Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-04-21

eyes the scene DelOTe ueI. 4 ne lllll
camp perched almost on the edge o
the precipice commanded magnifl
cent view of the snow topped Cascad,
range blushing under the first rays o.
the rising sun.
Barbara went to another tent anC
called her father. He replied by 4
4 yawn, followed by racking cough
Then she hastened to third tent and
prepared breakfast.
Presently James Owen came forth.
Hungry as bear, Bab," he said
'The very smell Of that coffee makes
me feel ten years younger!"
Il wish the taste of it would make
you feel ten times better" said Bar
bara as she placed the meal on the
table
Barbara chatted brightly during the
meal and when it was over completed
her household tasks, and, leaving her
father swinging in hammock among
the trees with book between his thin
fingers, she disappeared In the forest
The path she trod was family de-
fined by disturbed brown needles, and
it followed a course marked by high
branched trees, winding in and out,
skirting a thicket of dwarfed spruce
or leading over a roughly bridged gully
to a broad wagon trail.
Before she reached the wagon trail
Barbara turned abruptly to the left.
Here a giant spruce lifted a naked
white shaft high above the surround
ing trees of the forest.
Crowding about the spruce was a
thicket of young hemlock, ragged and
starved for want of light and air.
There were an opening in the thicket
and low mound covered with brown
needles. Dry eyed and fearless, Bar
bara sat down in the dimness and tried
to face a future that was ominously
near-a future when her father should
be laid beside her mother in another
, grave under the tall spruce.
A branch cracked under firm tread
and then another. A mans low whis-
tie came nearer to Barbara's retreat,
and presently the man himself came
into view among the distant tree
trunks. Clad in brown khaki, like her
self, with leather puttees, blue flannel
shirt open at a strong brown throat
and canvas hat tossed back on a
rumpled head, Barbara recognized the
young man as one Of the foresters pa
trolling the governments forest re-
serve wherein their camp was pitched.
She had met these men occasionally
along the wagon trail. and her father
had fallen into conversation with one
Of the sturdy, bronzed woodsmen and
afterward had spoken enthusiastically
of the splendid work in which they
were engaged.
confident that he would not penetrate
into the thicket.
When he came to the spruce he stop
ped suddenly, leaned back and squint-
ed his eyes at the white shaft above
his head. He kneIt down and exam
ined the young phemlocks and once
more drew out his notebook Barba-
IA. silent and brown, blending with the
background Of brown trunks, was nm
observed until the forester drew his
hatchet and cut a deep yincision in the
spruce tree. The girl was on her feet
in an instant.
"Stopw she cried. "Don't do that!''
The man started and peered as II
some brown wood fairy had arisen be-
fore his bewildered eyes. Barbara
laughed shakily.
EFT sounds like q school grafton,
'Woodman, spare that tree;' but, you
zee, my mother Is buried here-and-
and-the tree marks her grave"
The man had removed his hat and
looked at her with respectful attention.
Barbara noted that he was young, per-
haps thirty, with a crop OF thick, sun
burned hair and handsome, well tan
ned face lighted by keen dark eyes.
II am very sorry" He hesitated. II
would not do anything to pain you:
but, you see, 1t is my duty to take
care Of the forest For the safety Of
the other and younger trees this dead
spruce should come down"
Barbara's eyes filed with tears as
she bowed her head against the white
trunk Of the spruce "We thought It
would be quite undisturbed here in
the forest" she sobbed. There are |
only three Of us-mother here-she |
died suddenly; father, back at the |
camp, where he is trying to regain his
health in the open, and !. l dare not |
tell father about the tree. He loves |
to come here when he is strong enough. |
The trees sing overhead
The forester stepped forward and |
placed a finger on her sleeve. "Please
do not cry" he said awkwardly. "Wfn |
you trust me TO respect this little spot
in the forest and yet do my duty to
my employer
Barbara looked at his steady eyes
and the friendly smile on his clean
cut mouth. YES" she said slowly;
II will trust you"
"Win you give me your mothers
name and the date Of her birth and
ieathf" he asked. pulling his notebook
Dut.
Puzzled and a little curious. Barbara
gave him the desired information and.
with n word Of thanks. turned away.
zone week from today you may
tome again." said the forester gravely.
Thank you" said Barbara once
more. and then she stepped lightly
nto the trail and was gone.
II was q long week for Barbara