Gilpin observer., 1916-06-01

he called upon Sandry's name. From
time to time he listened. Then he
lighted torch and widened his circle.
peering into every covert of fern, be-
hind every log, and even searching the
branches of the trees. He had seen
the pines bear CHASTITY fruit a time or
two when blast Of giant powder had
gone wrong.
After long time he Strengthened
and his muddy face was blanched
Done for!" he said aloud to the
dusk Of the forest. bitterly. Down an
done for-an him so damned good for
an Easterner!"
But even as he spoke a cry sounded
from the water far ahead-another an
swered. another and another, as the
Siletz drew in to each other some
where out in the dim moonwash, and
he knew they had found him.
So they had-a limp body lying bent
back across floating log. the pearl
buttons on its breast shining and its
hair dabbling in the water. They
pushed the log with it's burden in to
shore and big John Daily. wading out,
picked up his employer as a mother
lifts child. carried him back up the
bank and bent to listen for life in the
still breast. 1t was there. The timber.
man ran great hand. experienced and
gentle. over the sprawling arms
Busted" he said bitterly. legs too!
He's crumpled like broken tule! If
don't take this out Of Hampden. l
hope I'll burn in hell!"
He gathered the scattered blankets
from bush and tree branch and laid
the Fastener upon them Then this
simple son of the big country went off
by himself into the shadows to think.
What should he do?
Here was his employer. this East
erner who was going through the or
deal by fire to win his right to live
and fight in the wild land. and he was
all but worsted, down and out. His
life was not worth a copper-that coin
of which the large West takes no no
tice-and far on the shores Of the
other ocean was that old father of
whom he had told Daily in the quiet
talks at night. 1t would take quick
work to get Sandry to a doctor and
word should be sent East at once.
On the other hand. If Sandry should
live and the contract had been lost his
fight would be over. Those mort
cages Of which he had spoken vaguely
would be fOreclosed and the Dilling-
worth would become a thing of the
past. the East Belt go by the board and
Hampden would be supreme in the
hills.
mo, by heaven. he'd want her to 20
through dead or alive. an I'll see her
there!" was Daily's ultimatum as he
rose from the log in the pink flare of
sunrise. and could he have known all
that Sandry would lose with that con.
tract and the Dillingworth his hatred
Of Hampden would have been deeper
still. for Sandry was his friend.
He went back to the huddled Indians
and the silent figure on its blankets.
"Memmiloo." he said decisively,
make quick pole sling. You an
big Bill an Multoowah an Jim Pine
tree will take Sandry back to camp.
Go first to Toledo an get Doc Hooker
have flm do what he can there an
go aloDE to camp. Tell him to stay
with Sandry day an night till | get
back. Hurry now"
Without a word, the four Indians
appointed task. In less time than a
white man would take to begin they
had laid clean saplings along blankets
edges, warped short spreader at top
and bottom to hold the poles the width
of a mans shoulders apart. and the
sling was ready.
Now" said Daily grimly. travel
like hell, boys. but carry him soft. for
he's broke like the ferns when a pine
falls
Tenderly they lifted the owner Of
the Dillingworth and laid him in the
hollow of the blankets.
His foreman cast one look at him as
the Indians swung away on the back
trail and turned his face to the
jammed raft. He studied the problem
from all sides. Then he took his re-
naming Indians. for none OF them
were beyond work from their shaking
up, got off the mooring chains and
snubbed the monster to the shore
pines fore and aft. Then he calmly
prepared to wait the turn of the tide.
She would loose herself.
The damage at the prov was slight.
The lift had come a moment too soon
to hurt the big raft much. Several Of
the binding chains at the extreme
head Of her had been broken. loosen.
ing the ends Of the logs which slid
downward and apart. giving her the
appearance Of ragged broom.
Snamishta, like all the coast lndi
ans. was good waterman. He Of
fered to dive for the broken chains
and Daily let him go. In three hours
he had found all the ends. fastened
to them hauling lines. which the others
used to bring them up. the breakage
was repaired and Daily was ready IN