Lost
Zell had stooped and was picking up the dry wood she had gathered that
evening, when she was suddenly seized and a mittened hand placed firmly
over her mouth. Almost maddened with fright, she struggled desperately
to free herself, and to cry for help. But she was powerless in the
strong arms which held her fast. As she was being borne off, she fought
like a wildcat, tearing at her captor’s face and cap, and clawing at
his throat. But her efforts were all in vain, for she was carried
rapidly away, and only when a camping-place was reached by the side of
the trail was that pressing hand released from her mouth. Then by the
light of the fire she saw that her captor was none other than Bill,
the Slugger. Panting, she lay upon the bed of fir boughs where he had
placed her. A triumphant light shone upon the man’s face as he stepped
back to view the girl.
“Well, what d’ye think of that for a job? Neat, wasn’t it?”
Zell’s fear had now given place to anger, and her eyes blazed as she
sprang to her feet and faced the villain.
“You coward!” she cried. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“H’m, I’m not worryin’ about that, since I’ve got you. If I couldn’t
git ye one way, I had to try some other plan.”
“You wouldn’t talk so big if my father were here.”
“Mebbe I wouldn’t, me love. But he ain’t here, so he don’t matter. But,
say, Zell, why can’t ye like me? I’m crazy about you, an’ if ye’ll
only let me, I’ll do well by ye. I’ll take ye outside an’ show ye the
wonderful sights, an’ buy ye no end of purty dresses, an’ sich things
as women like. I swear I will.”
He stepped toward her as if to clasp her in his arms. But Zell drew
back and stood on the defensive.
“Don’t touch me,” she warned. “I hate you, Bill, and you know it. If
you love me, why did you shoot Tim?”
“’Cause I love ye, of course. I couldn’t bear to see anyone else have
ye. That’s why.”
“Well, if you thought you could get me by shooting Tim, then you were
mistaken. I love Tim as much as I hate you, so there.”
“Ain’t ye afraid to say sich a thing, Zell?” the man asked, while an
ugly light leaped into his eyes. “Can’t ye see that yer at my mercy
now, an’ that I kin do what I like with ye?”
“Can you?” The girl asked the question boldly, but her heart was
beating wildly. She realised only too well how true were the man’s
words. Then she suddenly thought of something tucked away in a little
pocket in the bosom of her dress. It gave her new encouragement. Yes,
she would shoot him if necessary, although she did not wish to commit
murder. She knew that he always carried a revolver, and could use it
with lightning rapidity. She must act with extreme caution.
“Zell, I don’t want to use force,” the man said, “an’ so I ask ye
once more if ye’ll be mine. If ye will, then we’ll go an’ git the
missionary at The Gap to hitch us up.”
“Never!” The girl’s voice rang out clear and defiant upon the still
night air. She knew the man standing before her, and was fully aware
that he was not sincere in his promises. He wanted her just to satisfy
his passion, and then he would throw her aside as he had done a number
of Indian girls he had deceived. She must stand her ground, and not
give in to him.
As Zell uttered her stern refusal, the man calmly folded his arms
and watched her. His greedy eyes took in her beauty, and the varying
expressions upon her face, and the firm, lithe outlines of her tense
body. He smiled, feeling certain that nothing now could come between
him and the object of his desire.
“So that’s final, is it?” he at length asked.
“It is,” was the firm reply.
“Well, then you’ll have to put up with the result. You are mine, and by
G--, nothing can keep you from me.”
He sprang suddenly forward as if to seize her. But Zell was watching,
and quick as a cat she leaped aside, eluded his grasp, and sprang out
upon the trail. With an angry oath, the man dashed after her. At times
Zell glanced fearfully back, and noted that her pursuer was steadily
gaining upon her. At length, seeing that she could not escape by
flight, she suddenly stopped, wheeled, tore the revolver from her bosom
and fired. With a yell of pain the man dropped upon the trail. In an
instant he was on his knees, his revolver in his hand, blazing madly
and wildly at the girl, once more fleeing for her life. Only when the
firing ceased, and Zell was certain that she was at a safe distance,
did she venture to stop and look back. She could see Bill on the
trail, upon his hands and knees, creeping, so it seemed to her, back to
the fire. She breathed a sigh of relief, and tucked the revolver away
in the bosom of her dress. A smile of triumph overspread her face as
she thought of Bill’s defeat, and the unexpected outcome of his plans.
She was glad, though, that she had not killed him. But she must have
wounded him severely to cause him to cry out as he did, and give up the
pursuit.
