw awar i of him and checked her stride ami sou: at the same moment. For a fraction 0 time they stood (hero looking at, eac! oth,er. the man of the white'dominaii race, the n'rl of a vani-him; people whose oriein is shrouded in'ihe gre ! mists oMiinc. There was wonder 0 I the man's face, for never bad hp see i such beauty in a native, and on th j girl s face, there -was n startled 100 I Mich as the forest, doe shows, when th I wind brings the breath of a presenc that if doe.H not see. Then the dejicat no-trils riuivered. the soft dark evr kiudled with «udden flame, and the rie blood surged in the bronze face froi chin to brow. Almost unconscious' I the m.'tin took a steii forward. ]b J ai. that, the girl, turning suddenly, tie between the. willows like the preatui ol the wild she was, and the ms checked himself and stood watching w til she was lost to view. There was a thoughtful look in hj blue eyes v.hich suddenly «r,yp wa,v lie smiled. "A liuted Venus !'■ be murmurpd himself. "1 wonder where she 1longs.'' Looking round, away across the w lows, plan 1 pel 011 the meadow above t nuns'iy h.inks, he i-aughi. sight of 1. tops ot a couple of tope< •'"d nodded to himself. "I , " Co'iie with the family to barter t g wi!i|o"\, fu r catch."' I for a moineni he stood there wi S his eyes lix«,.| 0 n the skin loils. Th. it was a 1 eflec.five i.\'.k upon hii: face, a ■ii 1 he cn<| of tiie. moment he nia'.de moveineni, towards the path alo which dm rnrl had fled. Then j slopi.ed, laughed hars.hlv at. hinisc I and with the old h.-ol; back on his fai I uirnerl again to his canoe, unloaded I ami bp.;vnn to pjt c |, t -, }U]])< At ihe ond or half an hour, havi j lit. a pipe, he struilcd towards the n\ j ing ))i)st. Entering the Srpiarn of t enclosure he. ~ioked unnehalantly-abi: him. Two men. hall-brccds, were < ting on a roughly made bench outs: 1 he store, smoking and talking, sido the store a tall Indian was b: Lcrmg with a white man, whom I easily guo:sed to lie the factor, and j he looked roumd from the open di o! the factor's house, emerged a wh woman whom lie divined was the f tor's wife. She was followed by rather dapper young man of inod'i height, and who, most incongruously 1 hat wild Northland, sporicd a siii j 'ye-ghi.ss. The w.an tell into slop Ij ihe woman's side, and together tl j began to walk a.cros.s the Spinfe, the vliro"t.ion of the sloie. I'he man from the. river wntc) them idly, waiting where he was, pi ing slowly at his pipe, until they di almost level w\\\\ linn. Then he. s feiiod suddenly, and an alert look ca 111 his "yes. At the same moment the otbe.r n apparently becoming aware, of bis \ senee for the first time stared at 1 calmly, almost insolently. ' Then starled. The monocle dropped fi his eyo, and. his face went sudde white. He. half-paused in his stt: then avert hip; hi* gar,p froir, the ot man hurried forward a, little. I'a'-turV wiie who bad observed the cidcnt. looked at him iutpiinngly. I"' l>o you know that man, Mi . The dapper young man laughei short, discordant, laugh. ■™* ts " Ui> (v.;-i,iiiily boar» a. ru.embla

a. man whom 1 know sonc years W: ;<>■" " He reeincO. lo rorogmse you. Mr nley! f saw that much in his eyes." § "Then probably ho is the ma,u whom used to know, but ! did not expect meet, him up her?." J " Xo?" She waited as if for further formation, which was not immediate- « forthcoming, then tdie continued: | Their are mn;iy liien Up litre whom io does mil expert to meet, men who „ 'long "to the. legion of the io-l. ones. j| e cohort of the damned." who have iriccl their old selves forever. I won ~ tif I hat man i? one of them?" | Herald Ainley's iacc had legnined it; itura! colour. Again he lnughnxi a* p • replied: "ll lie is the man I knew J > is certainly of the lost legion, to: ■ ha> been in prison/' 2 "' In prison?" echoed the woman liekly. " He does not look like a gauird. What was the crime?" 5 "Forgery! Tim judge v. us uievoj- $ il and gave him three, years' penal rvi'ude." - f " What- is his name?" s ;; - " Stnio--Hubert Sr-:nc!" replied tin? an shortly. As he. -poke he glanced fck" o'er his shoulder lowavds the man j 3 horn I hey were discussing, then ha-ti!\ | , rv.rtt-xl his p.vps. 1 The man from, the river had turned j mini arid was looking ai biin with f-oi- j 'titrated gar.o. His face m':-.s v.'orkiivi ! I -: if he had lost com.rol of hi-, facial | nisclcs. and his liaiuls were tightly i enclied. 1'; was clear tli.n. the meet- I 1 ig with Ainley had been something; of | shock to him. '••ml from his attitude j ~. appeared that he resoiU.rU lite other jjj mil's aloofness. "The hound!" he whispered to him- « df. "The coutemptihle hound." 3 Then as Ainley and the I actor's wife isappoared in the store, ho laughed | archly and relit his pipe. As he did J 1, his fingers .shook so that the inatcn obbod against tup pipediowd. and it | '.'is very manifest that he was under- g ping a great strain. He stood there taring at thp store. Once he began : fo 0 move towards it irresolutely, tii-.