Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-03-20

yon. The grade was down all the
way to the opening and the inlet
made up close TO the hills. Nothing
easier than TO swing the great red.
wood sections on the waiting freight.
er and transport them to Monterey
where the cheap Jap laborers could
put on the finishing polish, convert
huge slabs OF rough timber to shin.
ing monolithic table tops-for that
was his scheme, round tables, such
as King Arthur would have envied
Already his friends-artists, dec.
orators and millionaires in the coun.
try places, had filed his pocket with
orders, and he could clear up a tidy
little sum which he needed sadly
One acquisition he made, however,
upon which he had not coHnted-the
Drvad. He first saw her the day he
brought up his men and tools and set
them TO building shacks by the spring
side. She advanced TO meet him from
the trunk OF giant sequoia, with Q
hesitating, nervous step, paused some
ten feet away and observed him. In
turn he scrutinized her singular per
son. She was tall and sinewy, and
her powerful shoulders were draped
in an old Spanish shawl of Chinese
crepe-a black ground embroidered
in colors-a tattered skirt of dark
silk hung below, and was gathered
full at the waist after the ante-bel.
lum fashion OF California. The Dry
ads face was haunting, white and
hard like ivory. but cut by a strange
ly scarlet mouth that made sudden
dash Of color in its pallid oval. Black
eyes that burned slumberously drew
down waXen lids to hide their fire,
and black brows met in a straight
line over a thin aquiline nose. Der
ringer looked, and his flesh erawled.
She continued to watch him in silence.
He wet his lips thrice, and then man
aged at last TO speak.
"Who are you-and what do you
want?'
Il am Carmelita," she answered, in
Spanish. what are you come for?"
"The timber" he answered, rough
": "what business is that of yoursP'
She looked at him sullenly. What
for? You cannot move them; they
are fast as the hills-and they do not
wish to 60"
He shrugged his shoulders and
turned away She took step nearer
ITO cut them?" she asked, in a
hushed voice.
Again the uncanny culver shook
/ him.
ayes. what else? You don't expect
me TO pull them up by the roots, do
your
She looked up at the stately height
of the tree beside her, rising massive
and tall as a cathedral spire till i
seemed to uphold the blue tent Of
sky. far above in the rift of the
CANYON. She shook her head. "1ou
had better go away, man, she said
calmly. They will never let you.
have lived with them for years, and
know them. Go away before they
show their strength" DerringeT
stood still for a moment, then has
tened off to camp with an uneasy
beating in his usually placid heart
The mad woman-for mad she I'M
doubtedly was-moved his magma
tion strangely. The Dryad turned
slowly retraced her steps to the Sc
ouoia. stepped inside the hollow al
its roots. and disappeared Later u
the evening Derringer saw a thin hnt
of smoke climbing upward along the
rougb bark walls of her dwelling
Evidently the tree was her home.
The timber contractor, though
n,,reen - was no tenderfoot. He knew
enough of the surprises of Cahfornia
life 10 expect strange things Of th'
, neonle he encountered-dwellers NJ
Inaccessible canyons, or on the edg'
OF the sage brush deserts. He hae
met boarv old men a hundred miles
from civilization who talked Emer
, son and Plato with him, and had en-
, copntered more than one beautifu
on5 refined woman recluse, ruling
: tinv ranch in the very heart Of th'
! ooast range. But this woman, whom
= he could not help calling The Dry
r sdr was a new and disconeertins
I t,ne However, he was bodily tire'
] NAT night and so slept and forgot.
T The next morning, bright and ear
= II the great 15-foot, flexible stee
a sars we're uncrated, the finest red
4 wood tree was surrounded by scar
e folding some 20 feet from the ground
}. - The work of destruction was De
cun in earnest. Derringer though
70 more Of the strange woman OF ne
: n~.5ictions. But at noon, when tn.
- rested. ate their bacon and hard
tack. drank bad whisky and water
and snapped stories, they were suo
-,sted nv the appearance o