The smile of triumph, however, passed swiftly from her face as she
realised the difficult position in which she was placed. She must
get back to the white woman as soon as possible. But she did not
dare to return by the trail, for that would mean passing close to
the man she had defied and wounded. He would make short work of her,
she was certain, should she come within range of his revolver. The
only plan left was to leave the trail, and circle around toward her
own camping-place. She believed that she could do this without great
difficulty, for most of the time she could travel among the big trees
where the snow would not be so deep. If she only had her snow-shoes it
would be an easy matter. She knew how anxious the nurse must be about
her, so she was anxious to get back as soon as possible.
With another glance to make sure that Bill was not following her, she
left the trail, plunged through the snow, and headed for the big trees
beyond. It took her some time to do this, for the snow was deep and at
times she was forced to stop and rest. But when she at last reached the
heavy timber she breathed a sigh of relief. She felt safer now, being
certain that it would not take her long to make her way to the camp.
The walking was much easier here, and she sped on her way, gliding
noiselessly among the great trees. Her only fear now was of wolves, and
she shuddered whenever she thought of the brutes which had attacked
them that night. She wondered who had shot them, and why he had not
made himself known. It could not have been Bill, as he would have said
something about it. No, it must have been someone else, and she racked
her brain in an effort to solve the mystery.
Although Zell was well accustomed to the trails, she knew very little
about travelling through a trackless forest. Her years of training at
the mission school had not prepared her for this phase of life. It was
one thing to bound behind a team of dogs along a well-beaten trail, but
it was an altogether different matter to find her way without a single
guiding mark. She did not realise this, however, as she sped forward,
expecting every minute to come in sight of the camp. She pictured the
joy upon the nurse’s face when she saw her, and what a story she would
have to tell.
After she had travelled for some time and the camping-place had not
been reached, she became somewhat anxious. She passed out of the
heavy timber and came to the side of a hill where the trees were
small and scarce. Here the snow was much deeper, making her progress
difficult. The moon was shining big and bright, so she could see for
some distance. Ahead, off to the left, was a thick wood, and there, so
she believed, she would find the nurse. When she reached the place she
was very weary, and could just drag herself out of the deep snow to
the foot of a large pine. After she had rested a while, she continued
on her way, moving slowly among the trees. Here there was little
light, for the moon was not able to brighten those sombre depths.
More anxious now than ever, she strained her eyes for sight of the
blazing fire, as she felt sure that the nurse would not allow it to go
out. How interminable seemed that forest. The cold was intense, and
notwithstanding her vigorous exercise, she shivered. She longed to lie
down and rest, but such a thing she did not dare to do, knowing full
well what that would mean.
At length, however, she was forced to sit down upon the root of a tree.
She knew now that she was lost, and the thought filled her heart with
terror. She had heard her father tell of men who had been lost in the
forest and had never been heard of again. Would the same thing happen
to her? she asked herself. No, it must not be. She would not die there
alone. She would struggle on, and fight her way out.
But she soon found what it really meant to carry out such a resolve. It
was a vast, desolate wilderness in which she was wandering, and she was
but a speck creeping among the crowding trees. An hour passed and still
Zell dragged forward her weary body. No longer was she the keen, active
girl who had left Big Chance but a short time before. Instead, she was
a pathetic creature, reaching out appealing arms, calling, ever calling
for aid which did not come. Once she had dropped upon her knees in the
snow and prayed earnestly for deliverance. She remembered that the
missionary had often told the girls at the school that God would hear
their prayers. She had prayed rather indifferently of late, but she now
prayed as she had never prayed in her life. It brought her some comfort
as she rose from her knees and staggered onward. But she could not make
much progress. She was completely bewildered. She knew that she could
follow her trail back, but she had not the strength. Ere long she
forgot even this as she floundered around in the snow. Strange noises
sounded in her ears. She was sure that she heard the howling of wolves,
and she shivered with fear. At times she was fighting with an imaginary
enemy, and again shouting at the top of her voice. All sense of time
and place was blotted out for her now as she stood knee-deep in the
snow. She did not heed the merciless cold, nor the desolation of her
surroundings. She was in another world of strange fancies. Sometimes
she was with Tim, calling him endearing names, or pleading with him to
come to her. Then she was at the mission school, talking and laughing
with her companions.
But this excitement only tended to weaken her already tired body. Ere
long her knees gave way beneath her. She sank upon the snow, and made
no effort to rise. And there she lay, babbling of other days, while the
pitiless cold struck deeper and deeper into her chilled body.