Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-08-29
Copyright 1916, by Little, Brown & Co.
me r.6.sule Of meeting you again

me r.6ssule Of meeting you again
soon"
Miss Benton parted courteously. a
little at a loss To fathum his bland
friendliness, and presently the widen
ing space cut off their talk AS the
boat drew offshorc she saw two wom-
en- in white come down toward the
float. meet Abbey ana turn back. And
little farther cut through Nh opening
IN the woods she saw white aud
green bungalow. low and rambling,
wide Nerandaed. set on Il hillock 300
yards back from shore. There was an
encircling area Of smooth lawn, n place
rcstfuly inviting.
Far ahead loomed ridge running
down TO the lake shore and cutting
off in a bold pr0mol tory. That was
Halfway Point. Charlie had told her.
and under It's shadow lay his camp.
Without any previous knowledge Of
camps. she was approaching this one
with less eager anticipation than when
she began her long journey. She be-
gan to fear that it might be totally I'M
like anything she had been able to
imagine diSagrecably so.
In due course the Chickamin bore in
'uder Halfway Point, opened out
;,ieltercd blight where the watery com
motion outside raised but faint rip
pie, and drew In alongside float.
The girl swept lake shore. bay and
sloping forest with a qulckening eye,
Here was no trim painted cottage and
no velvet lawn. In the waters beside
and lining the beach tioated innumer-
able logs. confined by boom sticks; hun
dreds OF trunks Of fir, forty and sixty
feet long, four and six feet across the
butt. timber enough. when 1t had pass
ed through the sawmils, to build four
such towns as Hopyard. Just back
from the shore, amid stumps and lit
tered branches. rose the roofs Of divers
buildings. One was long and low.
Hard by 1t stood another Of like type,
but of lesser dimension. Two or three
mere shanties lifted level with great
stumps crude. Imprinted buildings.
Smoke issued from the pipe Of the
larger. and white aproned man stood
In the doorway.
Somewhere in the screen Of woods
Whistle shrilled. Benton looked at his
watch.
I'VE made good time in spite OF the
little roll" said he That's the don
key blowing quitting time. o'clock.
Sam. you get wheelbarrow and run
those trunks up after supper, will
youi"
Away in the banked timber beyond
the naples and alder, which Stella now
saw masked the bank Of II small stream
flowing by the cabins, faint call rose.
long drawn:
"Tim-ber-r-r-rw
They moved along n path beaten
through fern and clawing blackberry
vine toward the camp, Benton carry
ing the two grips. A loud, sharp crack
split the stiffness; then mild swish
Ing sound arose. Hard on the heels Of
that followed n rendlng, tearing crash,
a thud that sent tremors through the
solid earth under their feet. The girl
started.
Failing gang dropped big fir"
Charlie laughed. you'll get used to
that. You'll hear 1t good many times
u day here"
Good heavens, 1t sounded like the
end of the world!' she said.
well, you can't fell stick Of tim
Der 200 feet high and six or eight feet
through without making pretty con-
siderable noise" her brother remark
ed complacently. II like that sound
myself. Every big tree that goes
down means bunch OF money"
He led the way past the mess house,
from the doorway Of which the apron
ed cook eyed her with frank curiosity,
haillng his employer with nonchnant
air. cigarette resting In one corner
of his mouth. Benton opened the door
Of the second building. Stella follow
ed him In.
II had the saving grace of cleanli-
ness. according to logging camp stand
ards. but the baroness Of 1t appalled,
her. There was rusty box heater
Uttered with cigar and cigarette stubs
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