The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-05-20
The House of the Black
BE- :: Pate. Ring Copyright. 1905

IS
upDn 1t. 1t was warped and window
less. half-broken down at one end. and
full of gloom and silence that was I'M
canny. On the side nearest the stream
there was a small board addition, which
had been used by the crew for both
kitchen and sleeping chamber. OFF
against this arose a blackened pile of
sawdust 20 feet and more high.
Here we are," he called cheerily.
wv can make It,"
Indeed they were Just in time. TIL
first big drops were splashing on the
dry leaves. She sprang from the horse,
and they made q helter-skelter dash for
"Ah we make IT," She flung open the
rickety door. In a m the drops
had increased to a torrent which roared
and pounded or the shingled roof.
Let it rain!" he cried in high spirits.
This Is tights q cup"
Isn't this our lucky day. though"
she echoed. This comes just in the
nick of time. This is fathers mill. but
l was never here before. Isn't 1t a
funny old placer" She began to ex-
plore with ali the curiosity of a young
ster. h room was in good condition.
There was a rude table, a rusty stove
with a stove pipe chimney, and on one
side several hunks made OF pine slabs.
She poked into an old cupboard, and
pulled out pans and old dishes and odd
-contrivances. which she specialized over
eagerly.
"Pokerish place" he commented aft
or a time. "I don't believe a%nybody's
been here for years."
Yes. they have; trout fishers camp
here every spring. Didn't you camp
here?"
NO. We didn't get up this far"
Let's go through into the other
part"
"All right" and he followed her as
she disappeared through the door at
For the next two hours 1T poured and
drizzled, but there was not much
lightning. They explored for a time in
the old mill, then they sat and watched
the rain n retreating flashes on the
horizon.
THE question now is how to get
home" she spoke up at length. "Do
you think the rain has cooled off the
Run?"
"oh, no., indeed. 1t would take half
a day to cool that fire. The only way
I see is to strike over the ridge"
But it's l. miles,"
Every bit Of it. and it's through the
Wild Meadows. Ever been trough
Dozens of times"
Then you know. It's a regular
snarl That's where I was Just before
I met you. I was looking out for our
timber lot in there. It's soaking wet
there now. Every push has got a gall
Ion in It,"
What time is it?" she asked sud
denly.
Five O'clock"
Then it's out OF the question. 1t
would be dark before we got half
through"
There's only one way left then"
Risk Cherry Run"
NO; that's impossible. It's stay in
the mill all night and strike out in
the morning. I think the Run will
be cool enough then"
Tn afraid that's the only way.' she
said with a trace of usefulness in her
voice. 1t was not her way to quarrel
with the inevitable.
A right, That means a fire." He
started up and seized his axe. I'm
going to build a rouser by the brook
here and keep it going all night to
keep off spoolks, and I'm going to have
by;S
"supper?" she echoed ~incredulously.
Sure. Amt you hungry?" She
looked at him a moment, then burst
into a laugh.
II wonder If my face is as black as
yours is?" she asked.
u believe there is just the slightest
trace of smut" He looked down at
her a critical instant. then turned away
abruptly. almost rudely.
I'm going to try for q trout" he
announced. I've got a fly in my hat
here. but what sticks me is a line. All,
I have It," with sudden Inspiration
Old Pomp-just the thing" He sprang
OF into the bushes n after q mo-
ment returned with half a dozen long
into a line.
down a slender cherry yo sprout l't tri ippped
1t with his knife. and was ready.
Back in a minute" he called, and
disappeared into the rh~ododendron.
what a CHEEKY. resourceful fellow he
was! One couldn't help liking him.
She went to the stream, and %Rlancine
coyly in the direction he had gone. be-
gar to wash her hands and face and to
arrange her hair in the mirror of the
pool. In half an hour she heard his
hail up the dinkey road.
Got six q ones. Look at 'em."
He held them up on a stick. six noun
tain trout that glistened like jewels.
Her bright face and newly arranged
nair gave him q quick thrill. His
tongue quivered with a remark. but he
only said:
That's u supper"
How are we going to cook them %
n asked in a puzzled tone. 1--WE
haven any Dishes
-, AoS Easy. WE re out,
you know. I'll cook 'em. Ever See it
done this way?" He dressed the trout
and. embedding three of them in a vel
low clay. buried the mass in the hot
ashes. h remaining three he i'm
paled on long splits and roasted them
over the Goals. Then with the axe he
hewed out plates from the pine slabs.
Supper was ready. The clay was
poked out of the ashes and broken
open. and the trout. leaving their skins
In the shells, rolled out q clear yellow.
and done to a turn.
How do you like 'em?" he asked.
They'd be good IL we had salt" she
said. tasting critically.
"Oh. were Indians now. and Indians,
you know. don't eat salt. You want to
imagine with all u might that we
are Indians. and you'll forget all about
the salt. That's the way to enjoy
things in the woods" He began on his
share of the fish with evident relish,
and she stopped nibbling and ate as
hungrily as he.
I'LL get a string in the morning
thatM be enough" he declared boyish-
ly. Nov for the chores" He sprang
out into the thicket and began to lop
down the hemlock scrubs and strip
L them ~ tholr u0Pt o~rt~s ~.