-u ! pf hanged his mind and {Mine to a stand- j ■ ti'l again. j I "No!" lie whispered below bis j » ireatb- "I'll wait till the cad comes l ut—-['II force liini 10 acknowledge % up." P Hut scarcely liad he reached the deis'ion. when on the quiet air came the j lear notes ol a bugle sounding tho s dert and turning hi> Ihoughts in a , sew OupcLien. the notes came Iroiu | | he river, and were so alien to that.' « '.orlhcrn land tliat he swung round ; c discover rbeir origin. At tin: ; | awe liioment tlie two hali'-hi-pcds leap,: rum thi: bench, and hegn:* to run to-': K cards tl;p wharf. John Uodwoll. ike f, actor, am! his wile emerged i'ro.n the' "' tore and hurried in the same direction, ' , 'ollowcd by the Indian who had brui j - lartenug. Two otlicr men appeared, P it the warehouse door, ami as liic ift •trains of the bugle sounded again, also I i le&n to run towards the what!', whilst j $ roni Ine iaei.or s. house, caiiie a ony ano 1 f« ;irl, followed by a whitp woman and j \ i cciuplp of Indian servants, all of 1 t ivlioin followed in the , wake of the: j I niters. _ I I The man in the did not move, j | Having turned towards the river a?., j I; the bugle-call tloaterl clear and silvery, j | nnd being unable to see upstream w- : j, ■ause of the fort buildings, lie re-1 \ niaincd where lie was. kec|iin;.' one eye t j an the siore. The man who had \ passed hiiu in the Square had not j i-'inerged. Istane stood there for r.v<> I j or three minutes watching first ihe ! river and then the door. At the end j j of that time, with a resolute look on j his face, he began to stride towards the. ] store. lie. 'was halfway them when I the sound of a thin cheer reached him j from the wharf. He turned and looked round. His change of position had given him an enlarged view of the river, and di.-taut perhaps a quarter | ot a mile or so away ho saw a brigade of boats. Hp stood and stared at them wonderiuglv for a moment, then resumed his way towards Ihe store. As he entered he looked round, and, standing near ihe. parchment window ho might sight of Ihe man for whom he was looking. Ainicy was rather white of face, but bis eyeglass was in its place, and outwardly he was collected and cool. Hubert Stane regarded him silently for a moment, then he laughed mirthlessly. " Well Ainley." lie said abruptly, " this is a. strange meeting place.''' ''Ah!" said the other quickly. "It is you, Stane, after ail I" "Surely you knew that just now?'' was the reply in a cutting voice. "No, you wrong mo there! T was: not sure. Von must remember that 1 I was not expecting Io see yon np here. You had dropped out, and I had never heard a word ol you since—since " "Since J went to l>artin.oor." Stane laughed again bis cold, mirthless laugh. "There is no need to mince matters, I 1 Ainicy. All the world knows I went . there, and you need not go to nnv \ I trouble to spare my feelings. When a j man has been through Hell nothing i else matters, you know." Uorald Ainley did not reply. Ho stood tliprc with an embarrassed look on his face, obviously ill at ease, and the other continued: "You do not seem pleased to see me ■-•an old friend —you cut me just now. Why?" " —er--really, Stane you—you ought to— er—be able to guess!" " Tevhaps 1 can," an?wored Stane ruthlessly. ''Things are different now. 1 am a, discharged convict, down and j out, and old friendship counts for noI thing. Is that it?" "Well." replied Ainley, half apologetically, "yon can scarcely expect that it should be otherwise. I suppose that, really, that is why you left England, ft would have "been impossible lor you to resume your old life among the men you knew- ■" "You are the first of them that 1 have oncouiitpreil-—with one exception." " Indeed," asked the other po-litoly, "who was the exception?" "ft was Kingsley. You remember him? Up came to see me just before I left Dartmoor. He believed in m\ innocence, and he wanted me to stav in I'.'ngland and clear my name. He also I old me something that set m<3 thinking, and latterly I have heen , rather warning to meet. you. because there :s a qin'-lion 1 wanr answering." Ihe sound ol Ihe bugle playing' a, ; gay fanfare broke in <ui the silence that , followed his words, and this was followed by 'a rather scaitered cheer. Ainley started. '' lieally Stane. you must excuse intjust now; I n>tist go down to the wharf ! it is my duty to do so. At--er--a ■ j more lining opportunity I. shall he glad ' lor the sake of old times, to answer 1 any question that you may wish t-o - ask me. But J. really must go now, '• That is one of the governors of the - company arriving. He. will he cxpect- - ing to see me!''" '•e took a step towards the door, but ■J tin- other blocked the way. l " " I'm not going to he fobbed off with a more excite, Atnlev. 1 want to talk " with you; and it I can't have it now, I t must know when I can." " Where an, you slaving?" a.sked the other shakily. ' ' M.y camp is just outsido the i>o4 here. , x "Then I will come to vou to-nhdit 1 shall be iaie 'mt'diiiv£hl" as , like as not." ;_ "I shall wait for vou," answered v Static, and stepped aside. Ainley marie a . hurried exit, and the Q man whom be had left, moving to the door, watched him running towards the n wharf, where a large Peterhoro' cnuo.- ~ had just swung alongside. There unnxi ? M r Pral others making lor the wharf, ft and as Sinn* watched, one by oup. tlun „ drew up, and discharged their comply y mem, ol passengers. " From his van- :. tagp phico ou the rising ground t| K t watcher saw a rather short man moving io up front tin- wharf accompanied bv l!i; 1- obsequious factor, and behind hnii Iwr other men ; m d lour ladies, with tin 1- lactor's wife and Cerald Ainley. '| In sound ol feminine laughter drifted m a the Square, and ; ,s i; reached hi:' Stane stepped mil I rein 11n- >iur.- am •a liunijd away iy the opposite direcUun