Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-12-08
CHAPTER ~.
The wondrous Hills at Dawn.

ne was awakened next morning DIV
the thunder of heavily shod men storm
ing in from the clubhouse. The smell
OF cooking was in the air and the
crack under his 6oor showed lamp
light.
The rain was still dripping softly
from the caves. AS Sandry came into
the eating room the old woman of the
kitchen was looking over the crowd
of men as impersonally as he himself
had done the night before. with a
poise as assured and a subtle force as
strongly indicated
Her bright, old eyes. blue as his
own. met his lifted glance as he hest
tated.
Set down in the place you had last
night, Mr.. Sandry," she said in a rich
voice, tits yours now. Johnn move
down notch"
She went back into the mysterious
region of pies and doughnuts, and
Sandry was conscious of a slight feel
ing of wonder. He was already lGken
in as one of the family in a subtle
way. and it did not quite salt him to
be so. IL he missed certain lifelong
attributes of service and surrounding,
If he took his place among these
rough men with an inward tremor of
rebellion, he made no sign.
Again the girl he had met on the
farther side of the mountain tended
in silence, a triie more aloo' She
was clad in the same sort of blu, Fan
mel shirt the men wore. with a red
tie under the rundown collar and
rather short blue skirt showing her
feet laced trinity into miniature boots.
The latter were even full of small
steel caulks.
1t was still dark when the loggers
trooped out into the fine rain.
John Daily came to him.
Now, what would you like, Mr.. San
dry?" he asked "Will you come into
the hills with us. or would you rather
rest around camp? You come long
ways. | guess"
Eyes. From New York"
81 was thinkin' yesterday mebby
you'd rather just loaf around"
Yesterday? Did you expect me?"
ooh. yes. got a letter from Mr.
Frazer last week. He said the com
pany had made change and l nigh
look for visit"
Il think I'll go about" said Sandry.
Outside it was fresh and slightly
cold. A thick white fog struck him in
the face with an almost palpable
touch. It lay close to the earth. a
sluggish monster spread down in the
valleys as If for warmth. Through
its enshrouding whiteness a lantern
cleaned family across the slough.
Already the little locomotive was
getting up steam and the donkey
showed a red throat for an instant as
Mcdonald showed in more wood.
From ahead came shouts and a
laugh or two as the men struggled up
to the rollway.
There were five cabins set around
on the edge of the small. sloping
mountain meadow which gave back
ground for Daily's camp; ard in all
the windows lights were cleaning In
one cabin a door opened and a man
came out. stopping a moment on the
sill to reach up and kiss a woman,
who stood silhouetted against the
| light, when the door closed and San.
dry could not see the man, though he
could hear his footsteps. The fore
man swung ahead in the path.
"They's a foot-log here" he said.
"tidewater slough. 'Tain't deep"
They stopped at the foot of the
ridge where the donkey. the rollway
and the track terminal huddled
against the bold uplift. and Daily in
troduced him to Hastings and Murphy.
window Of his diminutiye cab and
peered at the stranger out of laugh
ing eyes whose forbears had twinkled
on Donegals blue bay and Erin's red
checked daughters with impartial Joy.
"Ah, Misther Dillingworth. he said
heartily, IAN PLAT dye tink av the
West Coast now?"
"Sandry, Murphy" caught up Daily
easily, yet with warning note.
"Shure! Sandry tbs! Excuse me.
Misther Sandry. but amt tn scenery
| foine?''
What I've seen. yes, Murphy" an
swered Sandry after a slight pause
As lie turned after Daily the Irishman
stuck his tongue in the corner Of his
| lips and drummed a minute on the
| sill, the broad smile lessening on his
reckless face.
AN phat dye know about thot7"
he asked retrospectively of the fog.
CTO BE coNTINUED)