Glen of the High North
ight th
his left. Although he himself was almost six feet in height, he seemed small by the side of this stranger,
," he continued, "an' it ain't everyo
ore interested in hearing the man's delibe
k hasn't a ghost of a chance fer lif
replied, as he watched the cloud g
ence whether they're hangin' over the water or over one's l
u thin
n' run when a good big blazin' laugh gits after it. An' that's what we
you tr
l ye of many a squabble that's been settled by the means of a
t time in many a day. He could not help it, for this stranger
onder a little while ago, I consider it my duty to act like the sun an' drive it away. Th
ay with those men who h
er the lifting of the f
t I mean. It mea
now who t
ecting mebbe, on some of the islands along the coast, an' s
mers always p
herhood of man, ye see, back of it all, an' ye'll find that spirit stronger the farther north ye go
ou mean?" Reynolds
hem missionary c
ed. "What make
olemncoly face, an'
come north lookin' abou
of his way, an' to con
overly pop'l
y n
ty notions about the way men s
should make themselves
hat
, an' not bein' too
that they would be popular, and that they were
He ever said about the matter," and the
y would be hated of all men for His name's s
ant assent. "But that was a long t
ges; you can't change that. If it is evil and full of vil
em missionary chaps?" and the
," was the em
like a parson, though.
Book in the world? My mother taught it to me when I was a child, and I learned a great deal about it when I went to Sunday school. I did not val
ung man? Wall, that's sartin
I enlisted at the be
through
, showing a great scar. "I have several
glad I've met ye. Got
his nature to speak about himself, especially to a stranger, and he was determined to say nothing
ke?" he sud
nd at it. Good
ve a smoke now. I am just i
ds of tobacco, making it impossible to see clearly across the room. No one paid any heed to the two as they entered, sat down in one corner of the room, filled and lighted their pipes
ked, thinking that the old
brief and abse
with keen interest and in a lofty dominating manner. Reynolds did not like his appearance, and the more he studied him the stronger became his repugnance. It was not only the low brutal face that compelled this feeling, but th
e chea
m n
re a
As the word "liar" rang out, a sudden silence followed, and at once hands rested upon butts of revolvers concealed in four hip-pockets. But b
o-o-o-ow. Bow-wow
erfect was the imitation, and so humorous the expression upon the face of the old man, that the onlookers burst into a hearty laugh, which caused t
t his place and strode over to w
med, gripping him firmly by
t, Curly. Who else did y
d that cat-call,
this isn't the first scrape
h-- did ye drop from, Sam? I
, or else I don't know what 'ud have happened. Better leave cards alone, Curly
-- fools' fault
urly. That's jist what kids allus do. An' cut out
a cigarette. He cast a furtive glance at Reynold
ked. "An' why was ye driftin' out under that fog
s he again glanced toward Reynolds. "I mean, I thought that the fog-bank
e anyt
arved in the bargain. I
, we wouldn't
e after all, Curly. You was allus
tarving. If they'd only leave the Gos
dose of
to church with the Indians. I've had enough to last me
I thought ye was
new strike at Big Draw, an' dec
ll hit it
't altogether the gold
ething more
imag
e was eager now. "She'll not escape me this ti
as a peculiar note in Samson's voice which Reyn
ss thinks he's got a regular Gibraltar behind those hills
n thar, have ye?
es out of her nest somet
s that it?" Samson ask
doesn't run across the likes of her every
rded by a lion that ain't to be fooled with. He's got claws that reach from sun-up to sun-down as several smarter ones than you have found out to their sorrow. Leave him al
nd gambling in other parts of the steamer. It was a beautiful evening, with scarcely a ripple disturbing the surface of the water. The air was mild, and when the sun went down, the moon rose big and cheery above the dense dark forest away to the right. Reynolds thought over the conversati
s the cause of the sudden pallor that had come upon her face? Had Curly anything to do with her agitation, and was it possible that she was the girl to whom he referred? As this idea flashed into his mind, he sat bolt upright in his chair. It did seem reason
s she stood looking straight before her. A cloak was thrown carelessly over her shoulders, and her head was bare. What a perfect picture of gracefulness she presented to the admiring young man as he watched her
certainties. But standing there before him was his guiding star, the one girl in all the world who unconsciously had inspired and stirred him
s near. Reynolds remained a long time after she had gone. It was good to be there on such a night