The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-11-25

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YOU'D Better Wait Till Tomorrow.
Dan."
till tomorrow, DAN" he replied. "Bill
will have supper soon. anyway. You
don't want to overdo too much. right
al first
"But. good heavens! I'm not going
to try to spare myself while I'm here
It's too late for that"
"Of course-but sit down now. any
way. I'm sorry that Snowbird isn't
here"
"Snowbird is
My daughter. My boy. she can
make biscuit That's not her name
of course, but we've always called her
that. She got tired of keeping house.
and is working this summer Poor
Bill has TO keep house for her. aud
no wonder he's eager 10 take the stock
down 10 the lower levels. | only wish
he hadn't brought 'em up This spring
al all: I've lost dozens from the
coyotes"
But coyote can't kill cattle-"
ut can If 1t has hydrophobia. com
mon thing in the varmints this time of
year. But as say. Bill will take the
stock down next season. and than
Snowhird's work will he through. ana
she'll come back here"
Then she's down n, the valley?'
Far from IL. She's a mounia,u
girl If one ever lived. Perhaps you
don't know the recent policy of the
forest service to hire women when
they can be obtained. 1t was policy
started In war times and kept up now
because 1t is economical and efficient.
She and girl from college have a
cabin not Ave miles from here on old
Bald mountain. and they're doing look
out duty" ii ff m1r rt@
Dan wondered Intensely what look
out duty might be. you see. Dam"
Lennox said in explanation. ''the gov
eminent loses thousands Of dollars
be stopped easily If II is seen soon
after It starts. But let II hurn awhile
in this dry season. and its a terrUe-a
wall of flame that races through che
forests and can hardly be stopped.
And maybe you don't realize how
enormous this region ls--literaliy hun
dreds of miles across. We're the last
outp0st-there are four cabins II you
can ind them. In the first seventy
miles back to town. So they have to
put iookouts on the high points. and
now they're coming 10 the use 'Of air
planes so they can keep even alhetter
watch. Snowbird and giripfriend
from college got Jobs this summer as
lookonfs-all through the forest serv-
ice they are hiring women foriithe
work. They are more vigilant than
men. less inclined to take chances.
and work cheaper. These two girls
have cabin near spring. and they
cook their own food. and lire making
what is big wages in the mountains.
I'm rather hoping she'll drop over for
q few minutes tonight.r rias
"Good Lord--does she travel over
these hills In the darkness?' f.t
The mOuntaineer laughed-a de-
lighted sound that came somewhat
curiously from the bearded lips of the
stern. dark man. Dan, I'll swear she's
afraid Of nothing that walks the face
of the earth--and II isn't because she
hasn't had experience either. She's a
dead shot with pistol. for one thing.
She's physically strong. and every
muscle is hard as nails. She used to
have Shag. too-the hest dog in all
these mountains. She's mountain
girl. l tell you; whoever wins her has
got TO be able to tame her" The
mountaineer laughed again.
The call to supper came then. and
Dan got his first sight Of mountain
food. There were potatoes. newly
dug mountain vegetables that were
crisp and cold. a steak Of peculiar
shape. and great howl of purple her,
ries to be eaten with sugar and cream.
Dams appetite was not as rule par
ticularly good. But evidently the long
ride had affected him. He. simply
didn't have the moral courage to re-
fuse when the elder ,Lennox heaped
his plate. rr
Good heavens, ] can't eat all that"
he said. as It was passed to him. But
the others laughed and told him to
take heart.
He took heart. It was singular