The National tribune., 1902-10-23
CHAPTER XVI.
THE BLAZING ARROW.

u-S
show that it had not escaped his notice.
1t be long perambuiation, lad, ana
I've noticed that it's agi natur to fast
over long. and how is a man going to
break his fast with an empty wallet!
In that narrow valley the sun had made
a two-hours' start on its daily journey be-
fore it peeped over the crags into the little
openipr at the feet of the Old Man of
the Mountains. and it was midday before
the scout signitied that he was ready to
start.
'.There be signs o Storm" he declar-
ed, but mebbe we can reach the outer
rim O the gate before it gets here. L
much pre-. ar TO look down to it than up
in this narrer wedge o country"
With these words he started. very much
to the surprise of Harwood. in the direc-
ton of the mountains above them.
"You cannot think of getting out of tins
corner by going this way!' he asked IN
surprise. "You did not come this way:
''Nay, lad; but l trust you do not think
me like a river that runs only one way.
''But it must indeed require sure feet
and strong limbs-stronger than mine, L
fear-to scale the mountain wall in this
direction
"Didst ever see yard without its gate,
lad? The gate to this opens above us
How dark the old mans face grows. as #
he was displeased at tie sight o the
storm. Less l read the signs wrong.
there's going to be regular sweeping up
o. the clouds in leetle while
Without further comment he led the
way up the narrowing valley, which as
they advanced seemed to be tapering to
point, as if the mountain ridges on either
hand had crushed a living creature. the
air grew heavier and more oppressive,
while overhead the gloom of the situation
was intensified by the blackened heads
IL. ,aIz, ftnrn hn
west. Eden HarwoOd, who could not
throw off an impression of gloomy
thoughts, kept close beside his companion
in silence. In the midst of this solemn
stiffness the angry scream of Il lonely eagle
broke on the air, and as if this had awak-
ened other denizens of the scene, overhead
the shrill note of the hawk answered, this
in turn followed by the dismal croaking
of a COW who seemed to be watching
from the utmost stem of blasted pine the
approach of the storm.
BY this time the lonely twain had
reached the point in the huge formed on
the landscape by the mountains, where
further progress appeared to be completely
stopped Through the foliage on their
right hand came the glimmer of small
pool of water, whose boundaries We're
the fir-clad mountain walls, here and there
thrusting into sight shoulder of jagged
rock.
''The old Indian trail is on our left"
remarked the Forester, speaking for the
first time since they had left their camp
ing-place. 1T runs between that peak on
the right and the Old Mans shoulder, and
it be goodish climb, but will save us
more'n days perambulation in return
ing to the lower end O the range. An
ole chief, long since gone ON his long trail
to the happy hunting grounds, first blaZed
the path for me, and I've come this way
since, when l wanted to save many hard
footed mile O. trail"
By this time they were ascending the
upgrade, and never had it seemed to young
Harwood that he felt a more delightful
sensation than that he now experienced
as he climbed, step by step, the gap in
the brOken-down wall between the noun
tain ranges.
Looks IS if some giant had tipped
down some o the rocks here so he could
get through" said the Forester. "See
how he piled 'em up On either side. The
reds have a purity conceit about two big
hills once meeting here and pelting each
other with these stones, until their ances-
tors, the mountains, stopped 'em by crush
ing 'em with their feet. Hast marked the
change in the atmosphere, lad, how the
foot grows lighter with each step? If sich
be the way o life, and ne'er have the
knack o disputing sich an argument, the
upward path must be the easiest and
safest. l always feel when I'm in a val
ley, especially if it be sich as we have
Just left, that it neer be strange the lowly
in life find it so difficult to rise. The in
fuence O. evil comrades be like the atmos-
phere, which tends to hold one down.
But here is sight to cheer the low
spirited. Behold the great basin O. the
north, the Vale O. Coos" declared the
speaker, swinging his left arm slowly
around in indication Of the scene unfold
ed to their gaze.
The panorama of the country was com
paratiyely level, depressing slightly in the
center. if anything, but reaching toward
the three points of the compass farther
than the eye could survey an unbroken
flooring of dark-green formed by the ming
ling crests of innumerable pines, which had
given name to the vast tract 1t is true.
here and there some sheet of water or
stream relieved the somber hue of the
surface, but from out of the depths OF that
great wilderness not q wreath of smoke
tinted the hazy horizon, or sign of man
appeared on the view of the beholders.
The Forester, anticipating the thoughts
OF his companion, said in his loquacious
manner of speech:
"Ay, lad, it be goodish bit O. country.
where once the Lone Hunter O. the red
men is s posed to have trailed the sacred
deer, and where the red man himself de-
iishted In the amaZement o the chase. But
the smoke o his Judgement has vanished.
and the trail o his moccasin has been
washed out by the Summer rain While
the white man has not biazed his path into
this debatablc ground, he is sure to
pefambulate here ere long; but be the time
long or short, the last council fire O. tbe
plumed pagans has died out, and never
more viii it be kindled in the vale O. the
sacred deer. The pines, as their simple
tales foretold, have outlived 'em. but the
echo o the death-song o. the red will be
answered by the death-knell O. the lofty
pine, from the woodsman's AK 1t be the
great unwritten law, lad. that the light
skin shall win oer the dark, just as the
light o day drives away the shades o.
night. But the marching feet O. conquest
trampie under foot the flowers o. natur'.
believe it, lad, l swan / do. First the
mist, with its mystery: then the rocks,
with their barrenness; the soil, filled with
promise; the plant, the first fruition o.
life; the dusky sons o the forest, the first
born o natur'; the white man, with the
qualities O. all the others; who or what
comes next it be not for me to trail.
Aweel, nows me, how fast the storm
has come up; faster than we climbed the
pass. You'll soon feast your sight on an
amazement worth all your climbing mn
here, did you have no other aim in view.
!tll be war O natur', where man can
but stand helpless and amazed, feeling his
own iIttleness. See the slender spires o.
the pines bow before the vanguard @ the
gaze. Soon the forest kings will feel the
lash O legions o drivers that know neither
mercy nor human law. Down in the val
ley We stood DER the battle-ground O. rival
races, where their last drop o. blood was
spilled in the foolish vanity q chiefs
pound 10 rule or ruin. Up here we shall