The Yale expositor., 1904-10-21
CHAPTER III.

E~1HORPE was awakened long
time before daylight by the
ringing of q noisy bell. He
dressed, shivering, and STUN
bled downstairs to the round stove, big
as n boiler, into which the cripple
dumped huge logs of wood from time
TO time. After breakfast Thorpe re-
turned to this stove and sat h;tA doing
for what seemed to him untold ages.
The cold of the northern country was
initiating him.
Men came in, smoked n brief pipe
and went out. After time he himself
put on his overcoat and ventured out
into the town. II seemed to Thorpe
meager affair, built of lumber, mostly
implanted. with always the dark, men,
acing fringe Of the forest behind. The
great sawmill, with its tall stacks and
its rows of water barrels-protection
against fire-on top, was the dominant
note. Near the mill coughed little
red painted structure from whose stove
pipe q column of white smoke arose,
attesting the cold, q clear hundred feet
straight upward, and to whose door a
number of men were directing their
steps through the snow. Over the door
Thorpe could distinguish the word "Of-
fee" He followed and entered.
In narrow aisle rallied off from the
main part of the room waited Thorpe's
companions of the night before. The
rema4nder of the Office gave accommo-
dation to three clerks. One of these
glanced up inquiringly as Thorpe came
in.
81 am looking for work." said Thorpe.
"Wait there" briefly commanded the
clerk.
In q few moments the door of the
inner room opened and Shearer came
out. A mans head peered from within.
"Come on, boys" said he
The five applicants shuffled through.
Thorpe found himself in the presence
of a man whom he felt to be the natu-
raj leader of these wild, independent
spirits. He was already little past
middle life, and his form had lost the
elastic vigor OF youth. But his eye
was keen, clear and wrinkled to GER
tain dry righteousness, and his figure
was of that bulk which gives an i'm
preston of subtler weight and power
than the merely physical. You felt his
superiority even when he was most
comradely with you. This man Thorpe
was to meet under other conditions,
wherein the steel hand would more
plainly clink the metal
He was now seated in a worn Office
chair before q Uttered desk. In the
close air hung the smell of stale cigars
and the clear fragrance of pine.
"What is 1t, Dennis?" he asked the
first of the men.
'I've been out" replied the lumber
man. "Have you got anything for me,
Mr.. DAILY"
The mill owner laughed.
81 guess so. Report to Shearer. Did
you vote for the right man, DennyT
The lumberman grinned sheepishly.
81 don't know, sir. / didn't get that
far"
Better let it alone. / suppose you
and Bill want to come back tooT he
added, turning to the next two in line.
"All right; report to Tim. Do you
want wUiKE ne InquIreu uI tine iasL Oh
the quartet, big, bashful man, with
the shoulders Of Hercules.
Eyes, sir" answered the latter, I'M
comfortable.
"What do you want?"
I'm n cant hook man, sir"
where have you workedT
Il had job with Morgan e Steb-
bins on the Clear river last winter"
"All right; we need can't hook men.
Report at SEVEN and IL they don't
want you there go to thirteen
The man went cut. DAILY turned to
Thorpe with the last Gicksrs of amuse-
msnt In his pes.