Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-03-03
COON2NGHT SY pOOO MEAD AND COFN1ANT

- AANAAPNSA'
He slumped in his chair, drumming
with senseless fingers on it's arm.
He saw black bars across the win
dow with the waving trees beyond,
and knew himself for that weakest
among men, a woman's tool.
So, filled with excited determine
ton to beat Sandry with the Hamp-
den case and forestall his sending for
Farnsworth, which was the last thing
she wanted, Poppy Ordway again
rode up the valley. The mighty hills
were silent in the deadlock of an
Oregon summer. No breath of wind
found it's way into the sheltered val
leys and the pines were still.
The tidewater slough was gray
with the inland brine.
"G~lorious!" she said to herself, lift
ing her gaze to the hazy mountains.
And I'll save it for him-even
against his Wilt"
She was sure she had succeeded
in her mission, and, happy in the
knowledge, was eager to be out of
the hired rig.
And Sandry, as he assisted her out,
thought simply that she was the
most beautiful woman in the world,
for all the joy Of triumph lent sparkle
to her lovely features, deepened the
slumbrous blue of her eyes.
No word had ever been spoken
about that night at the rollway and
Sandry bore a sense of guilt that he
had taken her avowal without open
reciprocation. But the face of Siletz
held him back. He scorned himself
and yet he knew he was blameless.
save for that unguarded kiss in the
glade.
But did he wish to reciprocate? He
did not know.
Daily's camp droned on-getting
out it's logs, flooding them down the
slough, binding them slowly into the
now familiar ocean-going raft.
The foreman himself was un-
changed, though t&e world had
changed for him since hat miser-
able Yes" of SiIetz in the darkened
room when he laid a gentle hand on
her shoulder. To Sandry he was the
same, for he had come, through the
slow processes of the simple nature,
to be his friend. The elusive fine
ness that had shown plain to Sandry
from the first in John Daily's heart
was solid as a rock, a foundation, al
abutment.
They watched Hampden's trail
grow toward the East Belt with an
exaggerated slowness, a Haunting OF
security.
And then, two days after Miss Ord
ways return, the young commission
er and the Portland lawyer got of
the train at Toledo and were driven
out to the Yellow Pines. They bore
for Hampden the widest agony Of
his strong life in the revelation of his
goddess.
They were closeted together the
whole of the night in the Yellow
Pines office and it was a strenuous
night for the two strangers, fol
Hampden was a man to fear in his
RACES.
At first they held him by mair
force, and later by argument and rea
son.
Fight" said the lawyer in the pinl
dawn, fight like hell! And bluff
It's your only chance"
Fight" snarled Hampden hoarse
ly, what for? This damned driv
eler has let her get the originals o
these letters of mine about the thre,
timber claims in 40, and the,
, alone'd put me behind bars! Your,
l the damnedest ass | ever scent"
And the mans small, red eve
> glared at his accomplice with tn,
, murderlust. But the commissions
had some spirit himself and cam
, back with defense.
{. Fools? We're two together. I
: was from you she got her first know.
edge of the game. She fooled he
. first suspicious out of you in he
horseback rides. She told me So
that's how you took her in on tn
deals, she said"
: Hampden groaned and flung hi
. head in his arms on the pine table
. "All right" he said at last, "Tl
fight"
d But with the last sight Of the bucl
d board bouncing down the hill roa
: with his visitors to catch the earl
train back to Salem, a light grew u
u in his heavy face that would hav
) puzzled that astute man, the Portlan
lawyer.
Eyes, by God!" he said in a voic
a thick with menace. "Tll fight! An
I'll make a fight thatll be remen
d bered all along the COAST"