The Forester's Daughter

merely was each man in full possession of the color and number of every calf in his neighbor's herd, it seemed that nothing could happen in the most remote cabin and rem

was scrutinized as closely as a stray horse, and if there was within her, the slightest wayward impulse some lawless centaur came to know it, to exult over it, to make test of it. Her every word, her min

and fathers-kept a deeply interested eye upon her daily motion, and certain shameless ones openly boasted among their fellows of their intention to win her favor, while the shy ones reveled in

ner. Her ready camaraderie was taken for carelessness, and the candid grip of her hand was often misunderstood; and yet most of the men respected her,

est him, and their Saturday night spree at the saloon disgusted him. The one person who piqued his curiosity was Landon, the ranger who was stationed not far away, and who could be seen occasionally riding by on a handsome black

miles-the bright sign of federal control, the symbol of law and order, just as the saloon and the mill were signs of lawless vice and destructive greed. Around the door flowers bloomed a

nger headquarters are called), gave its delicious water into several winding ditches, trickled musically down the other side of the terrace in little life-giving cascades

d as sleeping-chamber and office, and one which was at once kitchen and dining-room. In the larger room a quaint fireplace with a flat arch, a bunk, a table supporting a t

the typewriter when Wayland appeared at the open door; but he rose with g

nterru

excuse to rest from this job." He was at once keenly interested in his

f a civilian reporting to an officer, ex

ing you'd look in on me. The Supervisor's daughter has just w

, only a student who needed mountain air; but he adde

ng fellow declared. "She's one of the

rtain of it as the young officer went on, with pleasing frankness, and it was not long before he had conveyed to Wayland his cause for sadness. "She's engaged to a man that is n

t saloon happ

t nothing is done. The mill is also on deeded land, and together they are a plague spot. I'm their enemy, and they know it

r I am getting my share of p

e-only just rowdy. I suppose the

he slipped a burr under my horse's saddle, and I came near to having my neck broken. Then he or some one else concealed a frog in my bed, and fouled my hair

terribly lonesome here sometimes, although I'm supposed to have the best

ery kind of you; but I guess I'll stick it ou

ger business-it's a solitary job, it cuts out marriage for most of us. Many of the stations are fifteen or twenty miles from a post-office;

cabin or riding the trail, and during these hours confidence grew until a

let me know there was another man. I didn't ask her who, and when I found out, I lost my grip entirely. At first I thought I'd resign and get out of the country; but I couldn't do it-I can't yet. The chance of seeing her-of hearing from her once in a while-she never writes except on business for her father; but-you'll laugh-I can't see her signature without a tremor." He smiled, but

ch," Wayland started to argue, bu

her happy smile-do you know, I have times when I resent that smile? How can she be so happy without me? That's crazy, too, but I think it, somet

, for there was something fine and high in Landon's worship. A college man with a mining engineer's training, he should go high in

h vindictiveness, and if the old man Meeker had any knowledge of his son's

of worrying a sick man,"

sides, he needs the starch taken out o

're all tiresome except Landon-but I hate to slink away, and besides, the country is glorio

mounted his horse one beautiful morning and rode away up the trail with a sense

Clifford Belden rode in from his ranch on Ha

feared and disliked this big contemptuous young

n. "He's been writing to Berrie, and he's just gone down to see her. His

on his tormentor, and said: "You be careful

cut you out. She guided him over here, and gave him her slicker to keep him dry, and I can see she's terribly taken w

rying," reto

'peared like she couldn't talk of anything else but Miste

to stern lines. Frank writhed in delight. "There goes Cliff, hot under the collar, chasing Norc

ll this mountain world in whom he took the slightest interest. Her pity still hurt him, but he hoped to show her such change of color, such gain in horsemanship, that she could no lo

d at his knock Berrie came to the door with a boyish word of frank surprise and pleasure. She was dressed in a blue-and-white calico gown with the colla

