Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1915-12-09
CHAPTER /.
Out Of the Vine Naples.

muzzle on huge paws, his eyes as pale
as the girls were dark. They we're
hill-bred both. Perhaps that account
ed for the delight both found in the
solitude of this aerie. where they
could look down toward the west on
the feathery, green sea of close-packed
pine and fir, of spruce and hemlock-
and toward the east on the narrow
strip of tide-water slough and the I'M
painted shacks of the lumber camp
huddled above it's rollway. II was
the magnificent timber country of the
great Northwest.
Siletz was wondering, as she always
did, how far the mountains ran to the
south. how far it was to that Frisco
OF which she had heard SO much from
the tramp loggers who came and went
with the seasons. their turkeys" on
their backs and the joyous liberty OF
the irresponsible forever Juggling at
their eccentric souls.
Over the facing ridge she knew
that the cold Pacific roared and
coaxed on the ships, to play with them
in the hell of Vancouver coast She
could hear it sometimes when the
pines were STILL yet she had never
seen it,
She had pictures of it in her mind,
many pictures. She knew well how
1t would look when she should see
tt-a gray floor world of it, shot
through with the reds and puppies Of
tardy sun. OF the cities she had
no clear pictures. They were artificial
man-made, therefore alien to her, who
knew only nature, though she had
cry corner of the globe; for Daily's
lumber camp had seen a queer lot.
1t all resolved itself into these
dreams when she sat on the edge of
fir stump. or, better yet. in the ex-
allied cloud-high airiness of the very
apex of the Hog Back
There had been no sun, neither to-
day nor for many days; and yet there
was as surely prescience of approach
ing night as if shadows forewarned
Siletz had hoped for a. break, one OF
those short pageants when the sun
should shoot for moment into the
gloom TRANSPORTING the world Now,
as she scanned the west, the dog sud
denly rose from beside her, peering
down with his huge head thrust for
ward, his pendulous ears swaying. A
hundred feet below in a tangle of vine
maple something was laboring. Pres
emily the slim trees parted and out
of their tangle struggled a horse.
magnificent black beast with faring
nostrils and full, excited eyes. After
every few steps 1t turned it's head to
right or left with the instinct of the
mountain breed to zigzag. and as often
the man in the saddle pulled it sharp
iy back.
With the first sight OF the intruders
the girl on the high stump had sprung
up. leaning forward. a growing excite
nent in her face 1t was the horse
that caused 1t. Something was stir
ring within her all suddenly and her
heart beat hard She gripped her
braids tight in both hands and swal-
lowed
"Blunderer." she said aloud. "Oh.
the blundereri"
Then she cupped Ter hands at her
lips and called down Let him alone!
He knows how TO climb! Let him
aionei"
The man looked up startled. and
frightened his grip on the rein. The
gallant animal went down upon its
side, rolling completely over. to lodge
feet downward. against a stone. The
man swung sidewise out of the saddle
saving himself with a splendid quick
hess Before he could gather him
self for action the girl tore down upon
him.
What have you done?" she cried
wildly. what have you done to it?"
she dropped on her knees and her
hands went fiuttering over the black
head in very passion of pity. touch
ing the white star on the forehead
smoothing the quivering nostrils
Why didn't you let him climb his
own way? He kney-he's i bunch
grasser Nothing could go straight
Gp!r
She raised her eyes to him arG he
saw they were burning behind a film
OF tears. He saw also what gave him
a strange feeling of shock-a faint
blue tracery extending from the left
corner OF her lips downward neasly
to the point Of the chin. sharply
broken fragment OF tattooed design.
Her eyes We're very dark and her hair
parted after the first fashion OF wom-
an. was straight and very dark also.
Thu accusing words irritated him
You're right" lie said coldly, moth
ing coald-in such country. Stan
back. please
Stletz looked up at him and instinc
lively rose 10 her feet. though -
slim body was alert with an uncon-
scious readiness for prevention OF
something
But Eio ran only stepped TO the
blacks head. tightened the rein a bit
and ciucked encouragingly.
Come up. he said sharply, up.