The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1915-12-30
Cut Of the Vine Naples.

Sllstz sat, her knees drawn up to
her chin. on the flat top OF a fir
stump. Beside her lay Coosnah, heavy
muzzle on huge paws his eyes as pale
as the girls were dark. They were
hill-bred both. Perhaps that account.
ed for the delight both found in the
solitude of this aerie. where they
could look down toward the west on
the feathery, green sea Of close-Dacked
pine and fir, of spruce and hemlock-
and toward the east on the narrow
strip of tide-water slough and the IN.
painted shacks OF the lumber camp
buddled above its rollway II was
abe magnificent timber country OF the
great Northwest.
Siletz was wondering, as she always
did, how far the mountains ran TO the
south, how far il was 10 thar Frisco
OF which she had heard so much from
the tramp loggers who came and went
with the seasons. their turkeys" on
their backs and the Joyous liberty OF
the irresponsible forever Juggling at
their eccentric souls
Over the facing ridge she knew
that the cold Pacific roared and
coaxed on the ships, to play with them
In the hell of Vancouver coast. She
could hear ii sometimes when he
pines were still: yet she had never
seen it.
she had pictures of II in her mind
many pictures. She knew well how
IL would look when she should see
it-a gray floor, a world OF il. shot
through with the reds and puppies OF
a tardy sun. OF the cities she had
no clear pictures. They were artificial
man-made, therefore alien to her, who
knew only nature, though she had
listened intently to roamers from ev-
cry corner of the globe; for Dailys
lumber camp had seen a queer lot.
1t all resolved itself into these
dreams when she sat on the edge of
a Fir stump. or, better yet. in the ex
allied cloudhigh airiness of the very
apex of the Hog Back.
There had been no sun, neither to
day nor for many days; and yet there
was as surely prescience of approach
ing night as if shadows forewarned
6iletz had hoped for a break, one Of
those short pageants when the sun
should shoot for a moment into the
gloom TRANSPORTING the world Now
as she scanned the west, the dog sud
denly rose from beside her. peering
down with his huge head thrust for.
ward, his pendulous ears swaying A
hundred feet below in q tangle of vine
maple something was laboring. Pres.
emily the slim trees parted and out
Of their tangie struggled horse. a
MAGNIFICENT black beast with naring
nostrils and full, excited eyes After
every few steps ii turned it's head TO
right or left with the instinct of the
mountain breed to zigzag. and as often
the man in the saddle pulled it sharp.
ly back
With the first sight of the intruders
the girl on the high stump had sprung
up, leaning forward a growing excite
ment In her face. II was the horse
that caused it, Something was stir
ring within her oil suddenly and her
heart beat hard She gripped her
braids tight in both hands and swal.
lowed
"BlUnderer," she said aloud. ooh.
the blunderer!"
Then she cupped her hands Mt her
lips and called down: Let him alone
lie knows how to climb! Let him
alonel"
The man looked up startled. and
frightened his grip on the rein. The
gallant animal went down upon its
eide. rolling completely over. TO lodge
feet downward, against a stone The
nan swung sidewise out of the saddle.
saving himself with a splendid quick.
ness Before be could gather him
self for action the girl tore down upon
him.
What have you done?" she criec
wildly. what have you done to it?"
She tropped on her knees and her
hands vent fiuttering over the black
head IL very passion OF pity. touch.
ing the white star on the forehead.
smoothing the quivering nostrils.
why didn't you let him climb his
own way? He knew-he's 4 bunch.
grasser. Nothing could go straight
up!"
She raised her eyes to him anG he
saw they were burning behind a film
OF tears. He saw also what gave him
q strange feeling OF shJck-a faint.
blue tracery extending from the left
corner of her lips downward nearly
TO the point of the chin. a sharply
broken fragment of a tattooed design.
Her eyes were very dark and her hair.
parted after the first fashion OF wom-
an. was straight and very dark also.
TIL accusing words irritated him.
You're right" he said coldly. moth.
ing could-in such country. Stan
back please"
\ Siletz looked up at him and instinc-
lively rose TO her feet. though u
slim body was alert with an uncon-
scious readiness for prevention of
sumething
But the man only stepped TO the