The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1920-04-09
A BLAZED TRAIL
BY DORA NOLAN.

tO 1899. BY Mcclure Newspaper 81 Indicate
IF for any reason you want to get
, line on a mans true character. find
out how he treats his mother" Julia
remember where she had
heard the foregoing bit of wisdom:
neither could she see how II might be
brought tn bear ON the present diffi-
Guilty. Gilbert Downing had no moth
er. To be sure. he treated Julia's with
perfect courtesy: but 50 he did every
woman: that was no criterion. Down
Ing was lazy. And. arousing herself
from her reverie. Julia Benton told
him 10. fatty. The man was plainly
amused.
mo. it's not because you're idllng
this particular summer that ] called
you lazy. It's because, to quote your
own words. you never did stroke Of
real work In your life. except the year
you were in the service. I worked to
the limit OF my strength last winter
and l didn't take any one else's Job.
either-not a cent! There's always
plenty Of that sort OF work In the world
staring one In the face"
Downing looked searchingiy around
the deserted veranda. II don't see any
one looking my way just now to help
me disprove your assertion"
"No; you wouldn't see It IL you STUN
bled over it," Julia exclaimed. suddenly
arising. Good night" And she started
toward the hotel entrance.
"When am ! TO have your answer.
dear?"
"Some time tomorrow. perhaps.
She vanished through the doorway.
Very early the next morning. before
the other guests were astir, Julia start
ed out on a tramp, taking a winding
| wood road
Two miles away, down this road
lived an elderly couple whose farm
had often been the objective of Julia's
| walks, ever since the day when she
had stopped there TO beg drink
| The girls heart was mt war with hei
| Judgment and sleepless night had
not helped to reconcile the two. III
| the dewy freshness of the fragrant
pines the heart pleaded: you're MOI
going to be happy without that man :
But reason replied: Neither will 20,
be happy with any man who fritter'
his life away" Julia's sense of fair
ness told her she must reach decision
of some kind before she returned to TIT
hotel.
Julia found the Gardeners In trou
Bile. There was n pile of six-foot bircl
logs In the yard, potential firewood
But old Mr. Gardner had a splinter II
his right hand and 1t had become In
fectea; he couldn't handle AK or saw
Mis-. Gardner hadn't the necessar
strength.
Their hired man had ief. the wee
before. wen during s.recS..-s.. -ction
farm help was aimoet Impossible I
get. The old man turned heiplesaly {
Julia in his perpiexity. She didn't Jus
happen--tlid she?--to know anyone h
could get to saw the wood into stow
lengths?
And right there Julia Benton arrive
at decision. She would leave the al
swering of Downing's question 10 thf
woodpile-and abide by the result
"Why, do happen to know of man.
she told Mr.. Gardner; perhaps he
come this afternoon"
Choosing a roundabout way of r
turn, Julia followed sinuous wood
path, sometimes leaving II for d'
tour over rocky ledge or down Int
ravine. And always as she WEI
she left n trail of arrows cut into Il
trunks of trees with her sharp hit
pocket knife. She hurried on to Il
hotel, gaining her room by side e
trance. There Julia wrote short no
and dispatched IL by bellboy.
The boy. glancing ut the addres
made straight for the dining room.
was Mr.. Downing's lunch hour.
: knew. Downing found the message
read: "If you really care TO know n
answer look for an arrow cut into
birch at the beginning OF the wo'
road. Follow the trail"
Leaving his half-finished lunch. G
bert made n Decline for the entran
to the woods road. and as he picked !
the trail recalled. with amusement. tn
he hadn't tried this stunt since !
schooldays.
Two hours later bewildered you
man stood staring at the Gardne
woodpile. His immaculate white ia
nels had lost most Of their prisii
freshness So II wasn't TO be wonder
at that near-sighted old Mr.. Gardn
took him for the promised woodch'
per.
Did Miss Benton send yef"
asked. "She sure did; that is" !
he got no further. for the old man
terrupted: You're n godsend. you
man. Mirandy's Just put the last sii
on the fire. an she's cookin' beans.
give We forty cents an hour. See
powerful high. but that's what they
a-chargin' nowadays"