The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-01-21
ANGUS NORTH'S
RETURN
By LLOYD ROBERTS
(Copyright.)

SAeSSS~eS>S&eS>SS>'SS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
(Copyright)
Three men dropped from an empty
box car as the morning freight turned
its back on Cross Greek settlement.
Two Of them Immediately skunk into
the encroaching underbrush, while the
third, tall, angular man with shifty
eyes, ambled lazily toward the sawmill
on the lip Of the bank. A freckle-
faced lad, who was stacking the fresh
ly cut boards before the door, paused
to wipe his brow as the stranger APP
preached.
saint the drive in YETI" inquired
the latter sharply.
Most Of It. The last O. the cut will
be In the booms erlong erbout dark, ]
guess. Lookin' for some one?"
'You bet l ami"
The fierce tone in which this was
uttered stirred the youngsters curl
osity.
Maybe you're q stranger here
abouts7" he suggested.
maybe l am" was the unsatisfac-
tory retort as the other walked of.
When the whistle blew for the mid
day meal he presented his sinister
face at the cookhouse door and accept
ed the cooks Invitation to dinner in a
surly. matter-of-course manner that
did not include thanks, nor afterward
encourage questioning.
The shrieks Of the tortured saws
had long been stilled; the new moon
was glimmering palely through the
budding poplars and birches, when Nc
knights loggers finally came SLOUGH
ing up from the dam for their last
meal Of the drive.
Shouting uproarious greetings to the
fat-faced cook, they crashed their
peaveys and pike-poles upon the floor
and tumbled on the benches that lined
the long deal tables. Hunger Is never
kept in suspense in the lumber camps.
and the steam was already rising from
hills of potatoes and pork, flats of
jOhnny-cake, and lakes of black coffee.
There commenced Gathering din OF
steel on tinware, and conversation was
confined to such gruff commands as
"Chuck the bread. SamW Rush the
SOW this way, Bobby!" and ''Don't hog
all the beans. yer dern alligator!"
Bobby's monograph was the pride
Of his heart. It was supposed to be
his one line Of dissipation-for he
neither smoked, chewed, drank, mol
fell in love-and INDUCED in 1t al
every opportunity and on all occasions
Presently the feet Of the loggers begar
to mark time to a rOllicking back
woods chantey as fiddle and a me
tallic voice struck up with:
"Jack has got q scarlet rag strung GROUND
his hat.
Bill has lost his dollar watch in the
Equint-eye Murphy bust the jam-jumpin
like a cat,
Sunday iii see US eatin' of table,"
The audience Joined in the chorus
with roar and a humping Of toes
that shook the tins and sent the dust
into the air to mingle with the cloud.
Of pipe-smoke.
Dit u u.s. OAIA . Ao6s OhA q AOSp OoySs
Ram a log. cram log. slam a log. boys.
There's lots of time for loafin' when thu
saws begin their noise.
And the gals como troopin' down beside
the MILL"
The stranger leaned back with fold
ed arms and half-cr0ssed eyes. AL
day the sights, sounds and smells Of I
past existence had been struggling t,
awaken some response In his inflexibl'
soul-blotting out the unclean mem
cries of his exile and telescoping tim
until it seemed as though he had neve
| been absent from the settlements. An,
now he was back with his old com
rades of woods and rivers-Redd
Jones. Polite Williams, Big John New
ers and many more-including his boy
hood chum, Hugh Mcknight.
But things had changed considerable
in five years. From the most popula
man on the river, he had become a
outcast Of civilization, unrecognizabl
to his old associates, and the swor
enemy Of the burly woodsman oppt
site him who so complacently sucke
on his black cigar.
Well, he was glad that Mcknight al
peared SO prosperous and content. Ev
IDENTIFY life meant something wort
while to him-something worth clinl
ing to as long as he could-just as hi
would have been II Madge had TO
given. Robbing him Of It would b
even more satisfactory than he ha
imagined; and now that vengeant
was 80 sure and imminent. he cOul
afford to gloat a few minutes longt
before he gave 1t rein.
"sandy's hoppin' lively. for he's left k
at home
Davey's heart ID achin' for q pesky gran
myphone.
For It ain't in human nature for man
live alone
When the drive u lynn idle Sunds
mornin'."
And once more the camp vibratt
with the roar Of the chorus.
There was no music In the bitt
heart Of Angus North. and yet OF
l a A.