The Riverman

stood a two-story mill structure. Save for a small, stump-dotted clearing, and the road that led from it, all else was forest. Here in the bottom-la

mp, could be discerned the graceful frond of white pine

d of the pond it even succeeded in raising quite respectable wavelets, which LAP LAP LAPPED eagerly against a barrier of floating logs that filled completely the mouth of the inlet river. And behind this barrier

overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots. An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there. He divided his time between the utensils and

; others sat in rows on logs drawn close for the purpose; still others squatted like Indians

th tasselled ends; a third's fancy ran to a bright bandana about his neck. Head-gear, too, covered wide variations of broader or narrower brim, of higher or lower crown; and the faces beneath those hats differed as everywhere the human countenance differs. Only when the inspection, passing the gradations of broad or narrow, thick or thin, bony or rounded, rested finally on the eyes, would the observer have caught again the caste-mark which stamped these men as belonging to a distinct order, and separated them essentially from other men in other occupations. Blue and brown and black and gray these eyes were, but all steady and

ellow with a red bandana, apostrophising the wind. "I w

e's never no smoke on the OTHER side of the fire--whichever that happe

ounger man. "We ought to be do

d a reptilian and red-headed giant on the log,

e of tools a peavy--a dangerous weapon, like a heavy c

ed and angry. The red-headed man, quite unafraid, rose slowly from th

ly a dozen me

nd you, young squirt, subside! If you're going to have ructions, why, have 'em, but n

tinued to flare up and down, the men continued to smoke, exchanging from time to time desultory and aimless

've been sort of expectin' a chance for a day or two at Redding, and now, if this son of a gun of a wind ha

Jim, whose "turkey," or clothes-bag, at his side procl

pole every stick through when the wind blew; but now that dam's backed the water up until the

e-gates give her a draw?

and not much of a draw,

g you be

e rear shortly. Ought to see something's wrong w

an in the derby hat stepped aside from the r

arked in a conversa

ly. Mere conversation yielded to an industrious silence. Sadly the cook surveyed the scene, his arms folded across the dirty white apron, an immense mental reservation accenting the melancholy of his countenance. After some moments of contemplation he

the upper bend, momently growing larger as he approached. His progress was jerky and on an uneven zigzag, according as the logs lay, by leaps, short runs, brief pau

o vouchsafed him a stately and l

in bulk. His face was burly, jolly, and reddened rather than tanned by long exposure. A pair of

et apart and sur

llicking big voice, "I'm glad to see the

neous answering grin. Tom North laid

ng to feed yet myself. Then we'll see what's to be done. I thin

tered to the water's edge, where they stood for a minute

ely. "Couldn't hold 'em any tighter. It's a pity that old mossback had to put in a m

ut of logs at the mill. The flood-water's going down every minute, and it'll make the riffles a

. Let's go take a l

nd the edge of the pond to

" commented Orde. "Thou

rejoined North in

t have dropped her shut on you betwe

ure and looked down on the

n he laughed. "Tom, look here," he called

red to a pos

a gun!" he

en built a good six feet above that level; so that, even with the gates wi

" said Orde. "Let's hunt up old Wh

ed," explained North.

h one of his big, rollicking ch

dressed in loose, long clothes and wearing a-top a battered old "plug"

eived him to be an old man, white of hair, cadaverous of countenance, with t

d," shouted Orde above

entlemen," repli

u got here,"

ry eyes fixed unblin

to us," said Orde. "You aren't givi

the owner, his thi

e, clambering leisurely back to the top of the

ore will you get! You that comes to waste and destroy, to arrogate unto yourselves the kingdoms of the yearth and all the fruits thereof, let me tell you you can't override Simeon Reed! I'm engaged here in a peacef

r a moment staring at the old man. Then a steely glint crept in

nd what it requires you not to do. But I do know that this is the only dam on the river with sluices built up

the dam owner gazing after them, his black garments flapping about him, his

North, when they w

icked Orde

t that old high-bank

g to do about it,

n't going to let him bang

. Let's see what the weather's lik