The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-01-11

n to the clear staccato knocking
IL of the distant blows and the
more forceful thuds of the
man nearer at hand
What are they doing? Are they cut
ting lumber?" asked Hilda.
No answered Thorpe; 1--WE do not
cut saw logs at this time of year They
are clearing out road"
'Where does it go TOP
well, nowhere in particular-that
is, it is a logging road that starts at
the river and wanders up through the
woods where the pine is"
How clear the axes sound. would
{ like to know more about it," she sigh
ed, quaint little air of childish petu-
lance craving two lines between her
eyebrows. do you know. Harry. you
are singularly uncommunicative sort
of being | have to guess that your
life is interesting and picturesque.
Sometimes | think you are not nearly
poet enough for the life you are liv-
ing. Why, you are. wonderful, you
men of the north, and you let us ordi-
nary mortals who have not the gift of
divination imagine you entirely occu-
pied with how many pounds of iron
chain you are going to need during the
winter" She said these things lightly,
as one who speaks things not for seri-
Gus belief.
ut is something that way" he
agreed, with laugh
fhopo ho hroafllod vorv
~, pointing to the dried needles on
which her feet rested.
He obeyed.
Now tell me-" she breathed still in
the fascinated monotone.
"What?" he inquired.
"Your life; what you do; all about it.
You must tell me story"
Thorpe settled himself more lazily
and laughed with quiet enjoyment
"The story of the woods he began,
"the story of the saw log 1t would take
a bigger man than | to tell it. doubt
if any one man ever would be big
enough 1t is dream, a struggle, a
battle. Those men you hear there are
only the skirmishers extending the
firing line. I'll have to hurry now to
get those roads done and certain
creek cleared before the snow. Then
we'll have to keep on the keen move to
finish our cutting before the deep snow,
to haul our logs before the spring
thaws, to float them down the river
while the freshet water lasts. When
we gain a day we have scored vic
tory, when the wilderness puts US back
an hour we have suffered a defeat"
Tie girl placed her hand on his shout
der. He covered it with his own.
But we winv' he cried. I'VE win!'
'That is what l like she said softly.
"the strong spirit that wins" She hest
tated, then went on gently: 81 went
walking yesterday morning before you
came over and after awhile found
myself in the most awful place-the
stumps Of trees, the dead branches, the
| trunks lying all about and the glaring
| hot sun over everything. Harry. there
was not a single bird in all that waste,
single green thing" She seized his
! fingers in her other hand. Harry" she
said earnestly, 81 don't believe l can
ever forget that experience any more
than could have forgotten a battle
field were to see one"
The man twisted his shoulder uneas-
/ lily and withdrew his hand.
Harry" she said again after a
pause, you must promise to leave this
woods until the very last. / suppose il
must all be cut down some day, but
| do not want to be here to see after it is
all over. Men do not care much fol-
keepsakes, do they, Harry? But even 8
man can feel the value of a great beau
tiful keepsake such as this, can't he
dear? Our meeting plaee-do you re
member how found you down there
by the old pole trail staring as though
you had seen ghost? 1t must always
be our most sacred memory. Promise
me you will save it until the very, very
last"
Thorpe remained silent.
In selecting the districts for the sea
sons cut he had included in his est
mates this very grove Other bodies O
timber promising return of $10,00t
were not to be found near the river
and time now lacked for the cutting o
roads to more distant forties.
"Hilda," he broke in abruptly at last
'the men you hear are clearing roa,
to this very timber"
what do you mean?" she asked.
"This timber is marked for cuttinI
this very winter"
She had not suspicion of the tru
state Of affairs. isn't it lucky spok
OF itr' she exclaimed. "You must Sc
to 1t today, now!'
She sprang up impulsively and stoo
waiting for him. He arose more slow
| w