Canyon City news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1903-1908, 1904-12-02
1.-The Blazed Trail"
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he was pronounced as yet too weak to
be moved
The roofs were covered with snow.
One day Thorpe saw it sink into itself
and gradually run away The tinkle
tinkle tank tank of drops sounded from
his own caves Down the faroff river
sluggish reaches OF ice drifted. Then
in night the blue disappeared from
the stream II became n menacing
gray, and even from his distance
Thorpe could catch the swirl of its ris-
ing waters A day or two later dark
masses drifted or shot across the field
OF his vision. and twice he thought he
distinguished men standing upright
and bold on single logs as they rushed
down the current
What is the date?" be asked of the
sister.
The elevent of March"
isn't il early for the thaw?'
Listen 10 inn exclaimed the sister
deligbtedly Early, is it. Sure tn
freshet cot them all Look darlint;
We can see the drive from here"
Il see" said Thorpe YEARLY. When
can get out?''
Not for wan week" replied the sis
ter decidedly
At the end Of the week Thorpe said
goodbv To his attendant He took two
days of tramping the little town 10 re.
gain the use Of bis legs and boarded
the morning train for Beeson Lake. He
did not pause in the village. but bent
his steps to the river trail
He followed the trail BY the river.
Butterbalis and scoters padded up at
his approach Bits of rotten ice occa.
sionally swirled down the diminishing
stream. Around every bend Thorpe
looked for some of Railways crew
driving" the logs down the current
He knew from chance encounters with
several of the men in Bay City that
Railway was still in camp. which
meant. of course. that the seasons oper-
ations were not finished Five miles
farther Thorpe began TO wonder wheth.
er this last conclusion might not be er.
roneous. The Cass branch had shrunk-
en- almost TO its original limits The
drive must have been finished even this
early, for the stream in its present con-
dition would hardly float saw logs.
Thorpe, puzzled, walked on. At the
banking ground he found empty skids.
Evidently the drive was over. And yet
even TO Thorpe's ignorance it seemed
incredible that the remaining million
and half of logs had been hauled
banked and driven during the short
time lie had lain in the Bay City hos.
pital. More TO solve the problem than
In any hope of work lie set out for the
logging road.
Another three miles brought him 70
camp. 1t looked strangely wet and
sodden and deserted. In fact Thorpe
found bare half dozen people in it
the cook and four men who
we're helping TO pack up the movables.
The jobber showed strong traces OF
he strain be had undergone, but greet
ID Thorpe almost jovially
Hello. young mani he shouted at
rhorpe's mud splashed figure. Come
pack to view the remains? All well
gain. heigh? That's goodr'
81 didn't know you were through"
explained Thorpe. "and | came TO see
! could get job"
well. now. AIN sorry" cried Rad
way. You can turn In and help,
hough. II you want to-
Thorpe greeted the cook and old Jack
on Hines. the only two whom he
new. and set TO work to Tie up bun
les of blankets and to collect axes.
'eavies and tools of all descriptions.
hat evening the seven dined together
I one end OF the long table. The big
Dom exhaled already the atmosphere
Z desertion.
mot much like old times. is sheT'
iughed Railway. Cant you Just shut
our eyes and hear Baptiste say. Max
eem de soup one tam more for mer
he's pretty empty now"
Jackson Hines looked whimsically l
own the bare board. More room u
ian God made for geese 10 Ireland"
as his comment.
After supper they sat outside for U