The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-07

side as though some tremenQOuS aX haQ trimmed it.; behind this a ranch house and farther back the smooth waters of lake.
 West it must be, but where? North or South? West, and from the West surely that gray man from the Garden had come, and from the West John Bard himself. their sharp horns-they would be the pole by which he steered his course.
 Chapter VI"This Place for Rest
 4 5 the white heat of midday passed and A the shadows heightened more and more
 rapidly to the east, the sheep moved out from the shade and from tIle tangle of the brush to feed in the open, and the dogs, which had laid one on either side of the man, rose and trotted out to recommence their vigil; but the shepherd did not change his position where he sat cross-legged under the tree, while his eyes, sad with perpetual mist, looked over the lake and far away to white tops of the Little Brothers, now grow ing blue with shadow.
 But the perfect peace was broken rudely now by the form of a horseman looming black and large against the eastern sky. He trotted his horse down the slope, scattered a group of noisy sheep from side to side before him, and drew rein before the shep- herd
 "E1ening.'
 That your horse over there?'
 He pointed to broken backed ruin which stood on the point of land that jutted out onto the waters of the lake, crumbing structure slowly blackening with, time,
 William Drew, he owns that house.
 William Drew?" repeated the rider, as though imprinting the word on his menl- ory. "Is he home?"
 'He may be home, but he lives on the other side of the range.'
 How'll know him when 1 see him!''
 Big gfeller-gray-broad shoulders
 "Ah.' murmured the other, and smiled as though the picture pleased him. "Pll hunt him up and ask him if 1 can camp out in this house of his for while
 Maybe you'd better wait. You'll be passin him the road, like as not"
 "How's that?"
 "He comes over here on Tuesdays once month; tomorrow he's about due.'
 By the way, what brings Drew over here
 "Never asked him. was brung up not to ask questions"
 "'I'lI answer some of the questions you haven't asked then. My name is Anthony Bard and Pm out here seeing the moun- tains and having a bully time in general with my rod and gun"
 The sad eyes regarded him without inter- est, but Bard swung from his horse and ad- vaneed with Outstretched hand.
 "I may be about here for few days and we might as we'll get acquainted, eh? I'll promise to lay off the questions"
 tI'm Logan"
 Glad to know you, Mr. Logan"
 Same L you. could snow you pfelty neat spot for a camp, over there by the river"
 Thanks, but I'll explore for myself"
 He swung again into the saddle and trotted whistling down the slope toward the creek which Logan had pointed out. But once fairly out of sight in the second growth forest, he veered sharply to the right, touched his tough cattle-pony with the spurs, and headed at racing pace for the old ruined house.
 Even from a distance the house appeared unnlistakably done for, but not until he came close at hand could Bard appreciate the full extent of the ruin. Every individual board appeared to be rottirg and crumbling toward the ground, awaiting the shake of one fierce gust of wind to disappear in a cloud of mouldy dust. He left his horse with the reins hanging over its head behind the house and entered by the back door.
 At last he reached habitable room in the front of the house. It was new shell built inside the old wreck, with four stout eorner-posts supporting cross-beams, which in turn held up the mouldering roof In the center was rude table and on either side bunk built against the wall. Perhaps this was where Drew lived on the occasions of his visits to the old ranchhouse.
 Out of the gloom of the place, Bard stepped with a shrug of the shoulders like one who shakes off the spell of night