The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1916-02-10


year on all the hard things were too
easy. IL was as IL somebody or some
thing had suddenly opened a closed
door in my brain and let the daylight
into all the dark corners at once"
Grislow sat up and finished for him.
Yes; and since that time you have
STAYED your way through the univer-
sity. and butted into the reclamation
service. and played skittles with every
other mans chances of promotion I'M
I'll you have come out at the top of
the heap in the construction division.
all OF which you're much too modest
to brag about. But, say; we've
skipped one of the seven-year flag sta
tions. What happened when you were
twenty-one-or were you too busy lust
then chasing the elusive engineering
! degree to take notice?"
Brouillard was staring out over the
loom of the dozen campfires-out and
across the valley at the massive bulk
or Mount Chigringo rising like a huge
barrier dark to the skyline save for a
single pinprick of yellow light fixing
the position of a solitary miners
level and the summit When he spoke
again the photographer had been given
time to shave another ipe charge. of
tobacco from his pocket plug and to
fill and light the brier
When l was twenty-one my father
died, and"-he stopped short and then
went on in a tone which was more
than half apologetic-"I don't mind
telling, Grislow; you're not the kind
TO pass IL on where IT would hurt At
twenty-one / was left with a back load
that / am carrying to this good day;
that ! will probably go on carrying
through life"
Grislow walked around the fire,
kicked two or three OF the charred log
ends into the blaze. and growIed when
the resulting smoke rose up TO choke
and blind him.
Forget it, Victor" he said. I'm less
than hundredth part OF that time
you'll be at the top OF the reclamation
service pay roll-won't that help out ?"
No; not appreciably."
Grislow gave it up at that and went
back to the original contention.
We're lodging the main ISSUE" he
said. What is the active principle
OF your sevens'-or haven't you fig
ured It out?"
Change" was the prompt rejoin-
der; always something different
radically different"
And what started you off into the
memory woods, particularly tonight?"
IA
hopelessly unreliable little clock that
Arson persists in carrying around
with him wherever he goes. While YOU
were up on the hill cutting your spruce
tips Arson went over to his tent and
lighted up. and a few minutes after
ward ] heard the clock strike-seyen.
Just as / was comfortably forgetting
the significant reminder the clock
went of again, striking slowly, as II
the mechanism were nearly run
down"
Another seven?" queried Grislow.
NO; IL struck four"
"Well?" was the bantering comment
Il suppose Arson was tinkering with
his little tin god of timepiece It's
a habit of his"
Il was curious enough to 20 and
look. When l lifted the flap the tent
was empty. The clock was ticking
away on Anson's soap-box dressing
case, with a lighted candle beside Il.
and for crazy half-second / had n
shock. Murray-the minute hand was
pointing TO four and the hour hand to
seYenl"
Still / don't see the miraculous sig
nifcance." said the photographer.
Don't you? IL was only another of
the condolences, of course. While |
stood staring at the clock Arson came
in with Grihith's tool kit I've got to
tinker her again. he said She's got
so she keeps Pacific time with one
hand and eastern with the other Then
] understood that he had been tinker
ing with it and had merely gone over
TO Grifiith's tent for the tools"
We'll" said Grislow again, what of
II? The clock struck seven, you say;
but Il also struck four"
Brouillard's smile tilted his curling
mustaches to the sardonic angle.
The combination was what called
the turn, Grizzly Today happens TO
Pc my twenty-eighth birthday-the end
OF the fourth cycle OF seven"
by George!" calculated the hydrog-
rapher in mock perturbation. sitting
| up so suddenly that he dropped his
pipe into the ashes OF the FIRE In
that case. according to what seems to