Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-11-19
CHAPTER X.

The Fight IN the Timber.
When Sandry-.a wbke next morning
the gray day was alight outside his
pane and he could hear the rumble Of
, ths dinkey - It rocked up from the
i6wer rollway. BY this he knew that
breakfast was over and the crews out
IN the hills. Therefore he got into his
clothes in double-quick time. swung up
20 the cook-shack, washed in the porch
and presented. himself with apologies
to Ma Daily.
9iletz came In IN the dusk Of the
long room and set the cup beside him,
quiet, s0ft-footed, slim and straight
In her plain garments. She seemed
made for service, the unquestioning
service Of woman, as she waited upon
his needs after the fashion Of the prim.
tive mate Of man. She placed last
touch hero and there. smiled at him
and crossing to the west door. snapped
her fingers to the big mongrsl and
stepped out.
.6andry. his hand unconsciously
poised with raised spoon. watched her.
He Jaw her hasten % she neared the
edge Of the level, and finally, az II she
could no longer hold herself to the
decorum Of her pace break into flight,
running like q deer up among the pines
with long bounding leaps. As she dis
appeared he dropped his hand and DO.
came aware Of Ma Daily In the door
to the kitchen. She, too, was Watching
her.
~Mrs. Daily" he said suddenly. what
10 s1etx?'
The old lady turned on him quickly
the piercing glance Of her sharp eyes.
Just gin" she said succinctly.
She turned to her realm and Sandry
rose and went out in the mist. He
climbed steadily with something Of
the logger's movement. This much he
had learned along with . thousand
other things Of the free life. and yet
he was . novice-Johnny Eastern
still.
He was thinking deeply as he
climbed. lost in the majestic silence of
the nushed pines With the sitting car.
pet Of nesdles at their feet. and it was
some time after the first sounds from
ahead had come to him dimly that he
wakened to the loud voices Of men In
quarrel. Az he broke through the wall
Of dripping waist-high fern he came
full upon . sight that stirred his blood,
and fred his wrath. In spite Of his Of.
fort to keep calm. There in the new
cutting stood Hampden, his face red
with fury. his eyes swapping. his dou.
blea fists shaking at Daily who front.
edahim. Behind the two the men were
grouped In menacing lunches. They
were huge fellows. every ono Of them
% II they had been picked purposely.
bare-armed. openthroated, wet with
the constantly falling. soft mist.
Those Of Hampden were armed with
pixies and peavies to . man-and these
are deadly weapons. Daily's crew car
,rfed axes and several had cant
hooks W.
4. Il told your Johnny Eastern to stay
'of this here land" cried the owner
!of tho Yellow Pines; his voice running
.up on the last word in . squeak Of
rage. IAN I'll SEQ Z he .does!- An you
AM your river hogs that you pass ~
logIers! Rotten outfit. 70 are! Youll
git on an btay of! This land belongs
Ito: me By right Of good money paid
lam You tore down OsConnel's home
steader's cabin! That's agin the law"
He thrust out his heavy face belliger.
emily. inviting insult. . irst movement
LOT violence. It came. not from Daily,
the easy.going. tactful foreman. who
had righted many topping crises. but
from Jim Anworthy, the curly -headed
young scspegrace who WAS the worri'
;msnt and favorite Of Ma Daily. He
flung himself forward With whoop
-Rottsn are We! Live clean to tn
lheart!s
(: And With . lightning pass he slapped
Hampden square in the face. leapine
Backward Ike q cat. In . flash the
two groups Of men had mingled and