Show FOR A WOMAN’S air seeking the blossoms of the woodland for the gathering of their spoil The birds returned end began their twittering and from off In the forest s woodpecker’s hammer recommenced In the disa tapping Into the bark tant the oolng of a wild pigeon lent The time crept a it lanctoly note NEED 30 - v tht ' “Muet be Missus Burrows S'pose call It quits till we talk to her" Sandy’s gun went back Into his holster with a muffled snip So this was Mrs Burrows the wife of A Burrows the man who was trying to rqfi Sandy of all he had in the worla! It made no difference she was a woman and In distress The fight could wait He would accept the truce but It should be merely a truce and no more They couldn't have his claim "It's a go" he called to the enemy and then' trusting to the chivalry of the frontier paid no more attention to them and devoted himself to the rescue of the feminine voice Down in a cleft between two great trees that had given up their lives and had sought rest on the ground enmeshed In blackberry bushes with torn garments and disheveled hair he found her She was sobbing as he came He reassured her and had led her from the thicket out Into the open before his late adversaries came upon them They grouped themselves silently around Sandy glared at them unTwo of them had compromisingly rudely bandaged arms and one had the haggard look of a man who has lost much blood Dimly the woman realized that she had 'Interrupted a vce and on each side the comNORTON By batants waited for the next move Sandy was getting restless and bad almost resolved to take a chance on creeping In a wide detour around his men and by this flanking movement Copyright by F L Nelwa to gain a shot or two UMPED peg upon the cabin wall but when by thunder!" From bacK of him came a sound of was Sandy’s com- Sandy started into the woods on the padding across tbe needles footsteps It was grimly following morning ment as be laboriHe threw himself at upon the ously spelled out the strapped around his hip and his belt ground and wriggled length his way to a And this was filled with cartridges regulation claim noSo no shot might reach where its was not the last day when the gun place showing tice his bad “beat him to it” and white spot on the sagged against his thigh as he trav- wereenemies Woe be to rounding him up? ersed his little domain patiently bark of a giant fir the first one who came In sight! for the appearance of “A Bu‘Claim’s been Jumped What was the fool doing anyway? by one A Burrows” rrows' “Whopf” same a snort from the When the time came It was almost He leaned bis axe rear Sandy recognized the sound ss a surprise was one bright as It tree of pushed foot the the against being the satisfied grunt of a brown forenoon when the air was redolent his dingy old white bat back on his bear who In fancied security bad hair hitched up with the fragrance of bloom and the made his way to a thicket shock of of blackdew lay heavily In the hollows of the his trousers by the belt and again berries But what was that otbet read the notice There was no mis- tangled blackberry and rhododendron sound? More footsteps and then a bushes that the storm burst Sandy taking it There was a rival claimlouder snort from the bear a woman's ant for this patch of timber in the had grown somewhat older In these scream and the noise of tearing wilderness of the days of waiting His quick ear caught almost impenetrable as tbe animal plunged the unusual sound of voices and by thickets Olympics where for more than a year the underbrush in flight through he had abided with the proud feeling the tree where the first location noof one The redheaded forgetful tice had been posted he waited of possession with curiosity at highest tragedy In a mining way the woods with axes dangerhis Through “Oh you are hurt!” she said as composure startled by this was not a new thing to him but here gleaming across the packs on their pitch wonderful occurrence Then turnstartled by this she looked at the men backs with rifles In hand and steady In the big woods it seemed a little sound — a woman’s voice — stretched "You ing to Sandy she continued: and tread came four woodsmen It was bewildering out of place see these men work for me I bought his head over his rear breastwork “Hello!” they said In the way of the method of Its fighting would be a claim from a locator down In Seatand yelled “Hello!” He sat down on a small log greeting to the tall grim man who new In bis excitement be raised bis tle and hired these men to come and barred their way and looked at the staring white sign build my cabin— and now— and now head too high and a rifle ball went as if trying to read from It a solution Sandy wasted no time In civilities ' the