The state herald., 1920-12-17
BOOK I-REPATRIATIoN.


CHAPTER I-warned by his physician
that he has not more than six months to
live. Failing sits despondently on a park
bench, wondering where he should spend
those six months. A friendly squirrel
practically decides the matter for him.
His blood is pioneer blood. and he decides
Memories OF his grandfather and deep
love for all things of the wild help him
In reaching a decision
Dan looked up to the hills, and he
felt better. He couldn't see them plain
ly. The faint smoke of n distant for
est fire half obscured them. Yet he
saw fold on fold Of ridges of rather
peculiar blue In color. and even his
unframed eyes could see that they
were clothed In forests of evergreen.
Over the heads of the green hills Dan
could see few great peaks; Nc
Laughlln, even and regular ms paint
ed mountain; Wagner, with queer
white gashes where the snow still lay
In Its ravines, and to the southeast
the misty range of snow-covered hills
that were the Slckeyous. He felt de.
cidedly better. And when he saw old
Sllns Lennox waiting patiently beside
the station. he felt he had come to
the right place.
II would be interesting to explain
why Dan at once recognized the older
man for the breed he was. SIlas Len
nox was not dressed In a way that
would distinguish him. II was true
that he wore a flannel shirt, riding
trousers and rather heavy. leathern
boots. But sportsmen all over the
face Of the earth wear this costume at
sundry times. Mountain men have a
peculiar stride by which experienced
persons can occasionally recognize
them; but Sllas Lennox was standing
still when Dan got his first glimpse Of
him. The case resolves itself Into n
simple matter Of the things that could
be read In Lemons face.
Dan dlsbelleved wholly In book
that told how to read characters ut
sight. Yet at the first glance OF the
lean. bronzed face his heart gave
curious little bound. a pair Of gray
eyes met hls-twn fine black points IN
n rather hard gray iris. They didn't
look pnst him. or NJ either side OF him.
or NJ his chin or his forehead. They
looked right NJ his own eyes. The skin
around the eyes was burned brown hy
the sun, and the flesh was SO lean thar
the cheekhones showed plainly. The
mouth was straight; but yet II was
neither savage nor cruel. II was sim
ply determined.
Lennox came up with a light silent
tread and extended his hand. You're
Dan Falllng's grandson, aren't your
he asked. I'm Silas Lcnnox, who
used 10 know him when he lived or
the Divide. You are coming TO spend
the summer and fall on my ranch"
The immediate result OF thes.
words, besides relief. was TO set Dan
wondering how the old moun,aIncer
Ind recognized him. lie wondered n
he had amy physical resemblance 10
his grandfather. But this hope was
shot 10 earth nt once Ills telegram
had explained about his mnlndy. nnd
Of coursc the mountalnccr had picked
hIm out simply because be- had the
mari NJ The direaea on his fnce As
be- shn0h hnJds. hn trled ME haH 10
rcnd the mountaincor's expression. II
was all too plain: no undcninble look
OF disappointment
The truth was that even IN spite or
all the Chambir OF Commerce head had
told him. Luunox had sdu hoped 10
IND some Image Of the elder Dan
Fnlllng In he fncc mud body OF hls
grundson. Because of The thick
slnsges Lennox could not see the
young mans eyes but he didn't think
" likely they were NJ nll Ike the eyes
with which the elder Failing saw his
way through the wilderness NJ night
or course he was mll. Just ms the IN.
nous fronilcrsmnn hnd been, but
while the elder weighed one hundred
and ninety pounds. bone and muscle.
this man did not touch one hundred
and thirty. Evidently the yenrs hnd
brought dcgcnerncy 10 the Failing elan,
Lennon wns desoln,cd by the thought.
He helped Dan with his bng TO a lit
tie wiry automobile that waited be.
side the stntion. They got into the
two front scnts. and moment Inter
were stnrilng up the long. curved
rond that led TO the Divide.
During the hour TINT they were
crossing over the foothills. on the way
TO the biz timber. Silns Lonnos talked
grcni deal about the frontiersmnn
ihni had been Dams grandfather A
mountain man does not use prof,isc
adlectlvcs lie talks very simply and
vrry sunight md often there are long
sncnccs notwecn his scntsners Yct
he roneeyr hlF ideas with entire clear.
ncrs.