Thurston of Orchard Valley

checkered the spruce twigs which served as a carpet, and the canvas dwelling was both commodious and comfortable. A bright brass lamp hung from the ridge pol

mergency to replace an older man, sat close by, and, bec

ridge-work tracing that l

nd the angle over sharp," he said, glancing at the jam. "An extra big log will jam there

re work than they asked for. You're an uneasy man, Thurston, always looking for trouble, and I've had enough of late over the rascally hoboes

oped down, a gossamer-like structure spanned the chasm. This was a wagon-road bridge Julius Savine, the contractor of large interests and well-known name, was building for the Provincial authorities, and on their surveyor's recommendation he had sub-let to Thurston the construction of a pass through which saw-logs and driftwood might slide without jamming between the piers. Savine, being pressed for time, had brought in a motley

s I am. I wish Davies would run his logs down by daylight, but presumably the stream is too fast

of wrecking the bridge?" replied S

to thrash, are capable of anything. Perhaps yo

through the fret of the river: "Plenty saw logs coming d

I'm not made of cast-iron, and need a lit

e frost checks the drainage from the feeding glaciers on the peaks above, the saw-miller had insisted on driving down his logs when there was less chance of their stranding on the shoals that cumbered the high-water channel. Thurston lay awake for some time, listening to the fret of the ri

slide and jammed its thin end across the pier,"

valley and drowsy voices rose up from among the clustered tents. S

ne huge fir had proved too long for the pass, and when its butt canted, the other end had driven athwart the point of the wedge, after which, because the river was black with drifting logs, other heavy trunks drove against it and jammed it fast. Panting men were hard at work with levers and pike-poles striving to wrench the massive trunk clear, and one lighted an air-blast flare, whose red glare flickered athwart the strip of water foaming between the piers. It showed that some of the logs fo

sands of dollars," said Summers, whose eyes were wide with apprehension.

e now. It could have been done readily, if the man who should hav

ests of Northern Ontario sprang

that's keying them. It's rather more than you

dry answer. "But if you're ready to

balancing bright axes, stood high up on the pier slides ready to leap down upon the working logs. Then disjointed cries went up: "Too

heaved beneath them and Thurston, trusting to the creeper spikes upon his heels, sprang from one great tree trunk to another behind his companion, who had a longer experience of the perilous work of log-driving. Here a gap, filled with spouting foam, opened up before him;

red to follow. Two seamen deserters sprang out from the ranks of the mutineers. One stalwart forest rancher, however, tripped his comrade up, and sat upon his prostrate form

blast of the lamp so that the roaring column of flame leapt up higher, the men stood v

succession until they whirled in one continuous shower, and the razor-edged steel losing definite form became a confused circling brightness, in the center of which two supple figures swayed and heaved. The red light smiting the faces of the two showed great drops of sweat, the swell of toil-hardened muscles on the corded arms, and the rise of each straining chest. There was not a clash nor a falter, but, flash after flash, the blades came down chunking into the ever-widening notch. Summer

steel cut. It was evident that the steadily increasing jam would rub the bridge piers out of existence long before any two men could hew half way through the great trunk, but, fortunately, the log was now bending like a fully-drawn bo

outed, "Come back." "Whole jam's starting!" "King log's yielding no

ary to make sure of victory before he relaxed an effort. Thrice more in succession he whirled the heavy ax above his head, while, with a sharp snapping of fibers, the fir trunk yielded beneath his feet. Fling

ed toward the side of the timber when he sank. A wet head broke the surface, a swinging left hand followed it. The swimmer clutched the edge of a loosely-fitted beam, and held it until strong hands reached down

omewhat shakily: "Ah, you were only just

o foam. The tree-trunks ground against one another, or smote the slide casing with a thunderous shock; but the stone-backed timber stood

wet hand upon his shoulder he said: "Thank you, T

ardly. "I get my wages safe and regular, and I've ta

asked. "My foreman roused me to say only a few dozen had brought up in the boom, and as the boys were running them down by scores I figured they'd piled up against

some trouble with them which necessitated my taking a bath. But see

g into standard lengths. We have no use for a two-hundred-footer and co

ter in his eyes. "I understand you are pretty slack just now. As a favor, would you

several more big red firs growing handy beside the river, and I mean to prevent any more accidents of this kind in future. If your emplo

on, Thurston said: "A red fir was felled by two or three among you to-day, and launched down strea

ew that, although few were actually dangerous, the

ng, and all eyes were fixed upon the speaker, who, either

ceed to name the men who I believe must know about this contempti

ce broke through the others: "We're working for Julius Savine, an' don't count a bad two-bits on you,"

ay any of the men I mention, whether they work or not; and nobody, who does not earn it, will get a single meal out of the cook shanty. I'll give you until to-morro

voices were heard. Summers set out for the railroad to communicate by telegraph with his employer, and Thurston retired to his tent, where h

called up a big roll, as soon as the lumber gang marched in, and, though there wa

had small sympathy with the mutineers and that he would have at least a balance of power. He set the men to work immediately lengthening the wing of the log slide

e, but no log of any length could jam it

a rustler, too, and you'll have a chance of explaining things to