Evening star., 1922-04-23


courage the older folks and help
! them get back what the timberland
owners have stolen.|
Il wonder how much land has been
stolen up here. along with self-re-
spect," he said, looking hard at her.
She returned his look with long and
| searching scrutiny. "Haye you any
reason for thinking that any land has
been stolen from real owners?"
Not a very definite reason. Ill ad-
| nit. But have been doing some
guessing"
Are you speaking the truth-that
| YOU have only guesses:"
That's ALL"
She turned away.
do you have any special interest
in stolen lands?- he pressed.
Lets drop the subject" che
pleaded.
"very well. I'll keep on with the
other subject which I brought up.
I've been pretty selfish all my life.
| Miss Ambrose. But up here I have
| learned n Lesson. I'm going In with
you folks as a pal and friend with
all the grit that's in me. and well
, SEQ what can be done"
She put out both her hands to him
| en- enthusiastically Consider yourself
| mustered in. Just Jim!'
The work 6f Attorney Shaw among
tho scattered squstters of The region
| had begun to show itself along the
river in the movements OF the popu-
| lace Daily. new arrivals came and
| hung up and used the conveniences
| which had been left behind at Misery
when the driving crew went or down
tho river.
Nearly all OF these involuntary no.
mads fingered on day after day. Fol-
all OF them the future was clouded
| affair; even the men who talked most
tsloudly had no definite plan to offer
Jim moved among them constantly
cheering them as best he coulA He
smacked the shoulders OF the men and
smiled at the wistfu1 women and
danced around the cook fires with the
|
the matter they chose him as their
leader and remained there. trusting
| TO him to find q way out. They found
he was not all talk. He put the men
to work in a sawmill near Misery
| which he took over from its discour-
aged owner.
& 4 X +
A S the days went on and the evic'
tion shadow loomed more darkly
Jim acted his part as an optimist
| with increasing diffioulty: he showed
his companions q brave face. but he
went away by himself and sorrowed
and fought to get new grip on hope
From time to time he had noticed
strange old man who kept by hfmseii
in the motley throng a: Misery.
On ono occasion. perceivinE that the
old man was unobtrusIvely trailing
him. Jim strode back and confronted
the persistent person. Hello. brother
what's the big idea?'
The old man stammered an insuf-
fcisnt excuse. Jim looked him over
with interest. He was not like the
squat,sr nondescripts. He was
| Drowned darkly, showing that he had
lived long in ths woods, but his fsa
lures possessed refinement and his
| hands were delicate.
! You look and act as IL you want te
ask questions" insisted Jim. Shoot
| I'm wondering why young mar
like you is sacrificing himself hs:e al
you're doing"
"No sacrifice! After = loN Of selfish
moss had . good lesson taught mo
and I'm trying 20 square myself"
"It seems to make you happy-try'
ling to square yourself" avsrred th'
old man. twisting his fingers nerv
ously.
"surs thing" declared Jim.
| Il don't know what sort Of lessor
was taught you." faltsrsd the stranct
OLD nan. "but whstsv your 'sssor
wa Ycu have been acting IN . wal
TO teach me my lesson. VIII you eem'
with mo whore nobody can oveshsar3
The next morning Sust Jim did no
sSosas. Later In the day somsbod!
neslced that the strange old man VA
no 0nysr IN the communitys
TAs peor folks were distracted b!
- Acss OF Jim. The men would no
!.Avs gone on with their work II th'
Aubross girl. hiding hsr doubts hs'
eyesf and hsr worry behind the mss'
e her white face, had not set herself
fae their head.
The psor folks were lsadss1ssA *
sept for the girl. whsn ths drsadet
day came and Attorney Shaw arrived
i He brought officers. his aides for tn