The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-12-06

but for this breach she might never have
known how dear he was to her, nor how
little she valued the superfuities of life
in comparison. Well, one of the three
was to return before the winters season
of logging began, in order to lay IN pro
visions for the camp-as they had only
taken up enough for week or ten days
and perhaps Ben would be the one to
come; in which case he could hardly
avoid bringing her some word of her
father and uncle, And then who could
predict but he might think it worth his
while to reiterate his love in his eloquent
style? And then Louisa laughed wick
edly at the prospect, and decided that if
he was enough in love to do thus and
thus, it would be safe for her beyond a
peradventure to take her own time about
making up, to show a supreme indiffer-
ence to his regard. No more heart than
an adder, indeed! What was it, then,
that ached so day after day, as the dull,
cold November wind sighed about the
house and touched the neighboring pines
into @olian harps, and swept up the dead
leaves only to scatter them again? Why
was it she was always straining her eyes
down the frost-whitened country road?
And what was it that trembled in her
bosom whenever speck appeared
against the frosty sky? But Louisa had
reckoned without her host. Ben was
not the man who was fond of reiterating
a love that had been so coldly received.
He didn't mean to leave the woods till
March, if he could hold out so long.
Moreover, it was Mr.. Bruce himself who
proposed to go back with the OK team
and bring the supplies and hire the
men.
81 don't feel quite right about the
head" said he. "and I want Louisa to
cosset me. Then I'll go out to Shopton
and see Scales & Weight about the
supplies, and be back before you and ST
have eatup all this ere victuals."
"All right, sir" said Ben, smothering
a twinge of disappointment which he
wouldn't own to himself. "We1l get
the hovel ready for the cattle while you
are off, and take tramp through the
woods and spot the best timber for fell
ing"
There's enough to do" said Uncle
Simon. you'll be back in five DAYS.
say?"
If I'm lucky. How's the stores,
Good for week, I should say, such
as they are. But the sooner YOU get
back the better. It'll be sight easier
for you if you can manage to get up be-
fore heavy snow comes. You see, we
haven't had anything but spits yet.
though maybe we're going to hev an
open winter"
cay, ay," answered Mr. Bruce, as he
drove off through the woods with the OK
team. Provisions for week, ell?
That'll tide We over, I reckon. There's
a sight of work to be got through within
a weeks time. There's the supplies to
be got, and the hands to be hired; let
me see-fve cutters, two teamsters, and
a cook; that's about it, and to hev 'em
ready to start when I do, and amt so
young as was. Heyday, it's rub and
grind lumberman's life is!'
Alas! there was more work to be got
ten through within a weeks time than
Mr.. Bruce had an inkling of; so much
that it ran over into the next week. as
work has trick of doing,
When Louisa saw that it was only her
old father trudging along with hereturn
ing OK team her mercury went down to
zero in half a second She saw before
her a weary three months of loneliness
and longing, and she saw, too, that she
deserved it.
'It's deuced cold day for an old
man" said Mr.. Bruce, shivering be-
fore the wood fire, as if there should
have been special sets of weather Great
ed to suit customers. Whats that
you've got cooking on the crane, Lu?
Stew? | amt got no more appetite than
bear in August. Brindle and Trot
were slow as cold molasses; they've seen
their best days, reckon. like their mas
ter. Wish I'd snapped 'em to Dunn for
the yearlings and boot; it would hev bin
good bargain. 81 sent his love to you,
Lu. I've got cold. I reckon I'll turn
in and sleep it off.
'"They oughtn't have let you come"
said Lu, Indignantly, as she carried him
bottle of hot water for his feet "Un-
Gle ST or Ben ought to have come in
stead"
sit want their fault; thought that
| could drive better bargain with the
hands. Ben said he'd come in my place,
but his heart wa MT set on it." which as
surance in no wise comforted Louisa.
Mr.. Bruce was restless all night, and
in the morning was out of his head, and
didn't know his right hand from his left,
and called Louisa Ben, and asked grand
ma to put the oxen into the cart, mistak-
ing her for Uncle Simon. And Louisa,
half frightened to death, jumped upon
old Roan's back and galloped all the way
to Shopton for the nearest doctor
"Ahem! Nothing more nor less than
a fever" said he, the instant he laid
eyes on Mr.. Bruce
''Is he dangerous?" asked Louisa.
Dangerous? Oh, I guess he'll pull
through. I'll leave this prescription,
and be around tomorrow. There's Mr..
Maverick, of the etavern-Maverick' tav-
ern, at our place-had the same symp-
toms week ago, and he's about to-day.
There's no telling about these things;
different constitutions take diseases diff
ferently. Atleast, you needn't be alarm
ed at present. Good morning" with an
emphasis on the good. Louisa thought
1t was anything but good morning, af
ter the comfort of his professional pres
ence was withdrawn. But the next day
her father was no better, nor the next,
though the doctor assured her that he
was doing as well as could be expected,
whatever that might be-
Louisa was too busy, and weary with
watching and nursing, cooking and look
ing after the house, and seeing to grand
mas cold, and keeping order and quiet
among the children, to take note of the
sick mans delirious words, though he
was constantly talking about the camp,
villas