The Forester's Daughter

e him quite content with Bear Tooth. He set to work at once to acquire a better knowledge of the extent and boundaries of the reservation. It was, indeed, a noble possession. Containing nearly

al responsibility. He had but to ride into it a few miles in order to appreciate in some degree its grandeu

e to keep entirely clear of the cowboy equipment procured puttees like those worn by cavalry officers, and when he presented himself compl

rie's company-a fact which was duly reported to Clifford Belden. Hardly a

erstanding of the governmental policy which gave them dignity and a quiet authority. They were less policemen than trusted agents of a federal department. Nevertheless, there was much to admire in the older men, who possessed a self-reliance, a knowledge of nature, and a certain rough grace which made them interes

on't care what his technical job is, should be schooled in taking care of himself in the forest and on the trail. I often meet surveyors and civil engineers-experts-who are helpless as children

ng, and under her direction he learned to pack a horse,

and board with you," she said, "and you must

n he already felt for her. Her hand was as deft, as sure, as the best of them, and her

I'll send you over to Settle, the ranger, on the Horseshoe. He's a little lame on his pen-hand side, and you may be able

reatly. "I'm ready, sir, this moment

b in the old days when it was a mere matter of patrolling; but it's worse and more of it to-day. A ranger must be ready and willing to build bridges, fight fire, scale logs, chop a hole through a wind

or duty," re

unced, delightedly. "I've never been over that new trail, and father has agreed to let me go along." Then she added, earnestly: "I think it's fine you'

still far from looking the brave forester he felt himself to be. He replied: "I'

share of the work. I threw that hitch alone." She nodded toward the pack-horse, whose neat load gave evidence of her skill. "

ch fish?" He was recovering his spirits. "It will be great fun to have you

s trip, which grew in interest each moment; but at last the Supervisor came out and mounted his hor

"at least not till we get over the divide. It's a f

h the flaming gold of the aspen, burned against the dark green of the farther forest, and far beyond the deep purple of the shadowed slopes rose to smoky blue and tawny yellow. It was a season, an hour, to create raptures in a poet, so radiant, so wide-reaching, so tumultuo

of their gilded leaves the face of the girl shone with unearthly beauty. It was as if the very air had become auriferous. Magic coins dangled f

to say, with hushed intensity: "Isn't it won

lovely before; it is an enchanted land!" with no suspicion that the larger part of her ecstasy arose from the presence of her young and symp

in the trail, and weighing with care the clouds which still lingered upon the tallest summits, as if debating whether to go or to stay. He had never been an imaginative soul, and now that age had somewhat dimmed his eyes and blun

ved as he seems to be?" Norcross asked himself, after some jarring

tful hearts. Back and forth across a long, down-sweeping ridge they wove their toilsome way toward the clouds, which grew each hour more formidable, awesome with their weight, ponderous as continents in their majesty of movem

to ride the hill going up and walk it going dow

arly at the top," and then other and far higher ridges suddenly developed. Occasionally the Supervisor was forced to unsling an ax and chop his way through a fallen tree, and each time the student hurrie

rn to swing an ax," remarked McFarlane, "and you never want t

is the government sign-a long blaze with two notches ab

ove it," added the Supervisor, sheathi

ie's pony escaped only by the most desperate plunging. The girl laughed, but Wayland was appalled and stood transfix

regular part of the journ

ything else on the trail. I'll show you how to go round this one." Thereupon

cally in the mud. "That means 'no bottom,'

tay on. Now put your horse right through whe

ugh, while McFarlane set to work to blaze a new route which should a

understand how serious a lone night journey might sometimes be. "What would I do if when riding in the dark my horse should go do

ne rode steadily on, clad only in his shirtsleeves, unmindful of the wet. Berrie, however, approved Wayland's caution. "That's right; keep dry," s

elf unentitled to it, and he rejoiced under the shelter of his fine new

g, that one of the pack-horses balked, shook his head, and reared furiously, as if to say "I can't do it,

, the Supervisor, at Berrie's suggestion, shifted part

, the throbbing of his troubled pulse, the roaring of his breath, brought to him with increasing dismay the fact that he had overlooked another phase of the ranger's job. "I couldn't chop a hole through one of these windfalls in a week," he admi

a little at first; but I really think it's good for a body, kind o'

ust where and when they were to camp; but he endured in silence. "So long as Berrie makes no comp

nt now, a mysterious menacing jungle. All the warmth and magic of the golden forest below was lost as though it belonged to another and sunnier world. Nothing could be seen of the high, snow-flecked peaks which had allured them from t

pass alone," Wayland said, a

ght was not his. She was happy at the

orm-twisted pines below, its breath had a wintry nip. The rain had ceased to fall, but the clouds still hung densely to the loftiest summits. It was a sinister yet beautiful world-a world as silent as a dream, and through the short

velvet-russet grass. "This is the Bear Tooth plateau." Low monuments of loose rock stood on small ledges, as tho

