The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-07-22
CHAPTER II.
"This is our RANCH"

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 Il
girl should be unattached, and the
knowledge produced i'll him Il faint but
very definite pang of envy and re-
gret.
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 it was like steel clamp. stop
III on your way to Meeker's." she said.
as kindly man would have done.
''You pass our gate. My father is
Joseph McFarlane. the forest supervis-
or. Good night .s-
"Good night he returned with sin
cere liking.
The hotel was hardly larger than the
log shanty of a 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 Mccoy. Bill
McCoy!"
He woke little bewildered by his
strange surroundings. and when be be-
came aware of the cheap bed. the film
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 We're 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 disheartened In the
foreground stood half dozen frame
buildings. graceless and cheap, with
out tree or shrub to give shadow or
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 it came
Romance brooded in that shadow. and
on the lower foothills the frost touch
ed foliage gIowed like mosaic of jew.
els
Dressing hurriedly he went down tc
the small barroom. whose litter OF
dut1le bags. guns. saddles and camp
utensils gave evidence Of the presence
of many hunters and fishermen. The
slovenly. landlord was poring over 4
newspaper. while discouraged halt
grown youth was sludging the floor
with mop. Rnt 4 cheerful clamoI
from an open door ut the back of the
hall told that breakfast was on.
Venturing over the threshold. Nor
cross found himself seated ut table
with some five or six men in corduroy
jackets and laced boots. vino were. ir
fact. merchants and professional mer
from Denver and Pueblo out for fish
and such game as the law allowed
and all in holiday mood They ioked
the waiter girls and joshnd one anoth
err in noisy good fellowship. ignoring
the slim youth in English riding snit
who came in with an mir of mingled
melancholy and timidity and took i
seat ut the lower corner of the long
table.
As he looked about the room the
tourists eve was attracted by foul
young fellows seated at small table
to his right They wore rough shirts
of an olive-green shade and their faces
were wind scorched. but their voices
held pleasant tone and something il
the manner Of the landlady toward
them made them noticeable. Norcross
later asked her who they were
They're forestry boys"
Forestry boys?"
"Yes. The supervisors office is here
and these boys are his help"
This information added to Nercross
interest and cheered him 81 little H,
knew something of the United State:
forest service and had been told tina
many of the rangers were college men
He resolved to make their acquaint
ance. IF I'm to stay here they vii
help me endure the exile" he said
After breakfast he went forth tt
find the postotfice, expecting letter o
instructions from Meeker He fount
nothing of the sort. and this quite dis
concerted him.
The stage is gone" the postinistres
told him, "and you can't get up til