Silas Strong 33
"You're f-fightin' me," said Strong, as he continued his work.
"How's that?"
"C-cause ye ain't honest."
"Look here, Colonel, you'd better fight for us." The young man spoke
with a show of feeling. "We'd like to be friendly with you."
Strong went on with his work, but made no answer.
"We're only taking old trees that are dead or dying over there on the
State land. Some of 'em are stag-headed--full of 'widow-makers,'" said
Thomas Migley.
It should be explained that a big, dead branch was called a
"widow-maker" by the woods folk.
"We shall obey the law and pay a fine for every stump," the young man
continued. "That's square."
"N-no," said the Emperor, firmly. "That l-law was intended to p-protect
the forest."
"You want us to be too -------- honest to live," said young Migley, with
an oath.
"N-no. I'll t-tell ye what's the matter with y-you," said Strong.
"Y-you 'ain't got no r-res-pec' fer God, country, man, er f-fish."
"You must agree to stand for us against all comers or get out of here
to-morrow," the young man added.
"Th-that's quick," said Strong, as he laid down his draw-shave and
looked at Thomas Migley.
"You can do as you like," said the latter. "We're willing to let you
stay here as long as you want to."
Strong saw clearly that the words were a bid for his manhood. He weighed
it carefully--this thing they were seeking to purchase--he thought of
his sister and the children, of his talk with Master on the journey from
Bees' Hill. The skin upon his forehead was now gathered into long, deep
furrows. His body trembled a little as he rose and slowly crossed the
floor. There was a kind of gentleness in his hand as he touched the
shoulder of the young man. He spoke almost tenderly one would have
thought who heard him stammer out the one word, "Run." Suddenly his big
hand shut like the jaws of a bear on Migley's arm and then let go.
The young man hesitated and was rudely flung through the open door. He
scrambled to his feet and made for the trail in frantic haste.
"R-run!" the Emperor shouted, in hot pursuit of young Thomas Migley,
whose feet flew with ridiculous animation.
Strong stopped at the edge of the clearing. He leaned against a
tree-trunk and shook his head and stammered half an oath. Soon he
hurried into one of the cabins and sat down. He looked about him--at
the fireplace and the mantel, at the straight, smooth timbers of young
spruce, at the floor of wooden blocks, patiently fitted together, at the
rustic chairs and tables, at the sheathing of riven cedar. He thought of
all that these things had cost him and for a moment his eyes filled.
He went to the cook-tent and found a map and spread it on the table.
He could go over on the State land, pitch a couple of tents and build
a shanty with a paper roof and siding, and make out for the rest of the
summer. There would be two rivers and some rather wet land to cross. For
a few moments he looked thoughtfully at the map. Soon he took out his
worn memorandum-book and wrote as follows:
_"Sep the 25. Strong has a poor set of feel in's in him Satans ahed but
Strong will flore him."_
He took his axe and saw and went to a big birch-tree which he had felled
in the edge of the clearing a few days before. He cut a twelve-foot log
out of the trunk and began to hollow it. He stuck his axe when he heard
Sinth and the children coming. He lifted Socky and Sue in his arms and
carried them into camp.
"G-goin' t' m-move," he said to Sinth as he put them down.
"Move!" his sister exclaimed. "They're going to put us out?"
Gently, fearfully, he whispered, "Ay-uh--"
Sinth turned and hurried into the cook-tent. It was curious that she,
who had raised her voice against the camp whenever a new plan had
been proposed, who had seen nothing but folly, one would think, in its
erection or their life in it, should now lean her head upon the table
and sob as if her dearest possession had been taken away. The Emperor
followed and sat down at the table, his faded crown of felt hanging over
one ear--a dejected and sorrowful creature.
"D-don't," he said, tenderly.
The children stood with open mouths peering in at the door. Sinth's
emotion slowly subsided.
"You've worked so, Silas," Sinth moaned, as she sat wiping her eyes.
"You've had to carry ev'rything in here on your back."
