The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1905-03-03

them right now. Some powerful con-
Germ is beating them down for a pur-
pose of its own. Sooner or later they
will let up, and then We'll get things
back In good shape. l am amply pro-
tected now, thanks to you. and am not
at all afraid of losing my holdings.
The only difficulty Is that 1 am unable
to predict exactly when the other fel-
lows will decide that they have accom-
plished whatever they are about and
let up. 1t may not be before next year.
In that case 1 couldn't help you out on
those notes when they come due. So
put in your best ticks. old man. You
may have to pony up for little while.
though of course sooner or later l can
put 1t all back. Then, you bet your
life, l keep out of it, Lumbering's
good enough for yours truly.
"By the way, you might shine up to
Hilda Farrand and join the rest of the
fortune hunters. She's got it to throw
to the birds and in her own right Sc
riouslE old fellow, don't put yourself
into a false position through ignorance;
not that there is any danger to hard
ened old woodsman like YOU"
Thorpe went to the group Of pines by
the pole trail the following afternoon
because he had said he would, but with
new attitude of mind. He had come
into contact with the artificiality of
conventional relations, and 1t stiffened
him.
They sat down on log. Hilda turn
ed to him with her graceful air Of con-
fidence.
Snow talk to me-" said she.
Certainly" replied Thorpe In
practical tone Of voice. "What do you
want me to talk about?"
She shot a swift, troubled glance at
him, concluded herself mistaken and
said:
Tell me about what you do up here
your life-all about it,"
"Well," replied Thorpe formally, 1--WE
haven't much to interest girl like
you. 1t is a question of saw logs with
U.S." And he went on in his dryest,
most technical manner TO detail the
process of manufacture. 1t might as
we'll have been bricks.
The girl did not understand. She
was hurt. AS surely as the sun tan
gled in the distant pine frond, she had
seen in his eyes a great passion. Now
it was coldly withdrawn.
"What has happened to you?" she
asked finally out of her great sincerity.
"Me? Nothing" replied Thorpe.
A forced silence fell upon him. Hilda
seemed gradually TO lose herself in rev.
erie. After time she said softly:
Don't you love this woods?"
Its an excellent bunch of pine" re-
piled Thorpe bluntly. It'll cut 3000,-
600 at least"
"Ohw she cried, drawing back, her
hands pressed against the log either
side of her. her eyes wide.
After Il moment she caught her breath
convulsively, and Thorpe became con
scious that she was studying him fur
lively with a quickening doubt.
After that, 10y the mercy Of God,
there was no more talk between them.
Unconsciously the first strain of oppo-
sition and Of hurt surprise relaxed.
Each thought vaguely his SAoughts.
Then in the depths of the forest, per-
haps near at hand, perhaps far away, Il
single hermit thrush began to sing. His
song was of three solemn, deep, liquid
notes. followed by slight rhetorical
pause as of contemplation, and then de-
liberately three notes more on n differ
ent key. 1t is the most dignifed, the
most spiritual the hottest of woods ut
terances. Combined with the evening
shadows and the warm soft air ii Of
fered TO the heart an almost irresistible
appeal. The mans artificial antago-
nism modified. the womans olsen
chantment began to seem unreal.
Then subtly over and through the
bird song another sound became audi
bic. At first it merely repeated the
three notes family like an echo, but
with rich, sad undertone that brought
tears. Then tlmidly and still softly it
elaborated the theme, weaving in and
out through the original three the gilt
ter and simmer of n splendid web of
sound, spreading before the awakened
imagination n broad river of woods i'm
aginary that reflected on its surface all
the subtler moods Of the forest.
With the first sigh of the wonder mu-
sic the girl had started and caught her
breath at the exquisite pleasure of it.
AS it went on they both forgot every
thing but the harmony and each other.
"Ah, beautiful she murmured.
"What is itI' he whispered. marvel
ing.
"a violin-played by n master"
The bird suddenly hushed, and at
once the strain abandoned the woods
note and took another motif. At first
it played softly in the higher notes,
tinlling. lightsome little melody that
stirred kindly surface smile over
full heart. Then suddenly. without
transition. it dropped to the lower reg
lister and began to sob and wall in the
full vibrating power of a great pas
sion.
And the theme it treated was love.