The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1922-04-26


WEDNESDAY, APRI
-
you worry. huhg Ba'tistc
help. There are men at the board
INK house"
The blackburn crowd 2'
So. Seven carpenters. and
others. They work for Blackburn
They are here to buiid a mill"
"On Medaine's land them" But
ba'tiste shook his head.
NO Eet IN on the five acres
own by Jerry Martin. Eet II no
good rocks ana rocks-and rocks.
They build Get there"
Houston shook his head.
cant see u. ] have the only
timber around here with the eN-
ception of Medaine's land, ana YOU
say that she doesn't come into that
until next year. I've never made
here"
ber7"
Not more than any office man
could learn In a year and a half"
Then we shall learn. Tomor-
row we shall go. perhnps In
tecsc can tell you much. Bleni We
shall take Medaine, QUIZ Yes?"
~ dom think she'd go"
why not7"
I'd rather" Houston was
thinking OF a curt nod and averted
yes. Maybe we'd better just go
Alma INAH HA.H. %
"Iress bien. We shall 10 into
the forest. We shall learn much"
CHAPTER V
The road narrowed to a mere
IRAN. Ba'tiste tuEged on the reins,
ana motioning To Barry. left the
wagon, pulling forth an axe and
heavy, cross-cut saw as he did 80.
Ha'tiste stopped and motioned TO-
ward a tall spruce.
The axe bleamed in blow after
blow. A deep inclsion appeared I'm
the trunk Of the tree. and at the
base Of ~ Ba'tiste started the saw
Barry working On the other end
with his good arm.
Look out"
A cracking sound had come
IRON above. Ba'tsste abandoned
u saw, and with one great leap
caught Houston and pulled him
ihr 10 "a side, as with a roar. the
iegrate seemed to vertaibly disln-
.cgrate. It's trunk spreading in
great splintered slabs. and the tree
proper crashing to the ground In
he opposite direction @ which 10
mould have fallen, breaking NJ II
came.
a moment Ba'tiste stood. with
his arm siill about the younger
a waiting for the dead
branches, several from other trees.
TO coasc falling, and the disturber
needles and dust OF the forest to
h,et break up like an ice JAM
came at last. That tree. he Is
mhde Of wood lie n OF glass"
Barry Joined him. studying the
fplutcrod fragments Of the spruce.
suddclly to bend forward In won
dcrment.
= hat + queer. Here's a railroad
spike driven clear into the heart
"huhf WHAT'S that" Bntisto
bent aside him To examine the
rusty spike. then hurried to "a min
ute e~Numlnatlon OF the rest OF the
,recs. And another came at
asst. And more
-FOUR heavy spikes had revealed
themselves now. each juttiug forth
at a place where the tree had
split. Ba'tlstc Strengthened.
An. ou!! Ect is no wonder
See The spike. they have been
IN the tree for mebbe one. two.
tree year. And the tree he Is
come. last year. he split inside.
from fI. TV..f Nuh.N. "a. .t.NI.
he spread the grain.
hut why the spikes"
"Wait'N Ba'tisto, suddenly seri-
Gus. turned away into the woods.
To 90 slowly from tree 10 tree. tu
dig at them with his knife. -
have foun' another"
THE spike, they are all In this
little section" he said finally. II
have cruise all about here-there
. no more"
But why should trees grow
spikes3''
'Ah, why? So that saws will
break at the right timei Eet IN
easy for the iron hunter at ;he
min 20 look the other way-eef hc
knows what the boss van Eet
In easy for the sawyer 10 step out
OF the way while the blade. he hit
a spike"
a ling whistle Travelled over
HOuston's lips. This was the ex-
PLANTATION OF broken saws, Just at
the critical moment
simple, isn't itf' he asked
caustically. Whenever It's neces-
sary for an accident TO happen.
merely send out into the woods Tor
a load Of timber from a certain
place.
Re seer enough. Ba'tiste. I'm
going TO Denver and contract my
self an entirely new crew"
They drove In silence TO the clear
Ing to Barry'E mill, with Its bunk
house. Its diminuiive commissary.
Houston leaped from the wagon
but at the door Of the commissary
he whirled. staring, A buggy
was just coming ver the brow
Of the little hill which led 10
the mill properly. Someone had
called to him--a woman whose
voice had caused him to start. then.
a second later. 10 go running for
ward.
Agnes Gurdon was beside Thayer
In the buggy, leaning forth. one
hand extended a. Barry hurried
toward her, her black eyes flashing
eagerness. her full. yet cold lips
parted. her olive skinned checks
enlivcned by O flush OF excitement
A. Houston came TO her.