After all, it had been a tender thought of him which had inspired all
her scolding and her weeping. He had always known the truth, but he
alone of all the many who had falsely judged her had known it. Strong
sat looking down soberly in the silence that followed. His voice
trembled a little when he spoke.
"G-got 'nother house," said he, calmly. His voice sank to a whisper as
he added, "Couldn't b-bear t' see it t-tore down."
Failing to understand, she looked up at him.
"Myself," he added, as he rose and smote his chest with his heavy right
hand. He explained in a moment--"M-Migley wanted t' b-buy me."
He put his hand on his sister's head and said, "B-better times." After a
little silence he added, "You s-see."
He left her sitting with her head leaning on her hand in deep and
sorrowful meditation. He had built a fire in the stove and got their
supper well under way before she joined him.
While Sinth was making her tearful protest, the children sat on a log
outside the door and were much depressed.
"Somebody's gone and done something to her album," Sue whispered. The
album was, in her view, the storm-centre of the camp.
After Strong had gone to work getting supper ready the two came
stealthily to the knees of their aunt.
"Aunt Sinthy," Socky whispered.
"What?" she asked, turning and beginning to smooth his hair with her
hand.
"I'm going to buy you a new album." He spoke in a low, tentative,
troubled tone. The boy's resources would seem to be equal to every need.
Sinth shook with silent laughter. In a moment she kissed the boy and
girl and drew them to her breast with a little moan of fondness. Then
she rose and went to help her brother.
A little before sundown they heard the report of a rifle which had
been fired within a mile of camp. Strong stood listening and could hear
distant voices. He walked down the trail and returned in half an hour.
"It's B-Business," he said to Sinth. "His army is c-comin'."
XXX
STRONG was chopping and hewing on his birch log until late bedtime.
He was like Noah getting ready for the destruction of the world. Having
finished, he took his lantern off a branch beside him and surveyed a
singular device. He called it a boat-jumper, and, inspired by a thought
of the children, whispered to himself, "Uncle S-Silas is improvin'." It
was a mere shell about two inches thick, flat on the bottom and sheared
on one end, canoe-fashion. It would serve as a jumper--a rough, sledlike
conveyance--on the ground and as a boat on the rivers; it would carry
Sinth and the children, with tents, blankets, provisions, and bedding
enough to last until he could return for more.
He hurried to camp and helped his sister with the packing. When a dozen
great bundles lay on the floor, ready for removal, Sinth went to bed.
But the tireless Emperor had more work to do. He made two seats, with
back-rests upon each, for the boat-jumper and fastened a whiffle-tree to
the bow end of the same. On its stern he put two handles--like those
of a plough--so that he might lay hold of them and steady the jumper in
rough places.
Next morning a little before sunrise he made off on the trail to Pitkin.
At the general store and post-office in that hamlet he received a
letter. It was from the forest, fish, and game commissioner, who thus
addressed him:
_"Dear Mr. Strong,--I hear that timber thieves and deer-slayers are
operating on State land near Rainbow Lake. I learn also that you are
about to leave your camp at Lost River. If that is true I wish you would
accept an appointment as deputy for that district and go at once and do
what you can to protect the valley of Rainbow. The salary would be five
hundred dollars. A letter just received informs me that 'Red' Macdonald
is there with dogs. If you could deliver him into custody you would be a
public benefactor, but I warn you that he is a desperate man. Please let
me hear from you immediately."_
This gave Strong a new and grateful sense of being "ahead." Before
leaving the post-office he penned his acceptance of the offer. Then he
proceeded to the home of Annette and found her gone for the day. He sat
down at the dinner-table and wrote these lines with all the deliberation
their significance merited:
_"Deer lady,--In Ogdensburg an' anxious to move. Patrick can snake me
out. Meet me at Benson Falls Friday if possibul an' youll heare some
talkin' done by yours hopin fer better times,
"S. Strong.
"P.S. Strong's ahed."_
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