Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-04-16
CHAPTER xXIY.

CHAPTER XIV.
|1OR moment they sat listening
"a to the clear staccato knocking
III of the distant blows and the
more forceful thuds of the
man nearer at hand.
what are they doing? Are they cut
ting lumber?" asked Hilda.
NO" answered Thorpe; 1--WE do not
cut saw logs at this time Of year. They
are clearing out road
"Where does 1t go to?"
"Well, nowhere in particular-that
is, it is logging road that starts at
the river and wanders up through the
woods where the pine is"
How clear the axes sound. l would
| like to know more about it, she sigh
ed, a quaint little air of childish petu-
lance craving two lines between her
eyebrows. DO you know, Harry, you
are singularly uncommunicative sort
| Of a being. l have to guess that your
life is interesting and picturesque.
Sometimes I think you are not nearly
poet enough for the life you are liv-
ing. Why, you are wonderful, you
men of the north, and you let us ordi-
nary mortals who have not the gift Of
divination imagine you entirely occu-
pied with how many pounds OF iron
chain you are going to need during the
| winter" She said these things lightly,
as one who speaks things not for seri-
GUS belief.
at is something that way" he
agreed, with a laugh.
"Sit there" she breathed very soft
ly, pointing to the dried needles on
which her feet rested.
He obeyed.
"Now tell me-" she breathed, still IN
!. the fascinated monotone.
"What?" he inquired.
"Your life; what you do; all about 1t
} You must tell me story"
Thorpe settled himself more lazily
| and laughed with quiet enjoyment.
!. s"The story of the woods" he began
5 e'the story of the saw log. 1twould take
n bigger man than I to tell it. doub
If any one man ever would be big
I enough. 1t is dream, struggle,
t battle. Those men you hear there ar
only the skirmishers extending thu
e firing line. I'll have to hurry now II
r get those roads done and a certain
|, creek cleared before the snow. Thel
IL we'll have to keep on the keen move .
1 finish our cutting before the deep snow
n to haul our logs before the sprin
= thaws, to float them down the rive
l. while the freshet water lasts. Whe'
s we gain q day we have scored vic
k tory, when the wilderness puts US bac
k an hour we have suffered defeat"
The girl placed her hand on his shou
Ger. He covered it with his own.
"But we winv he cried. 1--WE win"
'That is what like" she said softl,
"the strong spirit that wins" She hes
| tated, then went on gently: II weI
walking yesterday morning before 70
came over, and after awhile l foun
| myself in the most awful place-tt
| stumps of trees, the dead branches, IL
\ trunks lying all about and the glarin
hot sun over everything. Harry, thel
A was not single bird in all that vast
a a single green thing" She seized h
\ fingers in her other hand. "Harry," 81
| said earnestly, II don't believe CO
| ever forget that experience any mo
| than 1 could have forgotten battl
i field were l to see one
\ The man twisted his shoulder unea
| lily and withdrew his hand.
| Harry" she said again after
S pause, "you must promise to leave tt
n woods until the very last. l suppose
must all be cut down some day, but
U do not want to be here to see after it
N all over Men do not care much I
NJ man can feel the value Of great bea
N tiful keepsake such as this, can't
7 dear? Our meeting place-do you.
member how I found you down the
by the old pole trail staring as thou
you had seen ghost? 1t must alwa
be our most sacred memory. Prom
me me you will save it until the very, We
re, last"
OF Thorpe remained silent.
on In selecting the districts for the S
I've sons cut he had included in his e.
i'm mates this very grove. Other bodies
timber promising return Of $40,
ties, were not to be found near the riN
gin and time now lacked for the cutting
be roads to more distant forties.
out "Hilda," he broke in abruptly at Ii
/ "the men you hear are clearing r
of to this very timber"
For What do you mean?" she asked.
old "Ths timber is marked for cult
Just this very winter"
luse She had not suspicion Of the
ins. state of affairs "Isn't it lucky sp
get of it, she exclaimed. "You must
,een to it today. now"
, do She sprang up impulsively and ST