Then I'll Come Back to You

to break with vicious fury. And again Caleb spent a sleepless night, this time alone before the fireplace, but the thoughts w

se back-woods who, with a chance, might go far, as anything but an idealistic truth, in the abs

y one: His poise and utter lack of self-consciousness, his fearless directness and faith in hi

ht not, reveal; he was proud to believe that he knew a thorough-bred, without a pedigree for confirmation. And when Sunday morning dawned and the floodlike downpour had subsided to a gray and steady rainfall, even Cale

edule no storm could alter, came home from church and found Caleb and the boy immersed in a mass of flies and leaders, and lines which had bee

the Sabbath, you might do better than lead those younger than yourself into doi

ce to answer. But minutes after she had gone

arly pleased, I tak

because I do most of this sort of work on Sunday. You'

ught deeply

es cast their nets on Sun

Caleb'

h?" he

day?" Steve repeated. "Seems to me they did, but

face into a sembl

don't just recollect where it occurred, either, at the moment, but we'll have

got it. The boy, however, upon whom Sarah's disapproval ha

ch of the river. During the ride Steve's bearing toward the third member of the party was too plain to escape notice, for he never looked at nor directed a word to Allison unless it was in reply to a direct que

ut a hillside of pine, black beneath the rain,

" he remarked. "I'd venture to say that

hat it was Stephen's comment for which Allison was angling. And h

e swallowed the bait. "She'll ru

lison even

you think so

came the boy

se set-them trees-and they're clear, clean to the tops. Th

d and finally n

he agreed

ter some figures in his sm

branch cut a threadlike gash through the center of a valley broad enough and round enough to have been a veritable amphitheater of the gods. The whole great hollow was clothe

han a mere appreciation of what you call the 'sublimity of sheer immensity.' For the man who c

b ya

se for immense fortunes. I guess I'm old-fashioned

And when Allison, thinking aloud, mused that the cost of driving the timber down the shallow s

ese here valleys," he exclaimed. "Old Tom ses when they really git to lumberin' the

hildish face in the fire-glow. Then he seemed to remember that it was just a bit of a woods-waif who had spoken. But Caleb, who was lazy-brained in some matter

who taught you all these things you

dered the

d Tom learned me some, but-but most of i

ed, that night, the matter which had kept him awake the entire night before. And w

" he began,

with! A brain as clear as a diamond, absolutely fresh, absolutely unspoiled or fagged with the nonsensical fol-de-rol which makes up the bulk of the usual

fed his pip

dge, he might prove priceless to someone who had need of such a specialist. Always assuming, of course, that he

?" invit

concerning his antecedents, do yo

eb interrupted, "not a

nely, "you can make a fairly presentable gentleman out of almost any

ou can't make the sort of a gentleman out of him, that knows without b

ey were alone upon the brook, Caleb, after several false

l these things you know about the woods might be valuabl

t which he had hooked a moment before. It was a heavy fish-and Caleb h

his lifetime, jest to go a-raound and tell 'em how much good lu

to lumbering these mountains, they'd be taking it out by steam. When they do they'll want men wh

ound toward Caleb, and from that glowing countenance the man knew that he had onl

it 'em to learn me them thin

e places. And you-you were t

lways been thinkin' of it. Why, thet

hing to do," the man argued, nonplussed

ll trousers and big boots, the latter hal

ned patiently. "I-I jest couldn't git

then, recovering himself: "That'

st smile of man's sophistication

ng I've wanted," he answered, "but I always git i

lways hed to wait a lo

answered, "but I alway

want it ha

his throat, se

ery valuable years. Now-now what do you think of

ile he stood and gaped up in

athed, "you mean-j

my idea,"

n he bowed to gaze at his uncouth, begrimed clothes. The man

ade haste to forestall any objection in that dire

again, steady and wide

know haow it would come. Ner I wa'n't thinkin' about my clothes. I reckon I kin learn jest as fast in these as in any.

's turn to s

e laughed, unsteadily, with relief. For an instant he had been

day," he rushed on. "She-she-well, she's a B

ttle, his voice quite

an surely fix that. For I'll tell her-I'll tell h

dded. Later, when alone, Caleb chu

what I cal'late