The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-05-18
Ana, odmonItIon he stood clear.

with Landon, and n anybody turns up
from the district Office say I'll be back
on Friday. Good luckr'
Same 10 you. SO longr'
Berea led the way, and Norcross fell
IN behind the pack horses, feeling as
unimportant as a small boy at the
heels OF a circus parade. His girl cap
tain was 80 competent. so self reliant
and 40 sure that nothing he could say
Her leadership was n curiously close
reproduction Of her fathers unhurried
and graceful action. Her seat In the
saddle was as easy as Landon's, and
her eyes were alert TO every rock and
stream In the road. she was at home
here, where the other girl would have
been n bewildered child. and his words
OF praise lifted the shadow from her
face.
waylnnd called out, THE air feels
like Thanksgiving morning. doesn't itr
ut IL Thanksgiving for me, and I'm
going to get grouse for dinner" she
replied, and In less than an hour the
snap OF her rifle made good her prom
Use.
After leaving the upper lake she
turned to the right and followed the
course Of n swift and splendid stream
which came churning through n cheer
less. messy swamp OF spruce trees. In
experienced ms he was, Wayland knew
that this was not n well marked trail,
but his confidence In his guide was
too great 10 permit Of any worry over
the pass. and he amused himself by
watching the water robins rs they
fitted from stone 10 stone In the tor
rent, and I'm calculating just where he
would drop line for trout II he had
time 10 do 50, and in recovered seren-
ity enjoyed his ride Gradually he put
aside his pcrplexitles concerning the
future. permitting his mind TO prefig-
ure nothing but his duties with Ian
don nj Meekcr's mill
He was rather glad Of the decision
TO send him there. for II promised alb
sorblng sport 81 shall see how Ian
don and Beldcn work out their prob
lem he said He had no fear OF
Frank Meeker now. "As forest guard
with official duties 10 perform can
meet that young savage on other and
more nearly equal terms" he assured
himself
The trail grew slippery and in places
ran full Of water. But there's bot
tom somewhere" Berrie confidently
declared. and pushed ahead with reso-
lutte mien. II was noon when they
rose above timber and entered upon
'he wide. smooth slopes OF the pass
Snow filed the grass here. and the
Wind. keen. cutting. unhimiered. came
put OF the desolate west with savage
fury, but the sun occasionally shone
through the clouds with vivid splen-
dor. 1T u December now." shouted
Wayland as he put on his slicker and
covered low to his saddle. 1T will
be January soon"
1--WE will make II Christmas dinner"
she laughed. and her glowing good hui
NOR warmed his heart. She was en-
As they rose the view became mag
nificent. wintry. sparkling. The great
clouds, drifting like ancient warships
heavy with armament. sent down chill
showers OF hail over the frosted gold
OF the grassy slopes. but when the
shadows passed the sunlight descend
ed In silent cataracts deliciously spring
like The comics squeaked from the
rocky ridges and brace OF eagles cir
cling about lone crag. as IL exulting
I'm their sovereign mastery OF the air,
screamed In shrill ecstatic duo. The
sheer cliffs on their Swallowed sides
were violently purple Everywhere the
landscape exhibited crashing contrasts
OF primary pigments which bit into
consciousness like the fare OF mar
tial band
Ii was nearly O'Clock when they
began 10 drop down behind the rocky
ridges of the eastern slope. and soon.
In the bottom of warm and shelter
ed hollow Just at timber line, Berrie
drew her horse to stand and slipped
from the saddle wen rest here an
hour" she said. "and cook our grouse
or are you too hungry to waltz"
II can wait" he answered dramati-
cally. But 1t seems as II | had never
eaten"
well. then. Wen save the grouse till
tomorrow, but I'll make some coffee.
You bring some water while l start a
fire."
And so, while the tired horses crop
ped the russell grass, she boiled some
coffee and laid out some bread and
meat. while he sat by watching her
and absorbing the beauty Of the scene,
the charm OF the hour. at is exactly
like warm afternoon In April" he
said. land here are some OF the spring
lowers"
There now, sit by and eat" she
said, with humor. and In perfectly re
stored tranquility they ate and drank.
with no thought OF critics or OF rivals.
They were alone. and content TO be so.
II was deliciously sweet and restful
there In that sunny hollow on the
breast of the mountain. The wind
swept through the worn branches of
the dwarfed spruce with immemorial
usefulness, but these young souls
heard 1t only as a fur of song. Side