The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-06

penciled across the end, Tnat no@n'
that K had not been scaled, and that In
turn meant that he. the Rough REQ,
would not be paid for his labor In cut
ting and banking 1t. AT once he began
to below through the woods:
"Hey, Fitz Patrick! Come here, you
blank. blanked, blank of blank! Come
here!'
The scaler swung leisurely down the
travoy trail and fronted the other with
level eyes,
"Well?" said he.
"Why amt that log marked"
II culled It."
"Ain't 1t sound and goodr Is there
mark on It? A streak Of punk or TOT!
Amt It good timberf What tn blanks
TIL matter with It? You tried to do me
out of that, you blank skunk"
A log Is culled or thrown out when
for any reason 1t will not make good
timber.
"I'n tell you, Jimmy Bourke," replied
Fitz Patrick calmly, 9TH stick Is SOUND
and good or was before your murderin
crew got hold of II, but II ven take
souint at the butt of 1t ven see that
your gang has sawed her on a SIX
inch slant. They've wasted a good foot
of TIL log l spoke Of that afore, an
now I give ye warnin' that l Gull every
log, big or little, punk or sound, that
amt sawed square and true across IN
butt"
9TH log Is sound an good, an ven
scale It, or III know tn reason Why!
81 will not" replied Fitz Patrick.
The following day he culled log In
another and distant skidway whose
butt showed q slant Of good SIX
inches. The day following he culied
another of the same sort on still an
other skidway. He examined It close
", then sought the Rough Red.
TT is useless, Jimmy Bourke," said
he. 'to be hauling of that same poor
log from skidway to skidway. You
can shift her to every travoy trail IN
tn Crothers tract, but It will do ye lit
tie good. I'll Gull 1t wherever l find
It. and never will ye get tn scale OF
that log"
I The Rough Red raised his hand, then
dropped it again, whirled away with a
curse. whlrled back with another and
spat out: -,
"By -, Fitz Patrick, ye go too far!
Ye'ye bounded me and harried me
through tn woods all tn year! BY -
tits good stick, an We shall scale II!
"Yo' an yore old fellows is robbers
alikew cried one of the men.
Fitz Patrick turned on his heel and
resumed his work. The men ceased
theirs and began to talk.
That night was Christmas eve. AFT
er supper the Rough Red went direct
ly from the cook camp to the mems
camp. Fitz Patrick, sitting lonely In
the little Office, heard the sounds OF
debauch rising steadily like mysterious
storm winds in distant pines. He
shrugged his shoulders and tailed his
days scaling and turned into his bunk
YEARLY, for Of holidays there are none
in the woods save Sunday. Abou'
midnight some one came in. Fi1 Pat
rick, reused from his sleep by aimles'
blunderings, struck light and saw thu
cook looking uncertainty toward hin
through blood clotted lashes. The maj
was partly drunk, partly hurt, bu
more frightened. -.
"Ie' me stay" pleaded the man. -"
won't bother you. l won't even max
a noise. I'm skeered."
"Course you can stay" replied Tn
scaler. "Come here"
He washed the mans forehead ant
bound up the cut with surgeons plas
ter from the van. The man fell siien'
; looking at him in wonderment for sue
kindness.
Four hours later dimly through tn
mist of his broken sleep Fitz Patr1c
heard the crew depart for the WOOD
In the early dawn. On the crest 9
some higher waves Of consciousness
=. were borne to him drunken shout
maudlin blasphemies. After time
arose and demanded breakfast.
The cook, pale and nervous, serve
!, him. The man was excited, irresolut
. eager to speak. Finally he droppe
= down on the bench opposite Fitz Ia
rick and began: !.
"Fitz," said he, don't go in II
woods today. The men is fair wild w
!, the drink, and the Rough RED Is D
side hfself. Las night heerd ther
They are goin' to skid the butt Il
again, and they swear that II you GU
:, It again they will kill you"
Fitz Patrick swallowed his coffee
: silence. In silence he arose and sll
y ned on his mackinaw blanket coat.
silence he thrust his beechwood ia
lets into his pocket and picked his p
= :. able scaler's rule from the corner.
- "Where are ye goin'T asked &
{, cook anxiously.
!, "I'm goin' to do the work they p'
= me to do" answered Fitz Patrick.
y he took his way down the trail,
. face set straight before him, the smo
. Of his breath steaming behind. i
's s first skidway he scaled with care, is