Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-12-31

The repairing of the damaged roll
way was another revelation to the
easterner New timbers were brought
down and the slanting floor was thick
ly underpinned. Then with pick and
shovel the men went at the work of
digging out the damaged timbers. The
work was heavier, more dangerous and
disagreeable by reason of the water,
four feet deep at low tide, eight at
high, which Tapped their bases.
Daily put them at the digging from
the slope side at low tide; but on the
second day he stood long running his
blunt fingers through his hair, as was
his custom when perplexed
Sandry had come down from the
office and now stood on the track
above the rollway looking over the
wet country below. At the rollway's
foot the sluggish ribbon of tidewater.
sullen and discolored, wound up from
the south. To the north the valley
lifted gently toward the camp and the
wilderness beyond.
Suddenly, Daily" he said, what
are you going to do about it?"
Il don't just know. The men can't
work in the water, and them piles have
got to come out. But there's a way of
doin' it, of course"
"Of course" said the easterner, land
why not go at it from above?"
Tho fOpnr1oO 1nnlyol Of i'm, i,c In
ingly.
That left bank of the slough up
there is in the form of ridge. Don't
you think we could set crew at it at
low tide and dig it through, turning
the water into the field yonder? That
would leave the slough empty here for
the time between high tides. Gould
you get the timbers out in few
| hours?"
| Daily's experienced eye had already
taken in every detail of the possible
ties as Sandry talked
That's good scheme, Mr.. Sandry,'
he said slowly. Il believe it'll work.
So it was that the first practical sug
gestion of the new owner was set into
action.
The whole crew of the camp was
brought out of the hills and set tc
work and the damaged rollway was re
paired as good as new, the break ir
the west bank filled, the slough run
ming full again and nothing to show
for the trouble but the flooded field OF
tules.
Under Walter Sandrys cool de
| meanOr there was small glow OF
satisfaction, a sense of having in a
way redeemed himself
At supper time SiletZ, moving be
| tween the tables, laughed to herself
softly, and her dark eyes under the
little shadow of her parted hair held
a sparkling CLEAN as if she had seen
that conflict and enjoyed it.
"Siletz," said the owner, coming in
suddenly from the east porch after the
men had tramped heavily away to the
clubhouse, whom do you know out
side this camp"
She was alone in the big spOtless
! kitchen, her sleeves rolled up from hel
arms, slim and brown with a smooth
color that was of the suns giving
Outside the camp she asked, turn
ing to him for moment, stopped il
some task of the aftermath of the
meal, "why-nobody."
Don't you ever go down to Toledo?'
Sandry was leaning in the doorway
his bright blue eyes upon her.
Sometimes"
Have you no friends there? NJ
girl friends?"
She shook her head and he noticed
the clean profile, the shape of thu
small pointed chin, the good forehead
conflicting with vague suggestion o
fleeting wild things in the velvet.
eyes.
is there no one with whom you as
sociate outside the camp? Think"
Suddenly there passed over her fea
lures a quick change He could likel
it to nothing but wind on the surface
of water, just a breath of change.
only the Preacher" she said witt
swift slurring of softness in he
voice.
The Preacher"
You don't know him. He only come
sometimes. He was here just befor
you came"
who is he?" asked Sandry curious
ly.
Il don't know Nobody knows. Blu
| love him."
The Preacher" he said to himself
little later in the bare south room III
der the dripping caves. HIN. Tn
Bible-of course"
With a new interest he picked u
the quaint old book of Holy Writ an,
let it fall open in his hands as it ha
way of doing.
Out from that marvellous song of al
~N~-~~~~-~-~~~-~~~-~-~- ~~-~~~~-~-~-~-~~-o~
NrnNN DU q