" she said. "I'm mighty glad to

ot my

ell you to come down, but I've had so

d the old hoofs and meat-bones-which littered the way-without comment, Wayland again wondered at her apparent f

e for her-led one of the hands, a coarse-minded sneak, to watch them f

t which had taken place in him. "You're looking fine," she said, as t

. "They seem to have it in f

bout F

to get into his good graces, but I can't. Your uncle I like, and Mrs. Meeker is very kind; but all the others seem

t last. "They'll like you better when you get browned up, and you

n't the slightest ambition to shine as a cow-puncher, and if those f

milingly replied. "They'd run you

pany. What's the use? As you say, I've started wrong with them, and I don't see any prospect of getting right; and, besides, I

about that. Come into the kitchen. I

d her apron, Wayland settled into a chair with a sigh of content. "I like this," he said aloud. "There's nothing c

t enough of his meaning to be pleased with it. "Oh, I have to take a hand at the po

to board? I'm sure your cooking would build up my sh

e on the hills riding hard every day. What you n

re. Civilized bread and the sight of you will do me more good than boiled beans and camp bread. I hate

scious at this, and

persists in treating me as if I were. I'm feeling fine-

kedly full-veined, cheerful and humorous, and yet she had responded several times to an allusive phrase with surprising quickness. She did so now as he remarked: "Somebody, I think it was Lowell, has said 'Nature is all very well for a vacation, but a poor substitute for the society of good men and women.' It's beautiful up at the mil

told her of his father, the busy director of a lu

ll, and I must seem a pretty poor lot to you. However, I wasn't always like this, and if that young devil, Frank Meeker, hadn't tormented me out of my

of my cooking. She says I can handle a brandin

n I think of my mother and sisters in comparison with you, they seem like caricatures of women. I know I oughtn't to say such things of my mother-she really is an exceptional person-but a woman should be something more than mind. My sisters could no more do what yo

mean to

el just as I used to do when I went to a circus and watched the athletes, men and women, file past me in the sawdust. They seemed like demigods. As I sit here now I

art of a man hopelessly ill; but she again protested. "It's all right to be able to throw a rope and ride a mean

o be a man. I'm going to ride and rough it, and sleep out of doors till I can follow you anywhere. You'll be proud of me before the month is out. But I'm g

you, although our ranch isn't a bit pretty. Perhaps father will send y

What I've seen of them. I wouldn't mind s

ectedly burst. Pushing the door open with a slam

om?" she asked, rising in some con

ingly answered. "I reckon

en displeasure. "Cliff, this is Mr. Norcross, who is visiting Uncle Joe. Mr. Norcross, shake hands with Mr. Belden." She made this introduction with some awkwardness, for her lover's failur

e girl, Wayland rose. "I must be go

urged Berrie; "fath

t out with such dignity as he could command, feeling, however

. "What's that consumptive 'dogie' doing here? He 'peare

e. She answered, quietly: "He just dropped in on his way to town,

he place. You're taking altogether too much pains with him. Can't he put his own horse out? Do you have to go to the stable with him? You never did have any sense abou

her face grew pale and set. "You're making a perfect fool

?" he

He's not very strong. He's just getting well of a long sickness. I knew a chill would finish him, that's

of it! The boys up at the mill are all talkin' about your interest in this little whelp, and I'm getting the branding-iron from every one I meet. Sam saw you go into the barn with that dud

fury. "That's mighty nice of you. I went to the barn to show Mr

"No, I bet

! Something nasty is in your mind. Go on!

"I don't accuse you

rt you distrust me-you

r of command. "Never mind

coarseness. "I didn't suppose you could even think such things of me. I don't like it," she repeated, and her tone hardened, "an

n't mea

streak before, and I'm tired of it. T

w, and he was scared. "Don't say that, Berrie!

I hate you. I never want to see you again!" She ra

esentment utterly gone, an empty, aching place in his heart. He called her twi