The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1902-02-07


ing far enough from camp 20 0ave
their dinners sent out to them daily.
the two men, working always to
gether as the two best sawyers il
camp, were all but open enemies.
The fact that Angus McAdams had
several times returned from his week
ly visit to Brackhaven, the nearest
village, without a letter from Genie.
added fuel to the flame which tor
mented Archie. When Jonathan qui.
city reminded him that Sam Bailey
was staying at home for the winter
the jealous lover had much ado to
keep his hands off Jonathan. Then
came the day when a careless and
unskilled aX-man felled a tree in such
wise that one long limb swept jon
athan from his feet and sent him
spinning, and Archibald Brewster,
rendered unconscious, lay pinned to
the earth by another heavy bough.
They threw the stunned sawyer
across the back of q horse and hur-
ried to camp with him. Angus Nc
Adams, wise with much wood-knowl-
edge, declared that the wind was
only knocked outen him." and he
would be all right in a day or two.
But, the heart having already gone
out of Archie, under Genie's per-
sistent silence, the return of the
missing wind seemed impotent tc
restore him. The three-days' storm
which bore down upon them a week
later found him still tossing in his
bunk, sleeblessly in the nighttime,
shivering over the fire by day. The
third day of the storm was still suf-
ficiently severe to keep all the men
in the shanty. Toward evening big
Billie" the camp giant and humorist
organized the men into a company of
impromptu actors. burlesquing the
dance-parties so common in the home
regions.
All the men not dancing were or
dered to the hunks, for the sake of
room. Jonathan Newling, for the sake
of spite, occupied a portion of the bunk
under Archie's, and enjoyed himself
hugely, chattering easily of Genevieve
Dixon and past good times-most of
them wholly imaginary-enjoyed in
her company. Archie, at last enraged,
and half mad with irritation, leaped
from the bunk and insisted on fight
ing. He was all the more angry when
the other men interfered. "Big Billie"
sprang to the rescue of peace in most
fashion
Circle threes, in a gallop and waltz!"
he shouted, naming figure universally
popular in Muskoka. And, Selling
Archie with one hand and Jonathan
with the other, he whirled them around
with him. The noise of their ''waltz-
ing" and of the other mems amuse-
ment quite drowned the soft pounding
ofapprOachingh oof-beats. Jack Dixon,
younger brother to Genevieve, was in
among them, pale, half-frozen and
exhausted, before they had dreamed
of a visitor.
"Come quick, if you want to see Gene
alive, Archie" he gasped, Immediately.
she's terribly ill-sort of fever-and
Their doctor don't think she'll see to.
morrow. It's awful outside, but got
over somehow. 1 think you can ride
back"
Hands rough but kindly reached out
on all sides to encase Archie in his out
er garments. The boy Jack was sup
piled with whisky sufficient to kill him
twice inside of two minutes. When
Angus McAdams' best team came
around for Archie and to replace Jacks
exhausted Dobbin, Jonathan Newling
came, too, riding the horse borrowed
from a team-owning cousin. Straight.
over to Archie's shoulder he leaned.
tensely, and rested shaking hand on
the other mans shoulder.
''T'm goin' with We, "he said, in hoarse
excitement. 'It'll be wild night, an
ye're not over yer bruises yet. Their
lads dead weary, an know Their trail
better'n We both. An, Archie rails
ing his voice to hollow rumble, chat
was lie told We about Billions party,
and Gene goin' home with Sam Bailey
Both on 'em was sick that evenin', and
neither on 'em was nigh Their party at
all"
Archie made no answer; he was
dumb and dazed from the shock oil
Jacks nervous summons. Theboyhim.
self seemed to hear nothing. But
eager listeners nodded hearty approva,
of Jonathan's conduct, and Big Billie
shouted: 'Well done!"
Then off into the night and storm.
rode the three men together, off upon
the long journey which the good Con
rendered so miraculously safe ano
rapid. And never word was spoken
between them until Jonathan, who had
led the way and breasted the storm
all through it, refused to enter the
Dixon home.
"Tll come to the wedding breakfast,
instead" he called back, grimly, as his
tired horse plodded down the road.
For Genevieve's father had met them
at the gate with the news that the
girl was better, and it was Jonathan's
turn to feel sick at heart and dispirit.
ed as Archie hurried in to greet her.
But at the wedding breakfast Ger.
evieve noticed that he paid great
attention to the younger sister,