The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1921-06-02
Snowbird's work win be through, and
she'll come back -here."

she'll come back here"
Then she's down In the vailey?.
Far from It. She's mountain
girl II 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 a girl from college have
cabin not FIVE miles from here on old
Bald mountain. and they're doing look
out duty"
Dan wondered intensely what look
ont duty might be. "You see. DAN"
Lennox said In explanation. 1.-THE gov.
eminent loses thousands Of dollars
every year by forest fire. A Are can
be stopped easily II 1t Is seen soon
after 1t starts. But let 1t burn awhile,
in this dry season, and it's terror-a
wall of flame that races through the
forests and can hardly be stopped.
And maybe you don't realize how
enormous this region is-literally hum
dreds Of miles across We're the last
outpost-there are four cabins. II you
can find them. In the first seventy
miles back to town. So they have to
put lookOuts on the high points, and
now they're coming to the use Of air.
planes 50 they can keep even better
watch. Snowbird and girl friend
from college got jobs this summer as
look0uts all through the forest serv-
Ice they are hiring women for the
work. They are more vigiiant than
men. less inclined to take chances,
and work cheaper. These two girls
have cabin near q spring, and they
cook their own food. and are making
what is big wages In the mountains.
I'm rather hoping she'll drop over for
few minutes tonight"
Good Lord does she travel over
these hills in the tlarkness?''
The mountaineer laughed de-
lighted sound that came somewhat
curiously from the bearded. lips Of the
stern, dark man. dan, I'll swear she's
afram of nothing that walks the face
OF the earth and It isn't because she
hasn't had experience either. She's q
dead shot with pistol. for one thing.
She's physically strong, and every
muscle Is hard as fails. She used to
have Shag, too-the hest dog in all
these mountains. She's mountain
girl. tell You; whoever wins her has
got to be able to tame herr 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, steak OF peculiar
shape, and great bowl Of purple ber-
ries to be eaten with sugar and cream.
Dams appetite was not as rule par
ticulnrly 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.
Good heavens, can't eat an that. z
he said. a. eit was passed TO him. Bnt
the others laughed and ted him to
take heart.
He took heart. II was a singular
thing, but al that first bite his sudden
confidence IN his gustatory ability al.
most overwhelmed him. So he cut
himself bite Of the tender steak
fully half as generous as the bites that
Bill was consuming across the table
And its frst flavor simply filled him
with delight.
what Is this meat?" he asked
.Fve certainly tasted It before"
i "Tll bet few dollars that yor
haven't. II you've lived all your lift
In thes Middle West" Lennox an
swered. "Maybe you've got what thu
scientists call an inherited memory o.
It It's the kind Of meat your grand
{, father used to live on-venison.' =
/ Soon after dinner Eennox led hin
out OF the house for his first glimps'
Of the hills in the darkness.
/ They walked together out to TIL
gate, across the first Of the wide pas
lures where. at certain seasons. Len
nox kept his cattle; and at last the,
came out upon the tree-cOvered ridge