piles of stone are mighty valuable in a blizzard. I've crossed

hen the sheltering deeps of the undespoiled forest opened, and the roar of a splendid stream was heard; but still the Supervisor kept his resolute way,

nt he really was. His knees were trembling with weakness, and

er-line they were back into the sunshine of the lower valley, and at three o'clock or thereabouts they came out upon the bank of an exquisite

is filigreed with gold-and above it the cliffs rose three thousand feet in sheer majesty, their upper slopes glowing with autumnal grasses. A swift stream roared down a low ledge and f

he pack-animals, while Wayland, willing but a little uncertain, stood awkwardly about. Under her instruction he collected dead br

be so bad," he remarked, wanly. "I think I know several

she retorted, "or scaling lumber in a

eadful. I want to enjoy this moment. I n

nger means. There's nothing finer in the world than good old-fashioned hunger, provided you've got something to thro

aughter. "Mr. Norcross is starving,

e, the trailers sat down to their feast in hearty content, with one of the panniers for a table, and the fir

der smile. "I'm glad you like it

to see a soaking rain-it would end all our worry about fires. The country's very dr

Wayland listened, but heard his instructions only as he sensed the brook, as an accompaniment to Bere

ot under them. See here!" And he showed him the sheltered circle beneath the tree. "You can always get twigs for kindling from their inner branches," he added, "or you can hew into one of these dead trees and get some p

hints which the girl gave were quite as valuable, for Wayland was eager to show her tha

ent. "We're all green at the work," he said, "and we old chaps are only holding the for

nical training to enable a man to be Su

, and these 'June Eleventh Homesteads,' and the new ways of marking timber, and the grazing and free-use permits, the office work has doubled. And this is only the begin

e end of the week," she suggested. "I've always wanted to c

to that ditch survey which is being made at the head of Poplar, a

lf an hour they had all they could use for supper and breakfast, and, behold, even as they were returning with their spoil they met a covey

Island. I never was more content," he said, ferv

minute, and camping in the snow isn't so funny. Some people got snowed in over at Deep Lake last year and

heater which inclosed the lake. "See how warmly the sun fall

s they looked, a rainbow sprang into being, arching the lake as if in assurance of peace and plenty, and the young people, as they turned to face it, stood so c

ed his pipe, made notes in his field-book, directing an occasional remark toward his ap

that makes up for a hard da

illows and climb slowly to the cliffs above, while the water deepened in shadow, and busy muskrats marked its glossy surface with long silvery lines. Mischievous camp-bird

ancing hour, he had the companionship of a girl whose eyes sought his with every new phase of the silent and wonderful scene which shifted swiftly before their eyes like a n

eaks, and gorgeously lit their somber sulphurous masses. The edges of the pool grew black as night; the voice of the s

t is getting dark. I must

d any supper,

gry before morning," she retort

camp-fire cheerfully gave his best efforts to the wo

t tempted even his faint appetite, and when the dishes were washed and the towel

urn to see that the horses are all right, and t

o Berrie: "I'm glad you're here. It must be awesome to camp alo

A good trailer don't mind a night trip any more than he does a day trip, or if he does he never admits it. Ra

ger business. It's a little more vigorous than I thought it wa

eckless chances; but then father won't expect as much of you as he d

and the green shavings, just as

rash; don't jump into any hard jobs for

nto the work I ought to be able to ta

need something over your shoulders now," she added; and rose and laid a b

g, if going up against these hills and winds with Spartan courage will do me good, I'm for it. I'm resolved to show to you and your good father t

't much, after you count out his outlay for horses and saddles and their feed,

ou, as I have, you'd think just being here in this glorious spot, as I am to-night, would be

rfectly certain I can regain my strength. The very odor of these pines and the power of these wi

ent. "You are better. When I saw y

h again and is on the way to being made a giant. You can't imagine how marvelous, how life-giv

quit you," he warned. "Watch your broncos. Put them on the outward side of your camp when you bed down, and pitch your tent near the trail,

asked: "Have you made your bed? If you have, turn in. I shall get you out early to-morrow." As he saw the bed, he added: "I see you've laid out a bed of boug

, and looking up he could see the firelight flickering on the wide-spread branches. His bed seemed to promise all the dreams and restful drowse which the books on outdoor life had descri

were at their work. Nocturnal birds uttered uncanny, disturbing cries. Some animal with stealthy crackling tread was ranging the hillside, and the roar of the little fall, so far from lulling him to sleep-as he had imagined i

a flood of icy water. In vain he turned and twisted within his robes. No sooner were his shoulders covered and comfortable than his hip-bones began to ache. Later on the blood of his feet congealed, and in the effort to wrap them more closely, he uncovered his neck and shoulde

camp, pawing at the castaway fragments of the evening meal. The youth was ri

n, but probably it is only a coyote, or a porcupine," he concluded, and lay stil

knots on a log. "I didn't know I had door-knobs on my hips," he remarked, with painful humor, and, looking down at his feet, he saw that a thick rime was gathering on his blanket. "This sleeping out at night isn't what the books crack it up to be," he groaned again, drawing his feet up t