Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-04-27


CHAPTER VI
The woman in the buggy wa
holding forth her hands 10 him and
he assisted her to the ground.
WELL" she asked. in a sudder
fawnnig manner. aren't you goins
TO kiss me?"
''Of course" He took her IN his
arms II was so surprised
Agnes. never thought OF you
Naturally you didn't" 1t was
Thayer again. That's why I sent
for her. Thought you'd get your
memory back when"
I've had my memory for long
enough" Houston had turned upon
him coldly-"to know that from now
on I'll run this place. You're
through"
Three hours later the last Of the
men paid off. Barry Houston APP
preached the door or Ba'tiste's cabin.
Barry raised his hand 20 knock-and
halted. His name had been men
toned angrily; then again
IT don't know what It is. Ba'tiste.
Fred wouldn't tell me. except that It
was something too horrible for me
to know. 1 can't be pleasant to him
when I feel this way"
She ceased. Houston had knock
ed on the door. A second later, he
entered the cabin. 10 return Medaine
Robinette's cool but polite greeting.
I'm afraid I've stayed longer than
intended" she apologized. IT'S
late. Good night"
Then she was gone. Houton
looked at Ba'tiste. but the old
French-Canadian merely waved a
big hand.
woman" he said airily. "peuff!
Eet is nothing. Eet will pass. Now
what mus Ba'teese do?"
AT the mill? wish you'd guard
Il for me. I'm going TO Denver on
the morning train TO hire a new crew.
"Ah, oui. Il shall be-"
The next evening brought Barry 20
Denver. and the three days which
followed carried with them the
sweaty smell of the employment
Offices and the gathering OF new
crew. Then. tired. anxious with an
eaeerness that he never before had
known. he turned back TO the hills.
with hts rough-faced men about
him. Houston reached Tabernacle.
and started the journey TO the mill.
Into the canon and TO the last rise.
Then a figure showed before him,
gigantic form. running and tumbhng
through the underbrush at one side
NJ the road. a dog bounding beside
him. II was Ba'tiste, excited red
faced. his arms waving Ike wind
mills. his voice booming even from
a distance:
'Tsieu Houetonl M'sieu Hous-
toni Ba'teese have fall Ba'teese
no good He watch for you-he is
glad YOU comet Ba'teese ashame'!
Ashamed"
They hal reached the top ofsthe
rise. Below them lay something
which caused Barry Houston to-
leap to his feet unmindful Of the
jolting wagon. to stand weaving
with uninterrupted hands. to stare
with suddenly deadened eyes
Upon a blackened. smoldering
mass OF charred timbers and twisted
machinery. The remainder Of all
that once had been his mill!
CHAPTER VII
"Eet was my fault" The French
Canadian still stared at the ruins. |
"Eet is all Ba'teese' fault"
ct thought you were my friend /
Ba'tiste."
"Sacrel I am"
"Then show IT. I've got about !
fifteen thousand in the bank. There's
enough lumber around here TO build /
a new saw-shed. and money 10 buy |
a few saws. And need help-I !
won't be able to move without you.
But"
"Oui?"
But" and Barry SMILED at him.
'1f you ever mention any RESPONSE
bility for this thing again-you're
fired. Do we understand each
other?"
The next morning Barry went to
Denver. and in a week returned to
thence across country
to camp.
He found no Ba'tiste. but there
was something else which held
interest for a moment and
which stpoped him. staring wonder
ingly into the distance. A new
skidway had made its appearance
on the side of the jutting mountain
nearest the dam. Logs were tumbling
in slow. but steady sue
cession. to disappear. then to show
themselves. bobbing jerIily outward
toward the center of the lake. A
thunderous voice was booming bel
ligerently from the distance:
you lie-un'stan'? Ba'teese say
you lief you no like Get, JUS
vhat-you-say-climb up mel Un'-
stan? Climb up metz
Houston broke into a run, racing
llong the fiume with constantly in ,
,reasing speed as he heard outbrrst ,
lfter outburst from the giant trap ,
GER interjected by the lesser sounds
II argumentative voices in reply. ,
Family he heard a woman's voice, ,
hen Ba'uste's in sudden commando:
go on-you no belong here.
3a'teese, he handle this. Go 'Iongi"
Houston, at last made the turn Of
he road as 1t followed the hume. I
nd saw the broad back of the Ca d
ladian, squared as , he was, half 1
cross the road. Facing him were c