The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-26

ute now. You were men to me last
night. III never forget it." His voice
shook. You put me where a man be-
longs. You put man into my hands
without aye, yes or no. It's all bad
business, though. You see, when / mar
ried her she was only 16 and l was a |
hostler and her folks weren't willing. |
| shouldn't "a done it. | was wrong. /
/ had to nail burlap i'm a horse stall to |
make a place for us to live. Awful, |
wasn't it? And she used TO wake in
the night and say that a bright spirit
seemed to be calling TO her to come 10
better things. She wasn't for me. And
it hurts me. I was most to blame, l
reckon. But I'm human, gentlemen.
and when / saw him last night and saw
what he was and remembered what /
have had to be, my-my," he choked,
walked away and then came back. His
voice was calm again. You put MIN in
my hands. l amt going to bother you
with what l thought I'd do. Some
times man isn't responsible for what
he thinks or does, is he? 1 took him
down the lake, and there wasn't any
thing said. His back was towards me.
He shivered all the time. There are
crust hunters that can snowshoe up 20
slumping deer and cut its throat
while the creature looks up and bleats
ever hear of Tom Ballard doing that?"
| He threw up his arms and stood te-
! fore them, Strengthened his pack-bowed
! shoulders. His paddle-calloused hands
vibrated.' He was evidently about 10
burst into passionate speech. but once
more the iron self-restraint of the
woods closed his square jaws resolute-
/ ly. To the establishment of both men,
who were hanging breathessly on his
words, he abruptly changed the sub
| ject and said with half smile:
! Mr.. Ballou, reckon 1 can't send
| those fresh water pearls out by YOU to
! your friend the jeweler'
I why, Tom cried BallOu his mind
! for the moment Jared off the ira gedy.
| you can clean up nigh a thousand
dollars if / take Them
Maybe So Mr.. Ballou, but they're
| gone on ahead He said she'd never
| got done sorrowing over the way she'd
used me. I'd hate to have TO stay here
1 alone, as / do, thinking of a woman
| grieving all the time over what's past
| and dope for. So l told him how many
years and how many bushels of CLANS
/ those pearls stood for, and I've been
! bordering that she'll know that such
| present to her means forgiveness and
| good will for what little of life that's
| left to u.s.
The New Workers were on their feet
| gasping at him.
You mean" they began in unison.
| 81 mean / took him across the carry
to the Pamedumcook shore. waited till
the first streak of light, lent him my
| rOwboat and started him across to his
own camp. That seemed TO be the only
way. l looked at him and he looked at
me there when we could see each other
! and il came to me that twas a bigger
| thing than had thOught-this meeting
| of the man I had been laundering to
/ meet, even though / had him face to
| face, just as I wanted him, after all
| the years I have been alone and pom
dering on if. Twas too big for me
the problem. And / said so to him
when / pushed the boat off the shore.
and / said. too, 1 amt one of those
| that hold Gods commission to med
| die But I'd forgot then that he is a
! minister. and I'm afraid he'll think /
! meant TO tWit him. For he bowed his
head and rowed off. But ] didn't mean
it that way. And it's all between US
| right here, amt it, Mr.. Ballou and Mr..
Manning? Ministers are an example
to them that sit under them and look
to them, and women have tender feel
| ings. / should feel bad to have you
speak of ii outside"
Tears ran down Ballous sun-red-
dened nose Tom" he said with little
attempt TO make his voice bluff, you
don't look it outside, but inside you've
developed symptoms of being saint"
mo" returned the guide humbly, "a
saint would not have kneeled there in
the alders when he rowed away, lacked
shell into the chamber and taken aim
the whilst he growled, Damn We, ]
can't let We co. No. that wasn't
saint-like. Why, gentlemen, if hadn't
had the sense to ram that rife butt
down into the lake and hold it there;
I'd have bored him as | would a buck
deer"
Il insist, old Tom Ballard that you're
one of Gods elect" choked Manning,
blinking back his tears.
Il wish you wouldn't say such things
and I knowing what's inside me all
the time" pleaded the guide ingenious
ly IF anything ! did was square. it,
only that the old woods, the great,
! wide honest. open woods, have been
talking to me all these years. Mr.. Man
ming and Mr.. Ballou. I've been alone
with them a long time, and it's done me
a mighty heap of good. And today I'm
hot and bitter and swearing and ours
ing inside-wishing now that I'd put a
/ forty-four between those whisker tufts
sorry / let him go. I'm an awful
man. gentlemen. inside me. l figure
twas only accident 1 let him go, after
ALL But if you'll hunt alone today, I
reckon I'll go out and let the woods
talk to me-the big, generous, soothing,
4 grooming, honest woods. And then I'll
come back all right tonight, gentlemen
all right tonight
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