The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-03-16
CHAPTER !.
On Of the VIns MapIes.


Slletz sat, her knees drawn up to
her chin. on the fat top OF fir
stump. Beside her lay Coosnah, heavy
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 aerle, where they
could look down toward the west on
the feathery, green sea Of close-packed
pine and tir. OF spruce and hemlock-
and toward the east on the narrow
strip Of tlde.water slough and the un.
painted shacks Of the lumber camp
huddled above its rollway. II 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 II was to that Frisco
o. 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 tugsing 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 II sometimes when the
pines were still; yet she had never
seen Il.
She had pictures Of II In her mind
many pictures. She knew well how
Il would look when she should see
ia gray floor. a world OF II. shot
through with the reds and puppies Of
a tardy sun. or the cities she had
no clear pictures They were artificial,
man-made, therefore alien TO her, who
knew only nature. though she had
listened ntently 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
a fir stump. or, better yet, in the ex.
alted cloud 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 forewarned
Siletz had hoped for a break one o.
those short TIgeants when the sun
should shoot for a moment into the
gloom TRANSPORTING 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 A
hundred feet below in a tangIe of vine
maple something was laboring Pres
emily the slim trees parted and out
Of their tangle struggled a horse a
magnificent black beast with faring
nostrils and full excited eyes. After
every few steps II turned It's head In
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, a growing excite
ment in her face Il was the horse
that caused Il. Something was stir
ring within her all suddenly and her
heart beat hard She gripped her
hraids 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 alonel
He knows how to climb Let him
alone"
The man looked up startled. and
frightened his grip on the rcin. The
gallant animal went down upon its
side. rolling completely over to lodge
feet downward, against a 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 III"
She dropped on her knees and her
hands went fuuering over the black
head in a very passion Of pity. touch.
ing the white star on the forehead,
smoothing the Quiyering nostrils.
Why didn't you let him climb his
own way? He knew hes 4 bunch
grasser Nothing could 60 straight
up!"
She raised her eyes to him arc he
saw they we're burning behind a aim
Of tears. He saw also what gave mm
strange feeling OF shJck-a FAM.
blue tracery extending from the lett
corner Of her lips downward nearly
10 the point of the chin, a Sharply
broken fragment OF tattooed design.
Her ewes were verv dark and her hair
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HAD NOT THE SAME RESULT