The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-03-09
CHAPTER u.
This 10 our ranch"

- WV
~ EFORE Berea could reply mans
* voice called, Hello. therel' ana
a tall fellow stepped up to her
~ with confident mien.
Norcross awkwardly shrank away.
This was her cowboy lover, Of course.
girl should be unattached, and the
knowledge produced In him faint but
very definite pang Of envy and re-
gret.
The happy girl, even In the excite.
ment Of meeting her lover. did not for
get the stranger. She gave him her
hand In parting. and again he thrilled
to It's amazing power. II was small.
but u was like a steel clamp. stop
IN on your way to Meeker's." she said
as a kindly man would have done.
"You pass our gate. My father Is
Joseph McFarinne. the forest supervis-
or Good night"
Good night" he returned with sin
cere liking.
The hotel was hardly larger than the
log shanty OF n railway grading camp.
but the meat was edible. and just out
side the door roarcd Bear creek. which
came down directly from Dome noun
tain. and the young easterner went to
sleep beneath It's singing that night.
He should have dreamed OF the happy
mountain girl but he did not. On the
contrary. he imagined himself back nj
Ia, Ia mid nf In "A l.la
freshmen yelling: "Bill Mccoy. Bin
Mccoy
lie woke a little bewildered by his
strange surroundings. and when he be
came aware OF the cheap bed. the him.
sy washstsnd. the ugly wall paper and
thought how far he was from home and
friends he not only sighed. he shivered.
The room was chill. the pitcher Of wa
ter cold almost to the freezing point.
and his joints were still and painful
from his ride What folly 10 come 50
far into the wilderness nj this time!
As the eastern youth crawlcd from
his bed and looked from the window he
was still further disheartened. In the
foreground stood half dozen frame
buildings. graceless and cheap. with
ont tree or shrub 10 give shadow or
charm Of line-all was bare. bleak
sere. but under his window the
stream was singing It's glorious noun
tain song. aud away 20 the west rose
the aspiring peaks from which II came.
Romance brooded In that shadow. and
on the lower foothills the frost touch
ell foliage glowed like n mosaic Of Jew
els.
Dressing hurriedly he went down 20
the small barroom. whose litter OF
duhie bags. guns. saddles and camp
utensils gave evidence ~ the presence
OF many hunters and fishermen. The
sloveuly landlord was porting over n
newspaper. while n discouraged half
grown youth was Studying the door
with n mon. But cheerful clamor
from an open door nj the back Of the
hall told that breakfast was on.
Venturing over the threshold. Nor
cross found himself seated nj table
with some five or six men IN corduroy
jackets and laced boots. VINO were. In
Iufl. ilAffUNilN anu liiNlfNNlbihl Ni'hi
from Denver and Pueblo out for fish
and such game ms the law allowed.
and all In holiday mood They joked
the waiter girls and joshed one anoth.
or In noisy good fellowship. ignoring
the slim youth In English riding suit.
who came in with an air Of mingled
melancholy and timidlty and took n
seat at the lower corner ~ the long
table.
As he looked about the room the
tourists eve was attracted by fou
young fellows seated NJ small table
OF an ollve-green shade and their faces
were wind srorched. but their voices
held n pleasant tone. aud something IN
the manner of the mndlady toward
them made them noticeable. Norcross
later asked her who they were.
They're forestry boys"
Forestry boys
"Yes The supervisors Office IL here
and these boys are his help"
This information added To Norcross
interest and cheered him little. II,
knew something Of the United State
forest service and had been told tha'
many OF the rangers were colle-e men
lie resolved TO make their acquaint
ance. III I'm 10 stay here they vii
help me endure the exile" he said
After breakfast he went forth e
find the postotiice. expecting letter o.
instructions FROM Meeker. He foun'
nothing of the sort aud this quite di
concerted him
Tue sta=e is zone" the postmistrC.