The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-01-08

nom inc denuded foothills into the dim
Dark forests on the upper tanks OF the Sicrras
~ old man Hogan, the lumber king had led t5,
way Black wastes dotted here and -.
with fallen redwood giants, deserted mills ,,d
empty cabins, marked his progress up the ,o,,n,-i
sides a trcstcd chute OF unprecedented lcn-,b ,rJ
height had enabled him to reach a VIRGIN forest bb
eo inaccessible TO the ravages OF man. and on this hot
afternoon Hogans Mills, the town. wore deserted
aspect because Hogans mills themselves were r,,nnirc
at iull ioree, even the Chinese cook having been
pressed into service, Mrs. O'Byrne and Mrs AIon,c
han, the feminine element in the place were resting
in their cabins the upper hill In front of tho board
ing-housc cooling their bare feet in the dust sat Mag
gle and Terry OByrnc the sole representatives OF Idle
ness and youth i'll the camp.
Almost an hour had passed since they had seen
down In the valley the spiral cloud OF dust that her
aided the approach OF the stage; now they knew il
was crealing slowly up the mountain road; in mo-
ment they would hear the crack of AIccrss whip the
rattle of harness. and tearing around the corner in
last desperate rush would appear the leaders, the
whccers and then the weather beaten dust-bcgrimcd
stage.
This vehicle itself i matter Of no importance to
the children No passengers ever came to the Mills
at the end OF summer, and the weekly mail and loads
OF provisions did not interest them, but there was
nevertheless, momentouS question Would Meters
have the white or the brown leaders2
"The white" asserted Maggie.
Brown, contradiced Terry, just to take the other
side,
it the brown last week." remembered Maggie
Yes and it will be the brown this week. persisted
the boy
Their sharp little voices cashcd, and their eyes sho,
wrath and defiance. Finally Terry putting his hand
into his pocket and searching among the treasures
therein said:
If it's the six it's the brown, sure as life"
A small iyory cube abstractcd from swcconpe
Of the barroom appeared in his dirty little hand, and
six haf-oblitcratcd dots visible Now there was
good and sufficient why these six spots did
up, and the same accounted for the thing hay
ing been swept out with the dust from under the bar
Lawrence, the starter who had LETT the Mills sud-
denly, might have enlightened Terry on the subject
But the boy knew nothing about the small cubes ex-
eept that important questions decided through
their agency and he had heard the triumphant shout
the six often that naturally it stood for
in his small mind or at least il not success for sig
nal that things going as he desired expected
"Therel Didn't tell you2" And he staggered
with masculine bravado. "What do girls know about
horses?"
Maggie, though inwardy admitting the augury,
yelled even louder than before
81 tell you it's the white, just the same
And there might have been OByrne the less at
Hogans Mills il Meters had not cracked his whip al
the very instant when Terry. standing Maggie in
ungoyernable rage, ready to annhilatc her with
words weapons.
But the long lash sang through the air. the dusty
white leaders spurted forward to the boarding house,
and then settled deectcdly down into their harness
though their work in life Beyond the horses
the children did not look but Niaggies triumph was
short lived, for Terry. lodging the fclng end OF the
lash with which Meters greeted him. saw in the stage
passenger, two passengers, man, dark, stern and
forbid ding nd lvin hesd hin on he 4
with white drawn face and big black eyes.
Hoorayl" shouted Terry in greeting but the little
face turned rcsolutely away and the lips did not
move.
Where's Snf" demanded Meters the stranger
descended from the stage
Over at the chute" answered Terry
"And both the wimmen lazyin usual suppose"
Never mind" interrupted the man roughly. You
give me 4 hand can't your"
Meters, climbing down from his high seat took from
the top OF the stage thing half strechcr, ha-reclu
ing chair On this they put the little crippled lad and
carried him into the dining-room OF the boarding
house
"Old Sin ought to be here" grumblcd the driver.
Where's your mother1" he asked turning to Maggie,
his voice roughcned by sympathy for his uncompain-
ing little passenger.
:" She amt my mother" Terry said soto 1oer, but
aggrcssvcly My mothers in heaven
Mrs. O'Byrnes at the cabin" answered Maggie
looking the little boy with hungry motherly eyes
" But she amt much good, Mcicrs. can do more
than she can"
My mothers in heaven, too" haf-whspcrcd the
child on the chair this bond Of sympathy seeming to
draw him toward the touseed little girl. Meters an
swered Tcrry's challenge but spoke to the stranger
The boys right Their mother is dead and
he married this last spring l guess she am
much good"
Then in response to Maggic's womanly interest, he
added: This is Mr., Harris Bob Harris, He's come
to work at the mills, and he's going to live in the
empty cabin under the slide Perhaps you can helf
him some"
But Mr. Harris took no notice OF Maggie. lie was
unloading packs and bundles from the back oil th'
stage and shoulderng all he could carry he stare'
off in the direction OF the old slide, where daPdate'
cabin presented anything but an inviting aspect
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