The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1908-09-03
The Woodman

Now. little mother. II you say
Roger 70 me again III refuse to make
his acquaintance when we get back
It's bad enough to hear the girls rave
over him and hIx good looks. and TO be
asked silly questions aboaf his life
abroad. and II he really Is engaged %
Lady wesibrook IN London. How do |
knowf I told Laura the other day !
didn't know him. had never seen him.
and hare a great mind 20 dlsown him
as a relative For beaYen's sake. don't
mention Rogers name again.
Myrtle's mother. who was reading \
novel In a comfortable chair while her
maid brushed her handsome gray hair,
looked up and laughed easily.
You can't help meeting him. child.
and knowing him this fall He's the
lion OF the house since his book on the
Central American explorations came
out lie IL a very nice. good-looking
young man: ! really don't see why you
would disclaim him for cousin ! am
sure be wrote you quite a pleasant note
when he got back. II you had accepted
his Invitation and gone on his touring
car. you would have enjoyed II I'M
nenseiy. His auto
-0h. ycs. know said Myrtle.
laughing. III Il the finest motor car
ever seen In these parts. Laura todd
me al about II. and how delightful
Roger made himself. II he wants 70
preserve his seif.respect and retaln
proper understanding q himself and
hia merits. he had better 30 back
among his Aztec ruins and the tombs Of
dead kings. and get away from All
ihcse women who fiatter him and from
our sensational social whlri l be-
lleve II IL more his millions than bis
book that makes him - drcadfuily
popular. Please don't mention him
again
airs. Carlson smiled AZ her handsome
daughter. who was putting on her
gloves 20 SO cut. md agreed.
rvery well. Wen taboo Roger and
keep him AZ a distance. I daresay he
found the ancient civilization as good
a. ours Tho Axgecs lived IN Mexico
you know Remember. we leave at
the end % the week. Do drive To-"
Then followed q list Of commissions
to which Myrtle listened dutifuliy But
when IN her coupe. driving down the
avenue. Myrtle thought Of Roger more
than o. her shopping.
Il was relief the week following 10
ret away from friends and lntlmafer
- dreadfnlly prone to gossip and
scandall. the noise and dust OF the city
and its manifold and sometimes wear
ing social exnctions, Of which Myrtle
had had rather n surfeit all through
the winter and the equally gay spring.
She and her mother agreed that two
months OF a quiet life on the very top
Of the mountains. where they would
see no one and would spend tho cool
summer days driving long distances or
rambling idly through the great prim-
cvnl forest. would be pleasnrable by
way OF contrast, besides being extreme
~ rccupcrative
One special June day Myrtle. coming
down path. saw young fellow in
rough garb, flannel shirt leather belt.
rough trousers, boots and felt hat.
pulled down over his face. cutting
down a towering hemlock. which had
been partly killed by lightning.
Best looking mountainccr i've seen
yet.~ thought Myrtle, sitting down on a
fallen and dccayed log TO watch him
and see the fall OF the tree.
The tall hemlock uuivered and shook
under the sharp strokes OF the cleverly
welded AZ. and II was evident its fall
was approaching.
pausing and looking up to shape the
direction Of its crush, the woodman for
the irst time saw Myrtle sitting on the
og and watching him.
SEEKING her by the arm. he dragged
her rapidly to one side. and none too
soon.
QuIvering IN its great length and
bending. first slowly aud majcstically.
then coming down with lightning speed
and a tremendous crash, the forest
giant accepted It's doom and fell to the
sarth. Its sparse branches spread
around. covering the very spot where
Myrtle had sat
Il suppose my hat and sketch book
are gone forever. III never get them
cut from under those branches. ! don't
mind the hat, but I would hate to lose
ny Sketches" Myrtle said ruefully
"You came near losing something