Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1915-12-30
CHAPTER TX.
Hampden and the East Belt.

pleasant moiling over the whole old
city Of New York with Miss Ordway,
Sandry forgot all about Hampden in
the next few days. Ma Daily had moth
ing to say, keeping a grim silence,
which Sandry noticed. AS for Siletz,
she followed her with fascinated eyes
whenever she appeared. Miss Ordway
did not eat with the men, Her morn
ings were given up entirely to the. in
cessant clicking OF the typewriter in
the seclusion Of the little room, and
she emerged after the noon hour, ate
with Ma Daily and Siletz, and inva-
riably took a short walk in the after
noon.
In the evenings Sandry came in, and
they sat in the empty eating room, dis
cussing with common knowledge
that seemed ito shut them apart to-
gether, the things of the great out
| side world. At such times Siletz lis
tened in quiet eagerness, her dark face
aglow and her eyes like mysterious
pools in the shadow of her heavy hair.
That week there were several arri-
walls at Daily's camp-well-clad, re-
sponsible-looking business men from
Portland; and before they left, Sandry
had landed such an order for logs as
| plunged the camp into the hardest
work, longest hours and highest over
time it had ever known.
Also he sent out word to Toledo that
he had use for all the men he could
lay hands on.
An extra crew was put to building
the log trail up through the slashed
opening to the East Belt, and activity
characterized the hills.
The incessant shrill toots of the DON
key, the scream and cough of it's fussy
labors. the rumble and clatter of the
log train. began to be music in San
dry's ears, and the letters he wrote
to his father became brighter. filled
with the exhilaration of accomplish-
ment.
For a day or two the work went
forward finely and the new logs of the
fresh-laid trail cleaned white against
the green of the mountain Then Col
Inns sent into the uncut timber ahead
to blaze for further operations. re-
turned to the. works in double-quick
| time. ~
John" he said to the foreman. for
none of the men would award Sandry
| the, right of consultation unless it was
unavoidable, even yet, so distinct and
deep-rooted was their aversion to the
fastener and his rawness; John.
they's new homesteader's shack set
tin square acrost the trail"
THE hell you say! Hampden!"
The logger nodded The purport of
Hampdens visit had been freely
spread in the camp
Daily turned to Sandry.
"They's new cabin settin' acrost
our trail up in the track between
herein the East Belt. Mr.. Sandry. Let's
go up an take a look at it." he said
Il guess Hampden's pushin' his bluff. !"
| With a surge of anger Sandry
turned abruptly. and the two men
struck up the new trail
| 'Tll have to settle that man, Daily"
said the owner; has he been doing
i
panies have been rivals?"
Pretty much. Sometimes we've
been doin' EN-" returned Daily grim
ly. Sandry laughed.
Well. you Westerners believe in
fixing things first-hand, anyway, which
helps some"
Far up in the heavy timber they
came into a small natural clearing
some 200 feet in extent, set like q
hole amid the solid bulk of the close
crowding pines. In the center was q
tiny log shack, shake-roofed, without
doors or windows. the very least q
man might do in grudging compliance
with the homestead law. They looked
at it from all sides, noticed few
blazes on the nearest trees, read q
clumsily executed trespass notice, and
returned to camp.
| "And us with our big contract with
the Portland Lumber mills!" said San
dry. i begin to see. Daily, you
gather out ten men and 60 up and
take that shack to pieces just as quick
as you know how. Don't leave a
trace. Bring the timbers away and
start telling from that end to meet the
trail"
As the foreman went among the
men picking his crew. Sandry turned
down across the slough toward the Of
| fice. Once settled at his desk, he took
out the records of the Dillingworth
company and began systematic
search for word of the narrow tract of
hill and timber between the camp and
the fine East Belt
When Daily returned at quitting
time to report the demolition Of the
cabin and the start of the new cutting.
he had found nothing.