The Mena weekly star., 1917-09-20

sheltSteu btgut where the Waterv con- motion outside raised but faint rip ple. and drew in alongside float.
 The girl swept lake shore, bay and sloping forest with a quiekening eye Here was no trim painted cottage and no velvet lawn. In the waters beside and lining the beach hoated innumer- able logs, confined by boom sticks; hun. ureds of trunks of fir, forty and sixty rect long, four and six feet across the butt, timber enough, when it had pass ed through the sawmills. 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 it stood another of like type. but of lesser dimension. Two or three mere shanties lifted level with great stumps crude, unpainted 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.
 We made good time in spite of the little roll" said he. That's the don. key blowing quitting time. o'clock We'll, come on up to the shack. sis. sam. you get a wheelbarrow and run those trunks up after supper. will vou?"
 Away in the banked timber beyond fha md saw masked the bank of small stream flowing by the cabins. faint call rose. long drawn
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 They moved along a 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 a mild swish Ing sound arose. Hard on the heels of that followed rending, tearing crash. thud that sent tremors through the solid earth under their feet The girl started
 Failing gang dropped a big fir" Charlie laughed. You'll get used to that. You'll hear it a good many times day here"
 Good heavens, it sounded like the end of the worldr' she said.
 Well, you can't fell stick of tim Der POO feet high and six or eight feet through without making a pretty con- siderable noise," her brother remark ed complacently. 'I like that sound myself. Every big tree that goes down means a 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, hailing his employer with nonchalant air, a cigarette resting in one corner of his mouth. Benton opened the door of the second building. Stella follow ed him in.
 It had the saving grace of cleanli- ness, according to logging camp stand ards. but the baroness of it appalled, her. There was a rusty box heater. filtered with cigar and cigarette stubs; desk fabricated of undressed boards, a homemade chair or two, sundry boxes standing about The sole concession iO COlhIulL was rug Ol Nucdp AAutill- ster covering half the floor. The walls were decorated chiefly with miscellane. ous clothing suspended from nails, a few maps and blueprints tackled up askew. Straight across from the en- tering door another stood aJar. and she could see further vistas of bare board wall, small, dusty window panes and bed whereon gray blankets were tumbled as they fell when waking sleeper cast them aside.
 Benton crossed the room and threw open another door.
 Here's a nook 1 fixed up for you, Stella" he said briskly. Tt isn't very fancy, but it's the best could do just now"
 Sine followed him in silently. He set her two bags on the floor and turned to go. Then some impulse moved him to turn back. and he put both hands on her shoulders and kissed her gently.
 You're home. anyway" he said. That's something, if it isn't what you're used to. Try to overlook the crudities. We'll have supper as soon as you feel like it."
 He went out. closing the door behind him
 ,Continued Next Week)