The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-06-12

CIOlhe NOuTSSlIG SluCldlE lelIS ihC
Mac needs every cent of his two hun
dred and fifty dollars a month to enjoy
himself"
81 used to steal from him." the girl
admitted. Then / grew ashamed of
that, and for the past six months I've
been earning my own living. Mr.. Sin
clair was very kind. He gave me a
job waiting on table in the camp din
ing room. You see, had TO have
something here. | couldn't leave my
father. He hFd to have somebody to
take care of him. Don't you see, Mr..
Bryce"
sinclair Is fuzzy old fool" Bryce
declared with emphasis. 1.-The idea Of
our wOOds-bOss's daughter singing
hash TO lunberjacks. Poor MORA !"
He took one of her hands In his,
noting the cailous spots on the plump
palm, the thick finger joints that hint.
ed so of toll the nails that had never
been manicured save by MORA herself.
DO you remember when was boy,
Mora, how | used to come up to the
lcgging-camps to hunt and fish? l al
ways lived with the McTavishes then
And in September, when the buckle
berries were ripe, we used to go Oui
and pick them together. Poor MORA
Why, we're old pals, and I'll be shot
If I'm going TO see you suffer. Listen,
MORA. I'm going to fire your father,
as I've said, because he's working for
old ]. B. now, not the Cardigan Red
wood Lumber company. l really ought
to pension him after his long years in
the Cardigan service, but I'll be
hanged II we can afford pensions any
mOre-particularly TO keep a man in
booze; so the best our old woods-boSs
gets from me is this shanty, or another
like II when we move to new cuttings,
and a perpetual meal-ticket for our
camp dining room while the Cardi-
gnns remain in business. I'd finance
him for a trip to some state lnstitu-
ton where they sometimes reclaim
such wreckage, If / didn't think he's
too old dog to be taught new tricks"
Perhaps" she suggested sadly,
you had better talk the matter over
with him."
"NO. I'd rather not. I'm fond of your
father, MORA. he was q man when
saw him last-such a man as these
woods will never see again-and l
don't want tO'see him again until he's
cold sober. I'll write him letter. As
for you, MORA, you're fired. too. I'll
not have you waiting on table in my
by jugful You're
20 come down 70 SequOia and go 10
work in our office. We can use you on
the books, helping Sinclair, and re-
lieve him of the task of billing, check
ing tallies, and looking after the pay
roll. I'll pay you a hundred dollars
a month, MORA. Can you get along
on that?"
Her hard hand closed over his
tightly. but she did not speak.
"All right. MORA. It's a go, then.
There, there, girl, don't cry. We
Cardigans bad twenty-five years of
faithful service from Donald McTav-
ish before he commenced slipping;
after all, we owe him something, |
think"
She drew his hand suddenly to her
lips and kissed IT; her hot tears Of
Joy fell on 1t, but her heart was too
full for mere words.
"Flddle-de-dee. Moiral Buck up
he protested. hugely pleased. but en-
barrassed withal. ''The way you take
This. one would think you had expect
ed me TO go back on an old pal and
'ad been pleasantly surprised when
didn't. Cheer IN Moiral I'll tell you
what I'll IN. I'll advance you two
months salary fnr-well. you'll need
n Tot Of clothes and things in Seauoia
that YOU don't need here. And I'm
glad I've managed 70 snttIe the Nc
lavish hash without kicking up a row
and hurting your feelings. Poor old
Macl Tn sorry can't hear with him.
Int we simply have to have the logs.
Won know"
He rose. stopped. and pinched her
ear: for rad he not known her since
childhood. and had they not gathered
huckleherries together In the long
ago7 She was sister to him-juSt an
other one of his problens-and moth
ing more. "Rerort. on the Job as soon
as possible MOira," he called to her
from the gate.
Presently. when MORA lifted her
glance TO the frieze of tim
her on the skyline. there was a new
glory In her eyes: and 10. II was an
tumn In the woods. for over that hill
Prince Charming had come to her, and
life was all crimson and gold!
When the train loaded with Cardi-
gan logs crawled IT. on the main track
and stopped at the log-landing In Pen
ningtOn's camp. the locomotive un-
coupled and backed In on the siding
for the purpose of kicking the cabonse.
In which Shirley and Colonel Penning-
ton had ridden to the woods. out onto
the main tine again-where, owing TO
a slight downhill grade. the caboose
controlled by the brakeman could
coast gently forward and be hooked
onto the end of the log train for the
return journey to SeQuoia.
Throughout the afternoon Shirley.
following the battle royal between