The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-05-17
By
RALPH
common
CHAPTER I.


HS5-sSI good, deal to Leslie Graeme
k<xsJ that Y found myself In the
heart OF the Selkirks for my Christmas
eve as the year 1882 was dying. II had
been my plan to spend my Christmas
far away in Toronto with such boz
hemian and boon companions as could
be found In that cosmopolitan and
kindly city. But Leslie Graeme chang
ed all that, for. discovering me In the
village OF Black Rock, with my traps
all packed, waiting for the stage TO
start for the Landing, thirty miles
away, he bore down upon me with re
sistless force. and | found myself re-
covering from my surprise only after
we had gone I'm his lumber sleigh some
six miles on our way 10 his camp up in
the mountains. ! was surprised and
much delighted, though l would not
allow him TO think so. TO find that his
old time power over me was still there.
He could always in the old varsity
days-dear. wild days-make me do
what he liked He was so handsome
and so reckless, brilliant In his class
work and the prince OF halfbacks on
the Rugby field and with such power
OF fascination as would extract the
heart out OF n wheelbarrow," as Barney
Lundy used TO say. And thus il was that
found myself Just three weeks later
was to have spent two or three days
on the afternoon of the 9th of Deem
Der. standing In Graeme's Lumber
Camp No. q wondering at myself. But
did not regret my changed plans, for
in those three weeks I had raided a
cinnamon bears den and had Weakened
up grizzly. But shall let the grizzly
finish the tale. He probably sees more
humor in II than |.
The camp stood in a little clearing
and consisted OF a group Of three long,
low shanties, with smaller shacks near
them. all built of heavy. unhewn logs,
with door and window in each The
grub camp. with cook shed attached,
stood in the middle OF the clearing; nj
a little distance was the sleeping camp
with the Office built against IT, and
about a hundred yards away on the
other side OF the clearing stood the
stables and near them the smiddy. The
mountains rose grandly on every side
throwing up their great peaks into
the sky. The clearing In which the
camp stood was hewn out OF denst
pine forest that filled the valley and
climbed half way up the mountain
sides and then frayed out in scattered
and stuntcd trees.
Ii was one OF those wonderful Cana
dian winter days. bright and with Q
touch OF sharpness In the air that dit
not chill. but warmed the blood like
drafts OF wine. The men We're UP II
the woods. and the shrill scream OF th'
bluejay flashing across the open th'
impudent chatter OF the red squire
from the top Of the grub camp and th'
pert chlrp OF the whisky jack hopping
about on the rubbish heap with I'M
long. lone cry OF the wolf far down th'
valley. only made the silence felt TIT
more
AS ! stood drinking in with nll rn
soul the glorious beauty and sl '-' q
mountain and forest, with the .+ 81
mas feeling stealing into me Grarm
came out from hits gC,cc and, catchin
sight OF me, called out, "Gloriou
Christmas weather, old chapw an
then. coming nearer "Nlust you go e
morrow
II fear So" ! replied knowing we
that the Christmas feeling was on hiT
too
Il wish I were going with you h
said quietly.
turned eagerly 20 persuade him. hr
M the look OF suffering IN his face tl
words died on my lips, for We bot
were thinking OF the awful night {
horror when all his bright, brilliaf
life crashed down about him IN hlac
ruin and shame / could only throw N
arm over his shoulder and stand silei
beside him sudden jingle Of bel
reused him and. giving himself lit
shake. he exclaimed:
There are the boys coming home
Soon the camp was filed with me
talking. laughing. chatting, like ligl
hearted boys.
"ThcNare little wild tonight" sal
GraemeV "and tomorrow they'n pail
Black Rock red"
Before many minutes had gone II
last teamster was washed up" and q
were standing about waiting imp
tientiy for the cooks signal-the su
per tonight was TO be something OF
few when the sound OF bells Dire
their attention TO light sleigh draw
by buckskln broncho coming dow
the hillside az great pace.
"The preacher. I'll bet, by his dri
ing" snid one Of the men.
"Bedad. and it's him has the Toll
nose for turkey" said Blaney, 600
naturcd Sovial Irishman.
"Yes. a FOR pay day, more ike
said Keefc. a black browcd vilIalno
fellow countryman OF Blaney's AZ
strange TO say. his great friend.
Big sandy McNnughton, 2 Canadii
highlander from Glengnrry rose up
wrath. "B'll Keefc." said he with