Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1920-02-20
ANGUS NORTH'S
RETURN
By LLOYD ROBERTS

o"N ear as the morning freight turned
It's BACK on Cross Creek settlement.
Two of them Immediately skunk into
the encroaching underbrush. while the
third. tall. angular man with shlfty
eyes, amhled lazily toward the sawmill
on the lip Of the hank. 4 frecltlc-
raced lad. who was stacking the fresh
~ cut boards before the door. pauScS
TO wipe his brow rs the stranger an.
preached
Amt the drive In yet:" inquired
the latter sharply. y
Most OF 1t. The last O the cut will
ne III the booms crTOng crbout dark, I
guess. Looiin' for some one?"
you bet Il az, =!
The fierce tone in which This was
uttered stirred the youngsters curl.
Osity.
Maybe you're stranger here-
abouts:' he suggested.
Maybe I am" was the unsatisrac
tory retnrt rs the other walked off.
When the whistle blew for the mid
Cay meal he presented his sinister
lace at the 'coOkhousc door and accent
ed Tie cooks invitation to dinner in n
sur!E. mattcr-o f-course manner that
did not include thanks. nor ai;erward
encourage questioning.
Tho shriekS Of the tortured saws
had long been Stilled: the new moon
was gsiInmcring pnlely through the
budding poplars and birchcs. when Nc
hnights iOgsers finally came SLOUGH
ing up from the dam for their last
meal Of the drive.
Shouting uproar.ous greetings TO the
fat-faced cook. they crashed their
peaveys and pike-poles upon the floor
ana tumbled on the benches that lined
the long deal tables. Hunger is never
kept in suspense in the lumber camps.
ana the steam was already rising from
hills of potatoes and pork. flats Of
1ollnny-calic, and lakes OF black coffee.
There commenced a Gathering din Of
steel on tinware, and conversation was
confined to such grufr commands as
CHUCK the bread. SAM" 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, nor
fell in love-and indulged in 1t at
every opportunity and on all occasions.
Presently the feet Of the loggers began
to mark time to a rollicking back
woods chantey as q fiddle and Il me-
tallic voice struck up with:
'Jaci: has got a scarlet rag strung Ground
his hat
Bill has lost his dollar watch in the
%. Devils Vat.
squ'nt-eye Murphy bust the jam-jumpin'
like II cat.
Sunday Ill see us eatln' OF n table,"
The audience joined in the chorus
with roar and humping Of toes
that shook the tins and sent the dust
into the air to mingle with the clouds
of pipe-slnokc.
'Eirl log. bril- n log. birl log. boys.
Ram log. cram i log, slam n log, boys
There's lots OF time for loann' when the
saws begin their noise.
And the gals come troopin' down beside
tho MILL"
The stranger leaned back with fold
ed arms and .hGlr-croSscd eyes. All
day the sights, sounds and smells of q
past existence had been struggling to
awaken some response In his lnflexible
soul-blottlng out the unclean MEM
cries Of his exile and telescoping time
until 1t seemed as though he had never
been absent from the settlements. And
now he was back with his old COM
rades Of woods and rivers-Reddy
Jones. Polite Williams, Big John New
ers and many more-including his boy
hood chum. Hugh Mcknight.
But things Ind changed considerably
In five years. From the most popular
man on the river, he had become nm
outcast Of civilization, unrecognizahlc
to his old associates. and the sworn
enemy of the burly woOdsman oppo-
site him who so complacently sucked
on his black cigar.
Well, he was glad that Mcknight ap-
peared so prosperous and content. Evl-
IDENTITY life meant something worth
while TO hiin--something worth cling
ing TO rs long rs he could-just as his
would have been IL Madgc had for
given. RobbIng him Of it would be
even more satisfactory than he had
imagined; and now that vengeance
was so sure and imminent, he could
afford TO glOat few minutes longer
before he gave Il rein.
"Sandy's hoppin' lively. for he's left a kid
ut home.
Davey's heart Is achin' for a pesky gram
myphonc,
For II amt N human nature for q man to
live alone
When the drive 10 lynn Idle Sunday
nornin'."
And once more the camp vibrated
with the roar OF the chorus.
There was no music In the bitter
HORT 1,f Annnc North t,I,d