The Forester's Daughter

herself; but the realization of this fact did not bring surrender-she was not of that temper. All her life she had been called upon to combat the elements, to hold her own amidst rude men and i

ontempt, now she quit

now what she wants-she wants him at her side to-morrow; but

ose herself in sleep, tired as she was. The planks no longer turned their soft spots to her flesh, and she rolled from side t

with me. I will not have him going with that girl-that's settled!" The ver

se appeal was at once mystic and maternal; but her pity was changing to something deeper, for she was convinced that he was gaining in strength, that he was in no danger of relapse. The hard trip of the day before had seemingly done him no permanent injury; on th

was awakened only by her fath

ng to the Supervisor no

opened his eyes and regarded Berrie with sleepy smil

k at him. "It's

an who, upon being awakened to an early breakfast like this, ate it, then said to his

y. "It's too bad. I ho

d-pup, to be snoring on a downy couch like this while you were r

me. How are you fee

uld ride and walk as you do, for instance? The fact that I'm not dead this morning is encouraging." He drew on his shoes as he talked, while she went about her toilet, which was quite as simple as his own. She had

forester's daughter had something primeval about her, something close to the soil, something which aureoles the old Saxon words-wife and home and fireplace. Seeing her through the savory steam of the bacon she was fryin

till properly hinged. "It's miraculous! I'm not lame at all. No one can accuse me of being a '

say that. I was terribly afraid that long, hard walk in the rain ha

eemed that he could go no farther, and he said, soberly: "It must have seemed to you one while as if I

mustn't try any more such stunts-not for a fe

to bathe his face and hands, allured by its splendid voice. The w

h her father, Berrie said: "

home! W

d enough

en a rough trip; but we'll go up and bring down the outfit, and then we men c

et back. I don't want to meet those women. Another thing, you'd better

y s

ugh to run the risk. It's a lo

orning. Besides, I haven't anyt

ndon needs help, and he's a bet

iff? He may m

to-no matter where he is. And then, too, Landon lik

at she was planning this change in order that she might

rester. I thought of sending Norcross up there at first, but he told me that Frank and his gang

"I want him to ride

y. "Do you think that a wise thing

rly and ride st

ake, and that means a long,

h altitude that does him up. Furthermore, Cliff m

t Moore is over here to line out a cutting, and I must s

day on the trail won't add to Mrs. Belden's story. If she

faith in her skill and judgment on the trail, finally said: "Well, if you do so, the quicker you start the b

it I'll pull into a ran

or inquired: "Do you feel able to

t is the walking; and, besides, as candidate for pro

Wayland and Berrie set the cabin to rights. Working thus side by side, she recovered

watched her deft adjustment of the dish

aughingly replied. "A feller must pl

turned in-much against Berrie's will-the lumberman and his daughter both came out to meet them. "Come in and hav

as had enough camping, and Norcross is pretty well battered up, so I'm going to help them across

e took a distinct pleasure in letting the other girl know of the

ssed polite regret. "I hope you won't get storm-bound,

ane. "We're going round by the lower pass, anyhow. If I'm not her

e Tyrol, and her tent was of a kind to harmonize with the tea-houses on the path to the summit of the Matterhorn. Then, too, something triumphantly feminine shone in her bright eyes and glowed in her softly round

is on the other side of the river-and you, too," she addressed Berrie; but her tone was

she now felt herself to be nothing but a big, clumsy, coarse-handed tomboy. Her worn gloves, her faded skirt, and her man's shoes had been made hateful to her by that smug, graceful, play-acting t

he was too keen-witted not to know what it was. He estimated precisely the value of the malicious parting words of Siona Moore. "She's a natural tease, the kind of woman who loves to torme

n. As a companion on the trail she had been a joy-as a jealous sweetheart she was less admirable. He realized perfectly that this return journey was of her arrangemen

cks on lively. It will be slippery on the high trail, and you'll just naturally have to hit

worry about that for a minute. Once I get out of the green

and powerful as her father, acted with perfect understanding of ev

ning back. "We don't need you,"

ave her start off on a trail new to her. He argued against it briefly, but she laughed at his fe

ide; they'll be bottomless pits; watch out for 'em. Good-by! If you meet Nash hurry him along. Moore is anxious to run thos

o you.

t nothing he could say or do assisted in the slightest degree. Her leadership was a curiously close reproduction of her father's unhurried and graceful action. Her seat in the saddle was as easy as Land

tream which ran at times foam-white with speed. The high peaks, gray and streaked with new-fallen snow, shone grandly, bleakly through the firs. The radiant beauty of the road from the Springs, the g

air feels like Thanksgi

grouse for dinner," she replied; and in less than a

l-marked trail; but his confidence in his guide was too great to permit of any worry over the pass, and he amused himself by watching the water-robins as they flitted from stone to stone in the torrent, and in calculating just where he woul

and Belden work out their problem," he said. He had no fear of Frank Meeker now. "As a forest guard with offi

ove timber and entered upon the wide, smooth slopes of the pass. Snow filled the grass here, and the wind, keen, cutting, unhindered, came out of the desolate west with savage fury; but t

ed, and her glowing good humor warmed his hea

passed the sunlight descended in silent cataracts deliriously spring-like. The conies squeaked from the rocky ridges, and a brace of eagles circling about a lone crag, as if exulting in their sovereign mastery of the air, screa

by her side, and to enjoy the views with her, was forced to remain in the rear in order to hurry the reluctant pack-animals forward. They had now reached a point twelve thousand feet abov

, in the bottom of a warm and sheltered hollow just at timber-line, Berrie drew her horse to a stand and slip

dramatically. "But it see

to-morrow; but I'll make some coffee. Yo

ad and meat, while he sat by watching her and absorbing the beauty of the scene, the charm of the hou

ctly restored tranquillity they ate and drank, with no thought

f song. Side by side on the soft Alpine clover they rested and talked, looking away at the shining peaks, and down over the dark-green billows of fir beneath them. Half the forest was under their eyes at the moment, and the man said:

If I were a man I'd rather be Supervi

isor. I wonder if your father realizes how efficient y

h. "Not that I can notic

w-more than I could ever do. Does he realize how much you have to do with the management of his

"You seem to think I'm a di

you clean out that saloon gang? Landon is sure there's crooked work going on

ou see, it's on a patented claim-the claim was bogus, of course, and we've mad

ment for poetry. I wish I could write what I feel this moment. Why don't we camp here and watch th

that," she proteste

he beauty of it. It's been a wonderful trip. Even that staggering walk in the rain had its splendid quality. I couldn't see the poetry in it then; but I do now. These few days have mad

ashamed of my hands-they are

t big, and they are beautifully modeled." He looked at her specul

wk in one of those low-necked outfits. I'd never

odify your stride a little; but you'd

making f

can go anywhere and do anything. My sisters would mortgage their s

she smiled. "You don't

d something. "I feel it soaking into me like some magical oil. No mor

's a long ride down the hill, and going down

eed is another trip like this with y

beautiful to be shortened, although she saw no reason why others equally delightful might not come to them both. He was more of the lover than he had ever been before, that she knew, and in the light of his eyes all that was not girlish and charming

portentous chill and darkness. She started to her feet

ing-at once!"

again. I have perfect confidence in your woodcraft. Why not spe

s words. But she was vaguely afraid of herself, and though the long ride at the

mly. "We've wasted too much

nging glance. "Suppose I refuse

ever known. "It is a long, hard ride," she thought, "and another night on the trail will not matt

heart, broke the sound of a horse's hurrying, clashing, steel-shod feet, and looking

e came a look of alarm. Her lips paled, her eyes widened. "He's mad