The Huttig news., 1916-01-08
CHAPTER l..
Out of the Vine Naples,

muZzle on huge paws, his eyes as pale as the girls were dark. They were 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 hem1ock- and toward the east on the narrow strip of tide-water slough and the un- painted shacks of the lumber camp huddled above it's rollway. It 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 tugging 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 it would look when she should see it-a gray floor, a world of it, shot through with the reds and purples of a 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 listened intently to roamers from ev cry corner of the globe; for Daily's lumber camp had seen a queer lot.
 It all resolved itself into these dreams when she sat on the edge of fir stump. or, better yet. in the ex- alted eloud-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 forewarne1 Siletz had hoped for a break, one of those short pageants when the sun should shoot for moment into the gloom transfiguring 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. hundred feet below in tangle of vine maple something was laboring. Pres ently the slim trees parted and out of their tangle struggled horse, magnificent black beast with fiaring 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 ly back.
 With the first sight of the intruders the girl on the high stump had sprung up, leaning forward, growing excite ment in her face. It was the horse that caused it. 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 blunderer!"
 Then she cupped her hands at her lips and called down Let him alone! He knows how to climb! Let him alone!"
 The man looked up startled and frightened his grip on the rein. The gallant animal went down upon it's side. rolling completely over, to lodge feet downward, against stone. The man swung sidewise out of the saddle, saving himself with a splendid quick ness. 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 fluttering over the black head in a 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 knew-hes bunch grasser Nothing could go straight up!"
 She raised her eyes to him anG he saw they were burning behind film
 
 of tears He saw also what gave him strange feeling of shock-a faint, blue tracery extending from the left corner of her lips downward nearly to the point of the chin, sharply broken fragment of tattooed design. Her eyes were very dark and her hair, parted after the first fashion of wom- an. was straight and very dark also.
 Tha accusing words irritated him.
 You're right" he said coldly, 'noth- Ing could-in such country. Stanl back, please.
 Siletz looked up at him and instinc- lively rose to her feet. though l. sim body was alert with an uncon. seious readiness for prevention of something.
 But the man only stepped 10 the blacks head, frightened the rein bit and elueked encouragingly.
 Come up. he said sharply, 'up, boyl"