Mower County transcript., 1904-06-01
CHAPTER xXIII.,

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-" 4 CHAPTER xx1I1. 9
lT1HoRPE returned to Camp One
III shortly after dark. He found
II III there q number Of: letters,
among which was one from
Wallace Carpenter. ..5...
After commencing the camping par
ty to his companions care the young
fellow went on to say that affairs were
going badly on the board.
"Some interest that l haven't been
able to make out yet has been ham
mering our stocks down day after
day." he wrote. II don't understand
it, for the stocks are good and intrin-
sically are worth more than is bid for
them right now. Some powerful con-
cern is beating them down for pur-
pose of it's own. Sooner or later they
will let up, and then We'll get things
back in good shape. l am amply pro-
tected now, thanks to you, and am not
at all afraid of losing my holdings.
The only difficulty is that am unable
to predict exactly when the other fel-
lows will decide that they have accom-
plished whatever they are about and
let up. 1t may not be before next year.
In that case couldn't help you out on
those notes when they come due. So
put in your best licks, old man. You
may have to pony up for little while,
though of course sooner or later I can
put it all back. Then, you bet your
life, I keep out of it. Lumbering's
good enough for yours truly
"By the way, you might shine up to
Hilda Farrand and join the rest of the
fortune hunters. She's got it to throw
to the birds and in her own right. Sc
riously, old fellow, don't put yourself
into false position through ignorance;
not that there is any danger to hard
ened old woodsman like you."
Thorpe went to the group Of pines by
the pole trail the following afternoon
because he had said he would, but with
a new attitude Of mind. He had come
into contact with the artifciality of
conventional relations, and it stiffened
him.
They sat down on log. Hilda turn
ed to him with her graceful air of con-
fdence.
"Now talk to me-" said she.
certainly" replied Thorpe in
practical tone of voice. what do you
want me to talk about1'' u .:
She shot swift, troubled glance at
him, concluded herself mistaken and
said:
'Tell me about what you do up here
your life-all about it,
SWELL" replied Thorpe formally. I'VE
haven't much to interest Il girl like
you. 1t is question of saw logs With
u.s." And he went on in his dryest.
most technical manner to detail the
process of manufacture. 1t might as
we'll have been bricks.
The girl did not understand. She
was hurt. AS surely as the sun tan
gled in the distant pine frond. she had
seen in his eyes a great passion. Now
it was coldly withdrawn.
''What has happened to your" she
asked finally out of her great sincerity.
''Me? Nothing" replied Thorpe.
A forced silence fell upon him. Hilda
seemed gradually to lose herself in rev.
erie. After time she said softly:
''Don't you love this woods?''
'Its an excellent bunch of pine,' re-
piled Thorpe bluntly. It'll cut 3O0O.-
600 at least"
"Oh!' she cried, drawing back, her
hands pressed against the log either
side Of her, her eyes wide.
. After moment she caught her breath
c0nvulsive9y, and Thorpe became con-
scious that she was studying him fur
lively with quickening doubt.
After that, by the mercy of God.
there was no more talk between them.
Unconsciously the first strain of oppo-
sition and Of hurt surprise relaxed.
Each thought vaguely his thoughts
Then in the depths of the forest, per-
haps near at hand, perhaps far away, Il
single hermit thrush began to sing. His
song was of three solemn, deep, liquid
notes, followed by slight rhetorical
pause as of contemplation, and then de-
AOcldlGly luEee uOleS more on q 0l1Eer-
ent key. It is the most dignified. the
most spiritual, the holiest Of woods ut
terances. Combined with the evening
shadows and the warm soft air It Of.
fered to the heart an almost irresistible
appeal. The mans artificial antago-s
nism modified, the woman's olsen
chantment began to seem unreal.
Then Suirly over and through the
bird song another sound became audi
ble.'E At first it merely repeated the
three notes. family like an echo, but
with rich, sad undertone that brought
tears. Then timfdly and still softly it
elaborated the theme, weaving in and
out through the original three the gilt
ter and simmer Of a splendid web Of
sound, spreading before the awakened
imagination a broad river Of woods i'm
aginary. that reflected on it's surface all
the subtler moods Of the forest. \ 81 "
4 With the first sigh of the wonder mu-
sic the girl had started and caught her
breath at the exquisite pleasure Of it.
As it went on they both forgot eyery-
thing hut the harmony and naol, ns,+l,nr