The Dolores star., 1921-03-25


also, why you were forced to sell; so
l-well, decided the Giants would be
safer In my possession than In my
uncle's. In all probability he would
have logged this valley for the sake
of the clear seventytwo-inch boards
he could get from these trees
"That does not explain satisfactor-
lily. to me. why you took sides with a
stranger against your own kim" John
Cardigan persisted. "There must be
deeper and more potent reason.
Miss Shirley Sumner"
"Well." Shirley made answer, glad
he could not see the flush OF confusion
and embarrassment that crlmsoned
her cheek, when I came to Sequoia
last May. your son and | met, quite
accidentally. The stage to Sequoia
had already gone. and he was gracious
enough to invite me to make the jour
ney In his car Then we recalled hav-
Ing met az children. and presently !
gathered from his conversation that he
and his Johnpartner, as he called you.
were very dear to each other. was
witness to your meeting that night
l saw him take you in his big arms
and hold you tight because you'd
gone blind while he was away having
good time. And you hadn't told
him I thought that was brave of
you: and later. when Bryce and MORA
Mc1avish told me about yOu-how
kind you were, how you felt your
responsibility toward your employees
and the community-well. l just
couldn't help leaning toward John
partner and John-partner's boy, be-
cause the boy was so fine and true to
his fathers ideals"
'Ah. he's n man. He Is indeed" old
John Cardigan murmured proudly. 81
dare say you'll never get to know him
Intimately but IL you should"
II know him intimately" she cor
rected him. He saved my life the
day the log train ran away. And that
was another reason. / owed him a
debt, and so did my uncle; but Uncle
wouldn't pay his share. and l had to
pay for him."
"Wonderful." murmured John Cardi-
gan. wonderful But still you haven't
told me why you paid hundred
thousand dollars for the Giants when
you could have bought them for fifty
thousand. You had wOman's reason.
I dare say, and women always reason
from the heart. never the head. How
ever, II you do not care to tell me.
shall not insist Perhaps l have ap-
peared unduly inquisitive."
81 would rather not tell you." she
answered.
A gentle, prescient smile fringed his
old mouth; he wagged his leonlne head
as II to say: "Why should ask,
when / know?" Fell again a restful
silence. Then:
"Am I allowed one guess. Miss
Shirley Sumner"
Yes, but you would never guess the
reason"
II am very wise old man. When
one sits In the dark, one sees much
that was hidden from him In the full
glare of the light. My son is proud,
manly, independent, and the soul of
honor. He needed hundred thousand
dollars; you knew 1t. Probably your
uncle Informed you. You wanted to
loan him some money, but-you
couldn't. You feared to offend him by
profferlng it; had you proffered 1t. he
would have declined it. SO you
bought my Valley OF the Giants at
u preposterous price and kept your
action n secret" And he patted her
hand gently, as II to silence any denial,
while far down the skid-rOad voice
n half-tralned baritone-foated faint
ly to them through the forest Some
body was singing-Or rather chanting
"A singularly tuneless refrain, wild
and barbaric.
"What is that?" Shirley cried.
"That is my son, coming to fetch
his old daddy home" replied John
Cardigan. "That thing he's bowling is
an Indian war-song or paean of
triumph-somethlng his nurse taught
him when he wore pinafOres. If you'll
excuse me, Miss Shirley Summer, I'll
leave you now. l generally contrive
to meet him on the trail"
He bade her goodbye and started
down the trail, his stick tapping
against the old logglngcable stretched
from tree to tree beside the trail and
marking 1t.
Shirley was tremendously relieved.
She did not wish to meet Bryce Cardi-
gan to-day. and she was distinctly
grateful to John Cardigan for his nice
consideration in sparing her an inter.
view. She seated herself In the lum.
ber-jack's easy-chair so lately vacated,
and chin In hand gave herself up to
meditation on this extraordinary old
man and his extraordinary son.
A couple Of hundred yards down the
trail Bryce met his father. "HeIlo.
John Cardigan!" he called. "What do
you mean by skallyhootIng through
these woods without a pilot? Ell?
Explain your reckless conduct"
"You great overgrown duffer," his