Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-09-25
CHAPTER II.
This is our raneh."

.
tall fellow stepped up to her
~ with confident mien.
Norcross awkwardly shrank away
This was her cowboy lover, of course.
1t was impossible that so attractive a
girl should be unattached, and the
knowledge produced In him a faint but
very definite pang Of envy and re-
greet
II The happy girl, even In the excite
ment Of meeting her lover, did not for
get the stranger She gave him her
hand in parting, and again he thrilled
to its amazing power. 1t was small,
but 1t was like steel clamp. stop
in on your way to Meeker's," she said,
as a kindly man would have done.
you pass our gate. My father is
Joseph McFarlane, the forest supervis-
or. Good night"
Good night" he returned with sin
cere liking.
The hotel was hardly larger than the
log shanty of railway grading camp,
but the meat was edible, and just out
side the door roared Bear creek. which
came down directly from Dome noun
tain, and the young easterner went to
sleep beneath its singing that night.
He should have dreamed of the happy
mountain girl, but he did not. On the
contrary. he imagined himself back at
college in the midst Of innumerable
freshmen yelling; "Bill McCoyl Bill
Mccoy"
He woke a little bewlldered by his
strange surroundings. and when he be-
came aware OF the cheap. bed, the finn
sy washstand, the ugly wall paper and
thought how far he was from home and
friends he not only sighed, he shivered.
The room was chill. the pitcher of wa.
ter cold almost to the freezing point,
and his joints were stiff and painful
from his ride What folly to come so
far into the wilderness at this time!
AS the eastern youth crawled from
his bed and looked from the window he
was still further dlsheartened In the
foreground stood a half dozen frame
buildings, graceless and cheap, with
out tree or shrub to give shadow or
charm of line-all was bare. bleak,
sere. But under his window the
stream was singing its glorious noun
tain song, and away to the west rose
the aspiring peaks from which 1t came.
Romance brooded in that shadow. and
on the lower foothills the frost touch
/ ed foliage glowed like mosaic Of jew
els.
Dressing hurrledly he went down to
the small barroom. whose litter of
duffle bags, guns. saddles and camp
utensils gave evidence Of the presence
of many hunters and fishermen. The
slovenly landlord was poring over
newspaper. while discouraged half
grown youth was sludging the floor
with a mop. But a cheerful clamor
from an open door at the back OF the
hall told that breakfast was on.
Venturing over the threshold, Nor.
cross found himself seated at table
with some five or six men in corduroy
jackets and laced boots, who were, in
fact, merchants and professional men
from Denver and Pueblo out for fish
and such game as the law allowed,
and all in holiday mood. They joked
the waiter girls and joshed one anoth-
er in noisy good fellowship. ignoring
the slim youth in English riding suit,
who came in with an air OF mingled
melancholy and timidity and took a
seat at the lower corner Of the long
table.
AS he looked about the room the
tourists eye was attracted by four
young fellows seated at small table
to his right. They wore rough shirts
OF an ollve-green shade and their faces
were wind scorched, but their voices
held n pleasant tone, and something In
the manner Of the landlady toward
them made them noticeable. Norcross
later asked her who they were.
They're forestry boys"
Forestry boys?"
Eyes. The supervisors office is here,
and these boys are his help"
This information added to Norcross
interest and cheered him a little. He
knew something of the United States
forest service and had been told that
many OF the rangers were college men
He resolved to make their acquaint.
ance. IF I'm to stay here they will
'rhelp me endure the exile" he said.
After breakfast he went forth to
ind the postoflice expecting letter OF
instructions from Meeker. He found
nothing OF the sort, and this quite dis
concerted him.
The stage is gone" the postmlstress
told him, "and you can't get up till
day after tomorrow. You might reach
Meeker by using the government
phone, however"
where will I flnd the government
phone2"
Down In the supervisors office
They're very accommodating. They'll
let you use It II you tell them who
you want to reach"
1t was impossible to miss the for.
estry building for the reason that a
handsome dag luttered above II. The
door being open. Norcross perceived