The Forester's Daughter

e, but his will remained unbroken. At every rough place she came back to him to support him, to hearten him, and so he crept on through the darkness,

ence, and the cabin should be near,

then she turned toward the roaring of the stream, which grew louder as they advanced. "The cabin is nea

led, but no one answered. "The ranger is away," she exclaimed, in

ith but a moment's hesitation, she said: "It looks like a case of breaking and entering. I'll try a window." The windows, too, were securely fastened. After trying

e girl made way through the broken sash into the dark interior. Her next utterance was a cry of joy: "

d dragged him across the sill. Her strength seemed prodigious. A delicious warmth, a grateful dryness, a

of the room, Berrie said: "Sta

ood a square cook-stove, a rude table littered with dishes, and three stools made

ne of Tony's old jackets, put that on while I see if I can't find some dry stockings for you. Sit right down here by the stove; put your feet in the oven. I'll have a fire in a jiffy. There, that's right. Now I'll start the coffee-pot." She soon found the coffee, bu

ayland's look of wonder and admiration. "Necessity sure is the mother of invention out here. How do you feel by now? Isn't it

er forced. He was in the grasp of a nervous chill, and she was deeply apprehensive of what

at to brace you

iscuits, which she found in the cupboard, and as soon as the coffee was ready she poured it for him; but sh

, as she studied his weary eyes. "You

and brought back a little of his courage, an

I am eating my supper you slip off your wet clothes and creep into Tony's bu

ekly carried out her instructions, and from the delicious warmth and security of his bed watched he

the sun shining, and Berrie confronting him with anxious face. "Did I waken you?" she asked. "I

on a moment. "Is it to-

ll the sun gets a little higher." She drew near and put a hand on his br

seem to have a temperature. I just feel lazy, limp and lazy; but

you have had your breakfast

the girl's actions. Through the haze of the kitchen smoke she enlarged till she became the typical frontier wife, the goddess of the skillet and the coffee-pot, the consort of the pioneer

it is not my fault that I am a weakling," he argued. "Only it was foolish for me to thrust myself into this

a mesh from which honorable escape was almost impossible. The ranger's cabin, so far from being an end of their compromising intimacy, had added and was

eir good fortune. "It is glorious outside, and I am sure daddy will get across to-day, and

r and shame. "The Supervisor must not find me laid

es, even his shoes-though he found tying the laces the hardest task of all-and he was at the wash-basin bathing his face and hands when Berrie hurriedly re-entered. "Some tourists are coming," she announced, in

n at this moment would not merely embarrass them both, it would t

is to stand pat and act

ward the door. "Here's where I can be of s

head was clear, and his breath full and deep. "My lungs are all right," he said to himself. "I'm not going to collapse." And he looked round him with a new-born admiration of

eyes of the girl had detected as it came over the ridge to the east. The party consi

nt, rode serenely up to where Wayland stood, an

ard. The ranger has

sombrero. She looked, indeed, precisely like the heroine of the prevalent Western drama. Her sleeves, rolled to the elbow, disclosed shapely brown arms, and her nec

"Hello, Norcross. What a

ing, Mr. Belden. I'm serving my appr

e!" exclaimed the ot

return soon. What are you

Norcross, one of McFarlane's men. Mr. Moore is con

d keen blue eyes. "Where's McFarlane? We were t

away, and he was obliged to go back after

irl. "Can't you hand me out a hunk of bread

door. "Sure thing," she called

orning, Miss McFarlane, I didn't know yo

d coldly. "I

woman. "And Mrs. Belden

horse, turned on Berrie with a battery of questions. "Good Lord! Berrie McFarlane, what are you doing over in t

on. "Come in and get some coffee,

ty. She was a good-natured, well-intentioned old sloven, but a most renowned tattler, and the girl feared her more than s

by saying: "It's plain that you, like mysel

think so?" she b

men who live out here carefully avoid convenient and artistic dre

to wear out their Sunday go-to-meeting clothes, where

Herald Square Theater. The play is 'Little Blossom, or the Cowgi

izing her cue and speaking in c

it is a peacherino," he decl

id: "No, I don't belong here; but I come out every year during vacation with my father. I love this country. It's so

h girl," he ab

kes you

about you Smith girls t

away! I

tual acquaintances-a fact which both puzzled and hurt Berea. Their laughter angered her, and whenever she glanced at them and detected Si

tion almost entirely passed. In this he was mistaken, for no sooner was t

y the Supervisor

er them," again responded Berrie, who found the

ou expect

eiving them, although she did not intend to volunteer any

e a diversion. "Isn't t

's romantic enough to be the back-dr

a Michigan lumberman, Vice-President of the A

smile. "But don't hold me responsible fo

d! And what is the son of W. W. Norcros

studied the young man with deeper interest, while Mrs. Belden, detecting some res

ht h

t away. There's a pasture here

evasion, and deepened the significance of her predicament, and yet she could not br

nto camp at the mouth of the West Fork," he said, as he rose. "Tell Tony and the

her hand. "I hope you'll find time to come up and see us. I kn

uty. I'm not at all sure that I shall have a moment

visor's daughter and young Norcross had been thrown, and Mrs. Belden was still so much in the dark that she called t

hat!" prote

e. "That would be pleas

. "I wish that old tale-bearer had kept away. She's going to make trouble

her? She seems a very

ople. Why does she go around with her sleeves rolled

o look tough and boisterous. That's the fad with all the g

her to think that he could forget his aches and be so free and easy with a stranger at a moment's notice. Under the influence of that gi

ily ills, but of Berrie, and he had kept a brave face in order that he might prevent further questioning on the part of a m

I hope they won't happen t

ld go with them

ll never rest till she finds out just where we've been, and just w

e with Berea suddenly absurd. Without losing in any degree the sense of gratitude he felt for her protecting care, and with full acknowledgment of her heroic support of his faltering feet, he re

influence of the coquette whose smiling eyes and bared arms had openly challenged admiration. It saddened her