The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1916-01-28
CHAPTER x.
The Fiqht in the Timber.

The Fight in the Timber.
When Sandry awoke next morning
the gray day was alight outside his
pane and he could hear the rumble of
the dinkey as it rocked up from the
lower 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
to the cOok-shack, washed in the porch
and presented himself with apologies
to Ma Daily.
Siletz came in in the dusk of the
long room and set the cup beside him,
quiet, sOft-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 a last
touch here and there, smiled at him
and crossing to the west door, snapped
her fingers to the big mongrel and
stepped out.
Sandry, his hand unconsciously
poised with raised spoon, watched her.
He saw her hasten as she neared the
edge of the level, and finally, as if she
could no longer hold herself to the
~decOrum of her pace, break into flight,
running like deer up among the pines
with long bounding leaps. AS she dis
appeared he dropped his hand and be-
came aware of Ma Daily in the door
to the kitchen She. too. was watching
her.
Mrs Daily" he said suddenly, what
is Sletz?"
The old lady turned on him quickly
the piercing glance of her sharp eyes.
Just a girl" 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 q thousand
other things of the free life, and yet
he was a novice-Johnny Eastern
still.
He was thinking deeply as he
climbed, lost in the majestic silence of
the hushed pines with the sitting car
pet Of needles at their feet, and it was
some time after the first sounds from
Weakened to the loud voices Of men in
quarrel. AS he broke through the wall
of dripping waist-high fern he came
full upon a sight that stirred his blood,
and fired his wrath, in spite of his eff
fort to keep calm. There in the new
cutting stood Hampden, his face red
with fury, his eyes swapping, his dou-
bled fists shaking at Daily who front
ed him. Behind the two the men were
grouped in menacing punches. They
were huge fellows, every one of them,
as if they had been picked purposely,
bare-armed. open-throated, 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
ried axes and sey raj had cant
hooks
Il told your Johnny Eastern to stay
off this here land!" cried the owner
of the Yellow Pines, his voice running
up on the last word in a squeak of
aage, an I'll see t he does! An you
IN your river hogs that you pass as
1oggers! Rotten outfit, We are! You'll
git Off an stay off This land belongs
to me by right Of good money paid
an you tore down O'Connels home
steaders cabin, That's ag in the law"
He thrust out his heavy face belliger-
emily, inviting insult first movement
OF violence. 1t came, not from Daily,
the easy-gong, tactful foreman. who
had righted many topping crises. but
from Jim Anworthy. the curly-headed
young scapegrace who was the wOrri
ment and favOrite OF Ma Daily. lie
flung himself forward with a whoop.
Rotten are we! Live clean to tn
heart"
And with lightning pass he slapped
Hampden square in the face, leaprng
backward like cat. In fash the
two groups of men had mingled and
the silent woods rang with a conflict
that was a delight to every heart IN
the miTup with the exception, perhaps
OF Hampaen who was too small and
mean OF nature to love anything for
its own sake.
Sandry on the outskirts beheld 1t
with CONSERVATION.
Men" he shouted jumping up on
stump "Hampder. Hampden! Daily!
HamDdeni"