The Forester's Daughter

feeling of having innocently made trouble for himself, as well as for a fine, true-hearted girl. "What a good friendly talk we were havin

path and called out: "See here, you young skunk, you're a poor, white-livered tenderfoot, and I

" inquire

nd. You've worked this baby dodge about long enough. You're not so almighty sick as you put up to

oss remained calm. "I think you're unnecessarily excited," he remarked. "I have no des

was all right till you came. Colorado's a big place, and there are plenty other fine ranges for men of your complai

ass of yourself," observed

ely have turned her against me!" His rage burst into flame as he thought of her last words. "If you were so much as half a man I'd break you in two pieces right now; but you're not, you're nothing but a dead-on-the-hoof lunger,

he whirled his horse and galloped away, leaving Norc

but carry out Belden's orders. He's the boss," he said as he rode on. "I wonder just what happened after I left? Something stormy, evidently. She must have given him a sha

ame. "I certainly would be a timorous animal if I let myself be scared into flight by that big bonehead," he said at last

is thin legs. Others merely grinned, but in their grins lay something more insulting than words. "To them I am a poor thing," he admitted; but as he lifted his eyes to the mighty semicircular wall of the Bear Tooth Range, over which the daily storm was playing,

nt out to the men who unselfishly wrought beneath that symbol of federal unity for the good of the futu

oked up from his work. "Come in," he

so; and may I use your desk

ake any desk you like. Th

ns of skill and scientific reading which the place displayed. It was like a bit of Washington in the midst of a carel

from hearing Alec Belden rave against it," he said

"How did you

there. I wish I could do something for the Service. I'm a thoroughly up-to-date analytical chemist and a passable mining engineer, and

ight put you on as a temporary gua

ive-something to do-something to give me direction. It bores me stiff to fish, and I'm sick of loafin

e and more technical each year. As a matter of fact"-here he lowered his voice a little-"McFarlane is one of the old guard, and will have to give wa

n on the part of Nash; but said: "If he runs his offi

is in danger of losing his job, and she's doing her best to hold him to it. She's like a son to him and he relies on her judgment when a cl

it up. It's the only thing out here that interes

e and you're all right. She has the say a

decided not to call at McFarlane's, a decision which came not so much from fear of Clifford Belden as from a desire to shield Berea from furt

e, approached her. "What is it, Miss Berr

you to cross the ridge. It'll be dark long before yo

ed, touched by her consideration. "I'm

s to meet you. I was afraid you might ride by after what happened to-day, and so I came up here to head you off."

't believe it's a good thing for me to go home with yo

been. "I know what you mean. I saw Clif

rtook m

did he

hot, and said things he'll be

any more-advised you to hit

t all, but quietly answered: "Yes, h

going t

guess I'd better ke

at him stea

e, and I wouldn't for the world do

he'll have to pay for. He knows that right now. He'll be back in a day or two begging my pardon, and he won't get it. Don't you worry about me, not fo

till darker storms, the young fellow yielded to her command, and to

ast. He's the kind that think they own a girl just as soon as they get her to wear an engageme

er back to humor. "You'r

ys-one of the best riders in the country-but he's pretty tolerable domineering-I've always known that-still, I never expected him to talk to me like he did to-day. It certainly was raw."

u thin

like him; but he's the limit when he gets going. You see, he wanted to get even with Cliff and

so unlike the happy girl he met that first day, and the change in her subtended a big,

and earnest hand-clasp. "I'm glad to see you loo

he had never so much as held a plow or plied a spade. His manner was that of the cow-boss, the lord of great herds, the claimant of empires of government grass-land. Poor as his house looked, he was in reality rich. Narrow-minded in respect to his own interests, he was well in advance of his neighbors on matters relating to the

ies and prejudices; and Berrie and her mother listened with deep admiration, for the youngster had seen a good deal of the o

her admiration, and was inspired to do his best. Something in her absorbed attention

a sort of pride in keeping up with my fellows; and I had no idea of preparing for any work in the world. Then came my breakdown, and my doctor ordered me out here. I came intending to fish and loaf arou

her subjugation. She had no further care concerning Clifford-indeed, she had forgotten him-for the time at least. The other part of her-the highly civilized latent

held out her hand to say good night, and the young man saw on her face that look of adoration

king when I wanted you to t

tell you

ede for me with your father and get me into the Serv

n left the roo

n filled me with enthusiasm about it. Never mind the pay. I'm no

but I'll work you in somehow. You ought to work under a man like Settle, one that cou

Wayland, and he went to his bed happie

ther, more secret admirations. She was, in fact, compounded of two opposing tendencies. Her quiet little mother longing-in secret-for the placid, refined life of her native Kentucky town, had dowered her daughter with some part of her desire. She had always hated the slovenly, wasteful, and purposeless life of the cattle-rancher, and though she still patiently bore

ie, shortly; "he makes other

but she knew that Cliff was,