Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-11

lear cut. initiative English, a pause
between ench sentence.
II find trail three men," said he.
Both dam. three men. One man 20
Down river. Those men have cork
boot. One man no have cork boot. He
boss"
The Indian suddenly threw his chin
put, his head back, and half closed his
fyes in cynical squint. As by a flash
Dyer, the scaler, leered insolently from
behind the Indians stolid mask.
How do you known said Thorpe.
For answer the Indian threw his
bhoulders forward in Dyer's nervous
Fashion.
"He make trail big by the toe, light
BY the heel. He make trail big on in
bidc."
Charley arose and walked after Dy-
PRS springy fashion, illustrating his
point in the soft wood ashes Of the
immediate fireside.
Thorpe looked doubtful II believe
you are right. Charley" said he. But
is mighty little to go OH. You can't
be sure"
Il sure" replied Charley.
He puffed strongly at the heel Of his
smoke, then arose and without farewell
disappeared in the forest.
Then began the wonderful struggle
against circumstances which has be-
tome byword among river men every
where. A forty day drive had to 30
put in ten. A freslet had to float out
PO,OOO.OOO feet of logs. 1t was tremen-
1ous. Fourteen, sixteen. sometimes
plghteen hours day the men of the
1riving crew worked like demons.
Jams had no chance to form. OF
tourse under the pressure the lower
lam had gone out. Nothing was to be
depended on but sheer logged grit.
Far UP river Sadler & Smith had hung
their drive for the season. and so had
resigned themselves to definite but
not extraordinary loss. Thorpe had at
enst clear river
Wallace Carpenter could not under.
stand how human flesh and blood ell.
iured The men themselves had long
since reached the point Of practical
exhaustion. but were carried through
by the fire Of their leader Work was
logged until he stormed into sight;
then 1t became frenzied When he
ooked Mt a man from his cavernous.
burning eyes. that man jumped.
Impossibilities were puffed aside like
fhistles. The men went ut them head
long. They gave way before the rush.
Thorpe always led. Not for single
Instant Of the day nor for many at
hight was he at rest. Instinctively he
seemed to realize that n let down
would mean collapse.
After the camp had fallen asleep he
would often lie awake half of the few
hours Of their night. every muscle
tense, staring at the sky. His mind
saw definitely every detail of the sit
(lation as he had viewed it. In advance
bis imagination stopped and sweated
romplish the next morning. Thus he
lid everything twice. Then Mt last the
tension would relax. He would fall
INTO uneasy sleep. But twice that did
hot follow. Through the dssolving
ron mist of his striving sharp
thought cleaved like an arrow. 1t was
that, after all, he did not care. Sub
consciousness, the other influence, was
growing like weed. Perhaps there
were greater things than to succeed.
greater things than success. And then
the keen, poignant memory of the
dream girl stole into the young mans
mind and in agony was Immediately
thrust forth. He would not think of
her. He had given her up. He refus-
I'd to believe that he had been wrong.
n the still darkness of the night he
would rise and steal to the edge Of the
hully roaring stream. There, his eyes
blinded and his throat choked with
longing more manly than tears, he
would reach out and smooth the round
Rough coats Of the great logs.
well do IT," lie whispered to them
and to himself. well do It. We can't
be wror~'
no RE CONT NI-EDN