Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-15

HN weeks and was constant Joy
 to Thorpe Thorpe liked the
 boy because he was open heart ed, free from affectation, assumptive of no superiority in short, because he was direct and sincere. Wallace, on his part, adored in Thorpe the free, open air life, the adventurous quality, the quiet, hidden power, the resource fulness and the self suficiency of the pioneer. He did anything at all. He accepted Thorpe for what he thought him to be rather than for what he might think him to be.
 Little by little the eager questions of the youth extracted full statement of the situation. He learned of the timber thieves up the river, of their present operations and their probable plans, of the valuable pine lying still unclaimed, of Thorpe's stea1thy raid into the enensy's country.
 Why. it's great! It's better than any book. ever readi''
 He wanted to know what he could do to help.
 Nothing except keep quiet,Y replied Thorpe. You mustn't try to act any different. If the men from up river come by, be just as cordial to them as you can and don't act mysterious and Important"
 'sAll right, agreed Wallace, bubbling with excitement And then what do you do after yeu get the timber esti- matedg''
 tT'll go south and try, quietly, to raise some money. That will be difa- cult because, you see, people don't know me, and I am not in position to let them look over the timber. Of course it will be merely question of my Judgment They can go themselves to the land office and pay their money. There won't be any chance of my mak- ing way with that. The investors will become possessed of certain 'descrip- tions' lying in this country, all right enough. The rub is, Will they have enough confidence in me and my judg- ment to believe the timber to be what I represent itY'
 T see. commented Wallace, sudden ly grave.
 Harry said he that evening, with crisp decision new to his voice, twill you take little walk with me down by the dam? want to talk with you"
 They strolled to the edge of the bank and stood for moment looking at the swfrling waters.
 T want you to tell me all about log ging," began Wallace. Start from the beginning. Suppose, for instance what would be your first mover
 They sat side by side on log, and Thorpe explained. The excitement of war was in It. When he had finished, Wallace drew a deep breath.
 "When am home,' said he simply, sI live in a big house on the Lake Shore drive. It is heated by steam and lighted by electricity. I touch a but ton or turn screw and at once am lighted and warmed. At certain hours meals. are served me. don't know how they are cooked or where the ma terials come from Since leaving col iege I have spent little time down town every day, and then I've played golf or tennis or ridden a horse in the park. We do little limitations of the real thing with blue ribbons tied to them and think we are camping or roughing it. This life of yours is glo- rious. is vital; it means something in the march of the world"
 The young fellow spoke with unex- Eected swiftness and earnestness Thorpe looked at him in surprise.
 "I know what you are thinking, said the boy, flushing. You are sur prised that I can be in earnest about anything"
 Thorpe watched him with sympa- thetic eyes, but with lips. that obsti- nateIy refused to say one word.
 T left college at nineteen because my father died.' Wallace went on T ana now just twenty-one. A large es- tate descended to me, and I have had to care for its investment all alone. have one sister; that is all.
 So have r cried Thorpe and stop naas