Joyce of the North Woods

crispness as it passed fitfully through the pines; but on the whole a calmness and silence pervaded space

le-bodied man in the place had that day signed a contract with the Boss of Camp

tly interesting to demand sobriety. St. Angé did not believe in putting on airs, but it had its own ideas of decorum; things had sort of doveta

of speech. He had power of his o

FAR AS TO GO UP

to Isa as to a mother, had insisted upon bare, unglorified fact, he had betaken himself into oblivion. Tate was c

permeated by gossip, consented to send down to the Junction-since Joyce objected to the hell-fire minister at Hillcrest-and

for an engineer, but Nature stepped in and flambasted his constitooti

hat I see through him. I give him pints about the machinery; and if I tell him he can ride in

oy the side-tracked gentleman

ernoon train, and Tate had the guest

noon. The wedding preparations bored

"ain't it stretching a point too far when that go

ignity, and rem

ain going down, seems to me there ain't

a head-on collision with herself some day. I

he imminent e

and went out on the tra

atively remarked, "like sh

its rickety tracks. Puffing, panting and hissin

orthy a Pullman official, to the one passenger coach behind the ba

nty-four hours, began hurling mail-bag and boxes about with the abando

ng interest; Murphy, after looking at som

who sat exhaustedly upon a cracker-box, destined

ave him a twist as to the track an' we caught 'im. But shure, the rale thing, the parson, when I was after tellin' 'im of the job what was at this end

ed his thought so fervidly that the b

r; does it be after meanin' life or death for Bir

Jock squared himself,

s are my own, confound you! I've set my mind on having that affair come off to-morrow, gol durn it, and

icturesque intent gave force a

cracker-box rose w

iar sweetness and earnestness, "I wonder i

nt, took the stranger in from head t

ell yo

ame's Drew,

oo much for him. Filmer, in doubt as to whet

low laughed g

raduated last June, went under soon after, got on my feet two weeks ago, and am making for Green Lake. I got side-tracked at the Junction through my own s

rt, hacking coughs, and Filmer's eyes never dro

and took the dress-suit c

Cat Tavern, but I guess that ain't your kind. Do you think yo

gan to tha

. "Keep your wind for the

vely strode ahead, speechless. Drew, panting, accepted the situation

e pine-clad knoll facing the west. It had four small r

nement. When Filmer made him welcome to it, he said quietly: "Now kid, you make yourself trim and dandy. Come out on the piaz

bed, and permitted the waves of w

The eyes closed, and the breath almost stopped. But it was only momentar

ening autumn colour, shining under the glowing sunset sky. The tall pointed pines, sta

es widening with enjoyment of the beauty;

of his past weakness and misery. He plunged his head into the clear, cold water in the big basin on the

for me. No Green Lake in mine! I'll send for my trunk"-he had begun to whistle in the pauses of his thought-"and put up my fight r

d Drew stood still, inhaled the

contents. A pair of flannel trousers, a heavy flannel shirt and thick shoes were selected, and soon Drew, radiant and r

r again to know just the positive joy that he felt during that first meal; for he brought to it an appetite made keen by the

ed his chair ba

ith such enjoyment, since I went tramping up

notice. He watched him passing from kitchen to piazza, and he saw that he was big, strong and handsome, but wi

rought into close personal contact with "the cloth" as he termed it, an

after his last visit to the kitch

bacco, but if I don't get my evening smoke, I get a bad

join you. I always smoke my own pipe-I've got so

nd the cloud pass

your kind classed tobacco with

hills and valley in an afterglow of glory. The beauty was so touching that even Filmer succumbed, shook the ashes from his pipe

brought the boy back to earth. "

s. Made them, and then collapsed. I'm all right now, though. All the struggle's over. I've only to reap the reward. There was a big doctor down in N

You'll find me easy to get on with, I fancy, no one has ever complained of me in that way. I don't care what Green Lake is like, I like th

gerness, while he put forth his own claims, "why in thunder a chap like you took to

ughed h

. As it is, I had to choose something where I could fight with other weapons than bone, muscle and bodily endurance. I'm going into the fight of helping men and women in the best way I can, don't you see? I sup

tement was over and the lights were out, and I said, 'I am here. I've got money; the good God need

ame, I thought perhaps he didn't want me or my money either; but I ca

cross his chest, and loo

hope you'll excuse me-I think you're t

ing up all the dull places in Filmer's character. He had never heard that laugh equal

. Without reason or cause, perhaps, th

?" The question startled Drew, then he recal

. I've substituted for ministers-preached a Sunday, now and then, you know; bu

y. There's a wedding fixed for to-morrer. I've set my heart on it coming off, and there ain't a durned parson to be had, that the girl favours. Now under these circumstances, you can't afford to look a gi

and the incidental scare, did more for me than any two successful seasons could have done. Now, your plunging right into

g and the tears

is seems like a horrible approach to anything so serious, but it is the way you

, with the handicap of your trade, I don't quite see, by thunder, how your future paris

ot in years had he been

ey like to get their money's worth. See? This girl, what I want spliced, is a devilish-" he paused-"you don't mind moderately strong la

rew was trying to

dded appr

character, but I sense things like all creation, and I feel that getting the girl in harness as soon as possible is the only plain common-sense method. She

girl a rela

flu

s all gone over this girl, and if any one can steer him straight she can, and when she gets

yce took refuge after a hell of-excuse me! after a row with the old man-up to the Black Cat. Leon Tate acts the father-part to any one in a fix-it helps his trade-keeps folks in his debt, you know, but he ain't going to hamper hisself past a cert

an't hurt the dead and the kid might outgrow it; but when it comes to tying folks together tight, it's a blamed lot li

h younger than you, if the truth were known. S

re pretty raw material, and I'm seasoned. That's the difference. It ain't anything against you. It's the way you've

impressively. "I think death is a light matter in compariso

this tip. Lay it on thick with Jude. Tell him he'll be everlasting blasted in kingdom-come if he don't act clean and hold on. Specially slap it on a

ets in. All the hell-fire threats that that religion factory of yours drilled in you, you plank on Jude to-morrow, when you make

hat doesn't matter. Future damnation is a poor threat when every man among us knows that a present hell is a m

ow, and Drew's animated face showed clear in

sting your time and health studying a line of preaching th

." Drew threw bac

er do you do w

them want to be decent. Make them want to use the powers they have

pity, bewilderment, and a desire to

l-fire can't stir sinners, a slow call to duty ain't going to get a hustle on them. I swear if it wasn't so late, I'd get Gaston over here to listen to your views. Gaston is open to all kinds of tommy-rot that has a new mark on it. I'll be jiggered if I don't believe Gaston

king, and his thoughts led wher

ned hand stole out in the

low, eager voice. "It's like having died and awakened in a new atmosphe

icate as a woman's, in

t mixing is learning on both sides. As long as you've got strength and incl

ars ago to indulge my disposition, and I'm going to indulge it. When I don't want folks, I take to the forest, or, if the weather is bad, I shut and lock my door. If, after knowing this, you care to take that room I gave you this afternoon, it's yours for as long as yo

w. "As God hears me, I believe

the whole collection you'll warm up your ideas. You're a terrible plucky kid to trust your own soul on a trifling li

tudying such a mild mixture as that. You must have been real run down at the start. But never mind, do

mer tossed about till morning. The grim Past gripped him; he pulled the flask, that stood eve

ed to sleep again, but

ves." The words struck again and

ers. He might have been-what? H

he struggle and sleep came. The only trophy of the victory was the discarded flask,