Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-01-07

CHAPTER VIII.
I'M HEN Thorpe nnally came to
IW himself he was In Q long.
IV bright, clean room, and the
~ sunset was throwing splashes
Of light on the ceiling over his head.
He watched them idly for o time.
then turned on his pillow. At once he
perceived a long, double row Of clean
white painted iron beds, on which lay
or sat figures Of men. Other figures Of
women glided here and there noiseless.
". They wore long, spreading dove
gray clothes. with starched white
kerchief drawn over their shoulders
and across the breast. Their beads
were quantity white. garbed in stiff
winglke colts, fitting close about the
oval Of the face. Then Thorpe sighed
comfortably and closed his eyes and
blessed the chance that he had bought
a hospital ticket Of the agent who had
visited camp the month before. For
these were sisters, and the young man
lay In the hospital Of st. Mary.
Like q great many other charities
built on q common sense, self support
ing. rational basis, the woods hospitals
are under the Roman Catholic church.
From one Of the numerous agents who
periodically visit the camps the lufn.
Der Jack purchases for So . tickst
which admits him at any time during
the year to the hospital, where he 10
privileged to remain free Of further
charge until convalescent. So valuable
are these institutions and 50 excellent
~ are they maintained by the sisters
that a hospital agent IL always wei.
come even in those camps from which
ordinary peddlers and insurance men
are rigidly excluded.
In one Of these hospitals Thorpe lay
for six weeks suffering from q severe
conclusion Of the brain. At the end of
the fourth bis fever had broken, but
he was pronounced as yet too weak to
be moved.
The roofs were covered with snow.
One day Thorpe saw 1t 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 a night the blue disappeared from
the stream. 1t became a 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:" he asked Of the
sister.
"The elevent' Of March"
isn't 1t early for the thaw|"
'I.isten to 'imw exclaimed the sister
delightedly. EARLY. is it. Sure tn
freshct cot them all. Look. darlint;
ye can see the drive from here"
II see," said Thorpe YEARLY. when
can I get out?'
mot for wan week." replied the els.
ter decidedly.
At the end Of the week Thorpe said
goodby to his attendant. He took two
days OF tramping the little town to re-
gain the use Of his legs and boarded
the morning train for Bceson Lake. He
did not pause in the village, but bent
his steps to the river trail.
He followed the trail by the river.
Buttcrballs 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
Railway was still in camp. which
meant, Of course. that the seasons oper.
atoms were not finished. Five miles
farther Thorpe began to wonder wheth.
er this last conclusion might not te er'
foneous. The Cass branch had shrunk-
en- almost to its original limits. The
drive must have been finished even this
early, for the stream in It's present con-
5tiOn would hardly float saw logs.
Thorpe. puzzled, walked on. At the
banking ground lie found empty skids.
Evidently the drive was over. And yet
even to Thorpe's ignorance it seemed
incredible that the remaining million
banked and driven during the short
time he had lain in the Bay City hos
pital. More to solve the problem than
in any hope Of work he set out for the
logging road
Another three miles brought him to
camp. 1t looked strangely wet and
sOdden and deserted. In fact, Thorpe
found a bare half dozen people in it
Railway. the cook and four men who
were helping to pack up the movables.
The jobber showed strong traces OF
the strain he had undergone, but greet
ed Thorpe almost jovially.
Hello, young man." he shouted at
Thorpe's mud splashed figure. Come
back to view the remains? All we'll
again, heigh? That's good.'
II didn't know you were through"
explained Thorpe, land l came to see
IL could get job"
well. now, l am sorry. cried Rad
way. You can turn in and help.
though. II You want to-
Thorpe greeted the cook and old Jack
son Hines the only two whom he
knew. and set to work to tic up bun
dies OF blankets and to collect axes.
peavies and tools of all descriptions.
That evening tho seven dinsd together
at one end of the long table. The big
room exhaled already the atmosphere
OF desertion.
Not much like old times. Is shes"
laughed Radway. Cant you lust shut