The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-03-10

"fll send Charley" drawled Thorpe.
"I'm busy now maxim traps" He
waved his pipe. calling attention to the
pine and rawhidc deadfalls.
They chatted q few moments. Then
two wagons creaked lurching BY, fol-
lowed by fifteen or twenty men. The
last OF these. evidently the foreman.
was Joined by the two scalers.
Injun Charley was setting about the
splitting Of cedar log.
you see" he remarked. II big
frien'"
In the days that followed Thorpe
Cruiscd about the great woods. 1t was
slow business. but fascinating He
knew that when he should embark on
his attempt to enlist considerable cap
ital in an "unsipht. unseen" invest
ment he would have to be well sup
piled with statistics.
First of all he walked over the coun-
try at large TO find where the best tim.
Der lay. This was matter Of tramp
ing. though often on an elevation he
succeeded In climbing tall tree
hNhNN bN NlVWS Vi
the country ut large. He always car
ried his gun with him and was pre-
pared at moments notice to seem en-
gagged in hunting.
Next he ascertained the geographical
location of the different clumps and
forests. entering the sections. the quar-
ter sections. even the separate forties.
In his notebook. taking in only the de
scriptions" containing the best pine.
Finally he wrote accurate notes con-
cerning the topography Of each and
every pine district-the lay OF the land,
the hills. ravines. swamps and valleys.
the distance from the river. the char
acter OF the soil. In short, he accumu-
lated all the information he could by
which the cost Of logging might be es-
timated.
For this he had really too little ex-
perience. He knew il. but determined
to dc his best. The weak point of his
whole scheme lay in that IL was going
TO be impossible for him to allow the
anime the pine. That difficulty Thorpe
hoped to overcome by inspiring per-
sonal confidence in himself. II he
failed to do 50 he might return with
land locker whom the investor trusted,
and the two could re-enact the comedy
Of this summer. Thorpe hoped, how.
ever, to avoid the necessity. He set
about rough estimate Of the timber.
One evening just at sunset Thorpe
was helping the Indian shape his craft.
The two men bent there at their task,
the dull glow Of evening falling upon
them. Behind them the knoll stood
out in picturesque relief against the
darker pines. The river rushed by
with a never ending roar and turmoil.
Through its shouting one perceived, as
through a mist, the still lofty peace Of
evening.
A young fellow, hardly more than
boy, exclaimed with keen delight Of the
picturesque as his canoe shot around
the bend into sight of it.
The canoe was large and powerful,
but well filed. An Indian knelt in
the stern. Amidships was well laden
with duffie of all descriptions. The
young fellow sat in the bow. He was
q bright faced, eager eyed, curly haired
young fellow, all enthusiasm and fire.
His figure was trim and clean, but
rather slender, and his movements
were quick, but nervous. When he
stepped carefully out on the fat rock
TO which his guide brought the canoe
with q swirl OF the paddle one initial
ed would have seen that his clothes,
while strong and seryiceable, had been
bought from sporting catalogue.
'"This Is a good place." he said to the
guide. "We'll camp here" Then he
turned up the steep bank without look
ing back.
"Hellow he called in a cheerful, un-
embarrassed fashion to Thorpe and
Charley How are you? Care II
camp here? What you making? BY
Jove! never saw a canoe made be-
fore. I'm going TO watch you. Keep
right al it,"
He sat on one OF the outcropping
powders and took off his hat.
"Say. you've got great place here!
You here all summer Hello! You've
got deer hanging up. Are there
many of 'em around here? I'd like to
kill deer first rate. never have. It's
sort of out of season now, isn't itT'
"We only kill the bucks" replied
Thorpe.
Il like fishing too" went on the boy.
"Are there any here? In the pool?
John" he called to his guide. bring me
my fishing tackle"
In a few moments he was whipping
the pool with long, graceful drops Of
the fly. He proved to be adept. At
first the Indians stolid countenance
seemed trifie doubtful. After time
II cleared.
"Goodw he grunted.
The other Indian had now finished
the erection Of a tent and had begun to
cook supper over a little sheet iron
camp stove. Thorpe and Charley could
smell ham.
"You've got quite pantry" remark
ed Thorpe.
won't you eat with meT proffered
the boy Hospitality.
But Thorpe declined.
In the course Of the evening the boy
approac aed the older mems camp and,
with Charming dflidence. asked per-
mission to sit awhile at their fire.
ut must be Good to live in the
woods" he said with a sigh. ito do all
things for yourself. It'sso free"
II just do love thisr' he cried again