Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-17

ester was not there to witness it.
The stump Of the whjte spruce arose
| Ike a Eve foot shaft of marble: the
! bark had been planed Off until the
wood showed white as satin and az
! smooth; the top was rounded. and on
| the fiattened side of the stump a hot
| iron had burned a brief epitaph above
Mrs. Owens resting place. The young
hemlocks had been thmned out until
they formed a green semicircle about
| the white shaft.
'Who has done thisY' asked Owen
huslIily
barbara told him in a few words
| of her meeting with the young for
ester, and after awhile the two walked
over to the wagon trail IN the direc-
| ton Of the metallic ak blows
| he saw them coming and came to
meet them. 81 am glad you liked it,"
he said simply in response to Mr..
Owens warm thanks. TT was better
that we should remove the tree in
shipshape manner than permit it to
| fall Of its own accord
But the work you did on the stump,
young man-it was more than kind of
81 had a mother once myself" he re-
piled soberly.
"Come over to the camp and see us,
Mr. said owen SUCCESSFULLY.
my names Charter - Benjamin
Charter" said the forester quickly.
''You are very kind; shall be glad to
come"
After that day James Owen i'm
proved rapidly. There would never be
hope of his complete recovery, but a
return to even moderate health was an
| encoura cement to his only child. They
walked through the woods TO the lit
tie hemlock circle and felt that here
was a spot they might call their own
forever.
Their walks often included a search
for the foresters engaged in their in
teresting work Of conserving the ma
| tive trees and guarding against en-
croaching lumbermen or wandering
focks Of sheep or devastating herds of
cattle.
Benjamin Charter came to the camp
and proved an entertaining compan-
ion for father and daughter. He play
| ed cards with Mr.. Owen or read to the
| came their way. He brought his vio-
lin. and Barbara drank In the wonder
full melodies woven by the brown fin
gers and the flashing bow.
The snow caps on the mountains be-
came a little smaller as the season ad
vanced; the dry air was warmer and
seemed to give new life to the sick
man. Barbara's eyes had new light
| in them, and BENJAMIN Charters fin
/ gers trembled when he played the vio-
! lin.
Then one day Barbara and her IA
Their walked in the forest. They had
gone along the wagon trail and were
drawing near the working foresters.
! There was a sound of blows on wood,
| silence and then a crashing tearing
sound close at hand. Somebody shout
1 ed wildly and pushed Barbara and her
father out of harms way, somebody
/ who was too late himself to spring
from under the falling tree and so was
caught beneath the weight OF heavy
green branches.
! A tree had fallen in an unexpected
direction, and Benjamin Charters
| quickness had probably saved MT.
! Owen and his daughter from injury, il
not death. When the tree was re
moved by the score of laborers that
| sprang into view Charter was quite
| unconscious.
He was carried into the camp on the
| precipice, and one of the men rode
! madly away to the distant settlement
for q doctor In the meantime Bar
bara and her father did what they
could. The forester opened his eyes
upon their anxious faces.
az am glad you are SAFE" he said
feebIy.
you saved my worthless life and
| Barbara's precious one" said Owen
brokenly. 81 wish 1 could reward you.
| Charter. You have been a fr d in
deed to me-"
ct wish you, would give me Bar
| bara," said Charter, with more
strength. "T haven't got very much,
but can take care of her and make
her comfortable"
what do you say, Bab?" asked her
father.
Barbara's face, bent above the in
jured mans, was sufficient answer.
you needn't wait till I'm gone to
be happy" suggested Mr.. Owen after
the doctor had come and pronounced
| Charters injuries to be slight-more
painful than dangerous. "You can get
married as soon as you are well
enough TO hobble around and find a
minister"
THANK you, SIR" said Charter. His
arm was about Barbara as she knelt
beside his cot.
81 suppose you know who you're
marrying" resumed Owen, with a
twinkle in his eyes.
Barbara Owen, the sweetest girl I'm
the world" returned Charter prompt
~.
Owen laughed softly. barbara
Owen, daughter of James Herkimer
Owen, the copper king" he said dry
kiy.
81 can't leave the forest" said the
forester when he had recovered from
his surprise.