The Man in the Twilight

a long tramp of inspection through the virgin forests. It was on a ledge, high up on the hillside of the northern shore of the cove, where the ground dropped away i

he completion of his task, and comforted by the knowledge that the horizon of the mill had been cleared of threatening clouds

ains and dust of his journey remained upon him, while yet he wa

his absence, and Standing had given no indication. Standing seemed unchanged. There had been the customary smile of welcome in his eyes. There had been the cordial handshake of frien

the desk which stood between them. His hard eyes were smiling. H

e news for me, too. It's more than a month si

e sound that Bat interpreted into a laugh. The other opened the drawer and drew out the folded pages of a letter.

e your time. I'll just finish

d tone that stirred Bat

hem in order and commenced to read. And meanwhile St

of his previous satisfaction passed from him. A cold constriction seemed to fasten upon his strong heart. And a terrible realisation of the tragedy of it all took possession of h

anding said, as he returned the letter to

there. Just by the door. Yes, it was just there, because

. It was as if the spot held him fascinated. Then his arm lowered slowly, and hi

ed giving birth to my boy. And he-he was stillborn. Why? I-I can't seem to realize it. I-don't-" He paused,

o the face of the man opposite, and the agony in them was beyond words. After a moment their terrible e

orders to get out. We're r

heel of an iron fate. The wife, the woman he had worshipped, had given her life to serve him, and with

was real. It was of that quality which made him desire above all things to render the heartbroken man real physical and moral help. But no opening had been given him, and he feared to probe the wound that

ce Bat's return, and only that morning two vessels had cast off, laden to the water-line, and passed down on the tide

the north side, Bat," he said. "You'd be

agreed on

one that way if we're to start layin' th

of the Northern shore. And never for one moment was their talk and apparent int

in upon them. He knew in his heart that this long, weary inspection, all the stuff they talked, all the future plans they were making for the mill was the merest excuse. And he wondered when Standing would abandon it a

elf. Neither had spoken for some minutes. But the trend of thought was apparent in each. Bat's deep-set, troubled eyes were regarding the life and movement going on down at the mill, whose future was the greatest concern of his life. Standing, too, was gaz

es as well as in the chilly grey of the lapping waters below them. It was doubtless, too, searchi

at

ly. He spat out a stream o

lded across his knees. "We've done a lot of talk, and we've searched these forests good. And it's all no use. None at all. There's going to be n

d a masticated chew

reminded myself of all I owed to the folks working for us. I thought of you. And I tried to bolster myself with the schemes we had for beating the Skandinavians out of this country's pulp-wood trade. Yes, I tri

Nancy and I built up. Every room is haunted by her. By her happy laugh, and by memories of the hours we sat and talk

I've watched it in you

It was a safety-val

standing and-get out," he went on slowly. "The whole thing's a nightmare. Look at it. Look around. The forests of soft wood. The township we'

ed against. He passed across to the edge of the

a cuss where or how I hustle my dry hash. I was born t

the creation of which he had taken so great a part, was nothing to him at that moment. He was concerned only

the broad back squared ag

t that way, old

re wide. His face seemed to have s

're hurt mighty sore. Cut me right out of your figgers, and do the things that's goin' to he

g upon what he had to say. Perhaps he was simply gaining time to su

y new effort where I can't figure the end. Years ago, when I was a youngster, I yearned for fortune. And I realised that I had it in me to get it quick by means of that crazy talent for figures you reckon is so wonderful. I got the chance and jumped, for it. But every step I took left me scared to the verge of craziness. When I hit up against Hellbeam I got a desire to beat him that was irresistible, and I jumped into the fight with my heart in my mouth. It was easy-so easy. Hellbeam was a babe in my hands. I could play with hi

od against it while Standing passe

lk of them. I mean, how I met and married Nancy, when she was widow of

no

married Nancy an' made her thirtee

ed seven years of something approaching peace of mind. You, you with your bulldog fighting spirit, you with your hell-may-care manner of shouldering responsibility, and facing every threat, have been the staunch pillar on which I have always leant. Without you I'd have gone under years ago, a victim

ou'll know the thing I say is true-if cowardly. During seven years, or part of them, I've known a happiness that's compensated for every terror I've endured. Nancy's been my guardian angel, and the boy, that was to be born, was the beacon light of my life. My poor little wife has gone, and that

on the man's high forehe

hed fist down upo

lbeam? Gee! Let him set his nose north of 'fifty' and I'll promise him a welcome so hot that'll leave hell like a gla

ht for it was worth all the agony. But without them-why? Why in the name of sanity should I go on? To beat the Skandinavians out of Canada's trade, and claim it all for a country that doesn't care a curse? To build up a great name that in the end must be dragged in the mire

n at Abercrombie, learning her knitting, an' letters, an' crying her dandy eyes out for the mother who had to lea

yes that looked fearlessly into Bat's. He took the ot

rise for one great, big purpose. It was my dream to break the Skandinavian ring governing the groundwood trade of this country. It was work that appealed to my imagination. I wanted to build this great thing and pass it on to my boy. It seemed to me fine. Worth while. It was a man's work, and it seemed to me a life well spent. I had the guts then-with your support, and the support the thought of my son gave me. I haven't the guts now. The notion fired you, too. It fired you, and it'll grieve you desperately to see it abandoned. It shan't be abandoned. Once in the woods of this queer country I found a man-such a man as is rarely found. He was a man into whose hands I could put my life. And I guess there's no greater trust one man can have in another. He was a man of immense capacity. A man of intellect for all he had no schooling but the schooling of Quebec's rough woods. That man was you, Bat. I'd like to say to you: 'Here's the property. You know the scheme. Go on. Carry it

locate? You reckon to take

nge came on

d a seemingly mad proposition. "He'll own nothing until he and you have completed the work as we see it. To own his share

ling from a plug of tobacco. Standing watched him with the anxious eyes of a prisone

e of everything life could hand you? This kiddie with her mother's blood running in

other man

instant. And the tone

His knife had ceased fr

er, have you? And she was blood of the woman that set you nigh crazy. Only her father was another feller. No, Les." He shook his head, and went on filling his pipe. "No, Les, this mill and all about it can go hang if that pore, lone kiddie is wiped out of your reckoning. Maybe I'm queer about things. Maybe I'm no account anyway when it comes to the things of life mostly belonging to Sunday School. But I'd as lief go back to the woods I came from, as handle a proposition for you that don't figger that little gal in it. You best take that as all I've to say. There's a heap more I could say. But it don't matte

ach other's eyes. It was a tense m

el

errogation came shar

It's queer when I think of it," he went on musingly. "When I married her mother the girl didn't seem to come into our reckoning. She was at school, and I never even saw her.

e m

equal share when

ole work's p

ut his hands deprecatingly. "You see, we did things in a hurry, Bat.

tly the other roused himself from the

satisfy?" h

no

e time comes along. Do that an' I'll not rest till the Skandinavians are left hollerin'. That kid's your daughter, for all she ain't fle

t and his back was turned to hide

always reckoned to make good to you for that thing you did by me. Well, there's no use in talkin'. You reckon this notion of yours'll make you feel better, it'