The Redwood gazette., 1905-01-04


| In that case ! couldn't help you out On
those notes when they come due. SO
| put in your best licks old man. You
may have to pony up for little while,
| though of course sooner or later can
put it all back Then. you bet your
| life. ] keep out of it. Lumberings
| 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
riously. old fellow don't put yourself
into false position through ignorance:
not that there is any danger to a 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
a new attitude of mind He had come
into contact with the artificiality Of
conventional relations, and it stiffened
him.
! They sat down on log Hilda turn
ed to him with her graceful air Of con-
| fidence.
/ 1NON tdlh III LHSs Ss1lu Silt.
| Certainly" reI lied Thorpe in
practical tone of voice What do you
| want me to talk aboutY'
| She shot swift. troubled glance at
him, concluded herself mistaken and
| said:
Tell me about what you dc up here
| your life-all about it,
/ WELL" replied Thorpe formally, I'VE
haven't much to interest a 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
well 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
1t was coldly withdrawn.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?''
"It's an excellent bunch Of pine." re-
piled Thorpe bluntly. It'll cut 3y000,-
900 at least"
"Ohr she cried, drawing back, her
hands pressed against the log either
side of her. her eyes wide.
/ After moment she caught her breath
convulsiyely. and Thorpe became con-
scious that she was studying him fur
lively with quickening doubt.
After that, by 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 thoughts
Then in the depths of the forest, per-
haps near at hand, perhaps far away, d
single hermit thrush began to sing. His
song was of three solemn. deep, liquid
notes. followed by slight rhetorica
pause as of contemplation, and then de
liberately three notes more on differ
ent key 1t is the most dignifed, the
most spiritual, the holiest Of woods ut
terances. Combined with the evening
shadows and the warm soft air it of
fered to the heart an almost irresistible
appeal. The mans artificial antago
nism modified, the woman's Olsen
i ehantment began to seem unreal.
Then subtly over and through thu
bird song another sound became audi
T BILE. At first it merely repeated tht
three notes family like an echo bu
; with rich. sad undertone that brough
| tears Then timidly and still softly
elaborated the theme, weaving in ant
out through the original three the gilt
: ter and simmer of a splendid web O
| sound. spreading before the awakened
Imagination a broad river of woods i'm
aginary that reflected on it's surface al
the subtler moods of the forest.
; With the first sigh of the wonder mu
{ sic the girl had started and caught he
t breath at the exquisite pleasure of il
AS it went on they both forgot every
t thing but the harmony and each other
: "Ah, beautifulp' she murmured.
"What is ?" he whispered, marvel
ing.
r "A violin-played by master"
) The bird suddenly hushed, and a
7 | once the strain abandoned the wood
t note and took another motif. At frs
: it played softly in the higher notes.
tinkling. lightsome little melody tina
stirred kindly surface smile over
r full heart. Then suddenly. withou
/. transition, 1t dropped to the lower reg
/ lister and began to sob and wall in th
= full vibrating power of a great pas
] sion.
l And the theme it treated was love.
i At last the poignant ecstasy scenes
slowly, slowly to die. Fainter an
: fainter ebbed the music. Through it a
/ through mist the solemn aloof fores
t began to show to the consciousness o
the two. They sought each others eyes
gently smiling. The music was YER
soft and dim and sad. They leaned t
l o1 o4h pb @hofY Iiyoc "a