The daily Alaskan., 1920-12-02


 that survive beginning to test wing and claw. Streams and woodland pools grow languid with millions mat ing. Each leaf has reached Its maxi mum of lung expansion. The trees breathe deep. The forest has settled down seriously to the business of full filling Its promises. Cocoon and chrys- alis have opened and flung forth their glittering mysteries. Furnished bodies and gauzy wings glance and glitter through yellow sunshine and soft shade, like flakes of star dust sitting down out of the sky.
 But If the woods have many cradles they also have many graves. There was a new one this placid June evening at Fallen ROck-a new one beside the one that was almost new. There were orchids upon them both. A man and maid had together hunted the woods for them. Only such as they could have found so many. Only to her flaw eriteS does nature show the way to her treasures.
 The stanch old &oss and hard-faCed Bull Masterson were back at their vatS and clam rakcs. Billy's grand mother was staying at the cabin of the three gables a few days for com pany.
 The pearlhuntcr came from the vii. lage in the still evening. Along the dim, slim path through the woods he came, against the face Of the sunset The swing and spring Of a master of men was in his stride. for he carried in his pocket a telegram addressed to man with a name at last, to David Wuf Warbritton. The telegram told of two fortunes awaiting down the river. Of houses and lands, and adyis- Ing that Judge Esliridge was on his way.
 Near the turn of the path he stopped and stood listening. The song of 8 thrush was charming the silence. Only, the song carried q certain delicious elusive wiichery that no bird throat ever knew. He stole along the path, stopped and s;cod with barred head. . Upon the lat rock at the pool stood the Wild Rose, the tears running down her face, her lips and throat alive with the magic of song A lady cardinal perchcG upon her shoulder A king cardinal fidgeted and twitched his crest on an oyerhangin- twig that almost brushed her hair. A pair of shy thruSheS futterpd and fitted in reach of her hand. Other birds walked up and down nearby branches, or darted down for a hurried peck at the crumbs she had scattered over the rock.
 The tears drowned the blue; the song ceased. The birds tlUJtercd away one by one, The girl bowed her head and stood with claSped hands, gazing down at the quiet water.
 The mans step reused her. She turned. and her hands unclaspcd as fl to reach toward him-bus instantly claSped themselves again. He turned from the path. stepped out on the rock and came to her side. A moment her eyes met his, and then went back to the placid water. and she stood crying softly.
 She turned back to him after time. a poor little half'druwned smile Strug- glyd out and brought a suggestion Of the djmyples back.
 "I had to tell them" she said
 Tt was woulerful." he answered very softly. as if his voice might dIs- turb the spell of the music before the echoes had finished carrying 1t to the rest of the woods.
 The leaves hung motionless, as If waiting for the song to start again. The tlukle of. the rifle where the wa ter walked up at the lower edge of the pool came out of the silence.
 "The telegram came" he went on after q long time. Tt Says'-he hesitated, as if pondering the next words before giving them speech, as if half dreadinE to give them speech that Judge ESkridGe Is coming for you"
 The words strangely carried the girls thoughts back to a mother driven forth to die In loneliness and poverty; to a grave on a hill overlooking the river, where the hand of a friend had laid her; to a great, silent house; to a stern old man relenting in his last hours
 q shan't go back with him." she said. "SOme day I'll go back to the grave on the hill, but nOt-now."
 The man stood weighing the words in his slow way.
 "I shan't either" He paused a mo- ment; went on. I'm going to tear down the old cabin at Fallen Rock, clear out the underbrush, lay out grounds, and build q house. Why should I leave the FlatwOOds? All that I care for in the world Is here: my father. my mother, and-you."
 The last word came hard for him. The girl lifted a hurried, shy half glance to his face; dropped her eyes again to the quiet water.