Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-02-11
CHAPTER xVii-Continued.

THE Preacher!" she gasped aloud,
ooh, father! What have | done! |
have shut nay ears to the winds of
God!"
When, an hour later, she came up
on the cook-shack porch and stood
leaning in the doorway, spent with
her wild passion, Ma Daily grimly fed
the fire in the range, setting about
the supper for the men left at camp.
Mother" SAID Slletz DULY, she
lied"
yes know it. But what you goin
to do, child? You love him an you're
right-so would ct was thirty year
younger, for he's a man, East or no
East"
The general turned to her work and
"a sigh heayed her ample breast.
IT'S all in the days work." she
thought, AN you had to take your
chanct, Johnny-but you're strong. my
son, you're a strong man-like yer
daddy"
So began a strange time in camp.
Daily came home in three days, eager
and grim-lipped, and in the pocket of
his flannel shirt he carried the big
check for which Sandry had worked
and struggled He had delivered the
raft in safety, along with the scaler's
report, receiving the payment which
had been ready in the hands OF a
thin, gray man who leaned from the
steamers rail to exchange few curt
words.
Ma Daily cornered him in the kitch.
en- late in the night as he finished
his careful rounds OF the camp
Son." she said gently, "they's a
hard knock comm to you an | want
to give you warnin', though | know
you'll take it standin', Johnny, as yer
daddy took all O his, an I've seen
him take some corkers.
Il know what you've always thought
O S'letz, son, sence she was a teensy
chap-Ive watched her quiet ways
open yer heart an seen her walk in
an I've hoped myself some day it'd
all work out, fer she's always turned
to you in trouble. It's instinct. But
son-son, haven't you seen nothin
sence Sandry come among us? Han't
ye read the signs?" The foreman had
stopped at the sink and lifted tin
dipper of water for drink. At the
last words he put the vessel SLOWLY
down untouched and turned an amazed
face toward the old lady. His blue
eyes were wide, and the mother Clio
ried like a girl in the good man
strength of him-the broad shoulders
the muscled arms, bare to the elbow
the shapely back and the straight hip!
of the hill-climber.
What you talkin' of, MAJ" he asked
Jest this. SletZ laid out her hear
fer all to see when they brought Sandr,
home an that-that Jezebel woman
shamed her before us all. She said
on the heels O. tn child's cry of love
that she was Sandrys promised wife
think she lied-but S'letz is breakin
her heart fer the Fastener"
Here, without another word, M;
Daily opened a door behind her ant
creaked through, closing it softly.
OF such inherent tact was she, sh
did not wish even his mother to SCI
big John Daily take his hard knock
even though he took it standin" witt
only a tremor of the hand that he'll
the dipper.
When he met Siletz in the mornin
he looked at her with eyes littl
more haggard-there was a deepe
line at the corners of his mouth.
The girl bore traces of the first al
guish she had ever known in the pa
ior of her face, the dull look Of smo
dering flame under the daze Of hell
lessness.
There was no one in the eating rooI
besides themselves. Collins was on
in the hills with the crew, for at tn
first sight of Sandry still alive, Dali
had given orders to go on with tn