The Dolores star., 1921-01-07

|
mother died. he began taking his
drinks between pay-days. Then he
took to going down to Sequola on
Saturday nights and coming back on
the mad-train. the maddest of the lot
! suppose he was lonely. too. He
didn't get real bad. however, till
about two years ago"
well. we have TO get logs to the
MILL and we can't get them with old
John Barleycorn for woods-boss
Molra. So were going to change
| woods-bosses. and the new woods-boss
will not be driven of the job. because
I'm going to stay up here couple OF
weeks and break him In myself. But
how do you manage to get money to
clothe yourself? Sinclair tells me
Mac needs every cent OF his two hun
dred and fifty dollars u month to enjoy
| himself"
Il 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
job waiting on table In the camp din
ing room. You see, l had to have
| something here. couldn't leave my
father. He had to have somebody to
take care OF him. Don't you see, Mr..
Bryce?"
"Sinclair is fuzzy old fool" Bryce
declared with emphasis. The idea of
our woods-boss's daughter singing
hash TO lumberjacks. Poor Molra :"
He took one OF her hands in his,
| noting the callous spots on the plump
palm, the thick tinger-jolnts that hint.
ed so OF toll the nails that had never
been manicured save by Moira herself
''Do you remember when was boy,
MORA, how | used to come up to the
logging-camps to hunt and fish7 I al
ways lived with the McTavishes then
And in September. when the buckle.
berries were ripe. we used to 90 out
and pick them together. Poor MORA
Why, we're old pals, and I'll be shot
II I'm going to see you suffer- Listen.
| Moira. I'm going to fire your father,
as I've said, because he's working for
old J. b. now. not the Cardigan Red
wood Lumber company. I really ought
to pension him after his long years in
the Cardigan service. but I'll he
hanged If we can afford pensions any
more-partlcularly to keep a man in
booze; SO the best our old woods-boSs
gets from me is this shanty. or another
like 1t when we move to new cuttings.
and a perpetual meal-ticket for our
camp dining room while the Cardi-
In, In hue a a.,
him for a trip to some state Instit,l-
ton where they sometimes reclaim
| such wreckage. II I 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 a man when
l saw him last-such a man as these
woods will never see again-and I
don't want to see him again until he's
cold sober. I'll write him letter As
| for you, MoIra. you're fired, too. I'll
not have you waiting on table in my
| logging-camp-nOt by Jugful You're
to come down to Sequoia and go to
| 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 hundred dollars
month. Moira. Can you get along
on that?"
! Her hard hand closed over his
tightly, but she did not speak.
"All right MORA. It's go. then
There. there, girl. don't cry. We
| Cardigans had twenty-five years of
| faithful service from Donald McTav-
ish before he commenced slipping;
nfter all, we owe him something, ]
think"
She drew his hand suddenly to her
lips and kissed It; her hot tears of
| Joy fell on It, but her heart was too
full for mere words.
"Flddle-de-de Moira. Buck up."
he protested. hugely pleased, but en-
barrassed withaI. "The way you take
this one would think you had expect
ed me to go back on an old pal and
bad been pleasantly surprised when
didn't. Cheer up. Moira! I'll tell you
what I'll do. I'll advance you two
|
n lot Of clothes and things in Sequoa
that you don't need here. And I'm
glad I've managed to settle the Nc
| lavish hash without kicking up row
and hurting your feelings. Poor old
| Mac! I'm sorry | can't bear with him.
but we simply have to have the logs,
you know"
He rose. stopped. and pinched her
ear: for had he not known her since
childhood, and had they not gathered
huckleberries together in the long
ago? She wns sister to hIm-just an
other one Of his problems-nnd moth
ing more. Report on the job as soon
as possible. Moira," he called to her
from the gate.
Presently. when Moira lifted her
Madonna glance to the frieze OF tim