top of his hat two of them are hurt" of the difficulty He might tear the "Lookin’ for this?” he queried point- whizzing through notice off the tree but that wouldn't lng at the white claim notice which do any good Now if cn'y It were a started at them unwinklngly would mining claim the procedure “Ef that’s the Burrows location we take a gun and shore are” came the reply from the be simple namely fill the “Jumper” full of lead man who was evidently the leader of himself up and the party Sandy straightened He had decided that this sighed “Well that’s It and ye kin save yer should be the method in this case if “But eyesight” said Sandy grimly he were driven to it it ain’t goin’ to do ye no good be' "I’m the peacefulest cubs that ever cause I owns this claim and I reckon as he turned I’m goin’ to keep on ownin’ It” lived” he mourned away “but they’re always gettin me “The hell you are! We been sent cornered where there ain’t nothin’ to up here to put a cabin on It and I do but shoot Then I gets shot up reckon we’re goin' to keep on and do some may be and am sorry a heap came the retort “Ef there’s any It” because I had to shoot the other feldispute about it it’s up to yoq to go low up” to the cote and fix It We’re goin’ to The world looked pretty forlorn to build and what's more we hev him as he picked his way along a bumped into you squatters a heap o’ trail through ‘the woods to his cabin times afore this” and for once the birds and squirrels The arrivals had slipped off their who knew him and expected greeting packs and were clustered around their were given no recognition leader Sandy had held his temper His path led through timber such well but now “Miss Trouble” was as but few men know it was a Tihere lie lashed out with his knotted tanic forest of monstrous trees in right fist' caught the foreman a ham Here merlike blow which he wandered a pygmy on the chin and doublet and there a giant had fallen sending him up in the air his three hundred feet of length A whirlwind couldn’t have worked crashing downward to a resting place The four struck at him and faster a twenty-foo- t barrier kicked 'him and presenting and endeavored to brin to those who would cross him In his him to the ground He felt himself another giant being overpowered proneness Perhaps and worked his having lived out his' life of hundreds hand to the butt of his revolver It of years had dropped across the first with one quick snap and the spoke on and still others piled themselves was untangled snarl until the barrier was completely One man seized a useless shoulder through which the bullet had torn Its Around one of these obstructions way and the others sprang for their the troubled Sandy came In sight of weapons Sandy tried to wing one of his cabin where it nestled In a little them and found that his remaining clearing with all Its evidences of were defective habitation From the doorway a cartridges This wouldn’t do He must take to and with cover and dog arose put In fresh ones He much effort gave a home greeting with long leaps toward one E!en in the stress of his trouble the jumped of the harriers of fallen trees and tall master stopped long enough to sought shelter As he dropped down pet the waiting head and take a behind his logs two rifle bullets sang kindly look Into the eyes that sought dangerously past bis head and went his through the tree tops “Dick" he said "we’ve been pards a log with Sandy stood behind ever since I dragged you out from feverish energy threw out the cart under a street car way down In tyhlch had failed him In his Seattle and we’ve most always had ridges need and Inserted fresh ones from some kind of a home since then but his belt Then he clambered along now they’re goin’ to try to take this a point where he could catch a one away from us and make us hit to his battlefield of and took a sight the trail again" survey Not k target was In sight alto understand Dick seemed He worked his way back cut a stick He was said he not though nothing and shoved his hat upward to the top a talkative dog his strong point beof the log trying to draw his efie He felt the gravity of ing sympathy mles’ fire It was effective and ‘the the situation and hobbled after his old hat veent sailing to the ground master Into the cabin He rushed to a behind him “Thar you go again" Sandy re- of observation and took another point look said as he entered this but nowhere was an enemy In proachfully sight time addressing his remarks to a misNot even a rifle barrel from chievous who calmly sat behind any of the forestprotruded who giants on a shelf and looked at him while SHE WAS SOBBING AS HE CAME shelter calmly furnished forewashing off with his diminutive the hat and from Sandy recovered She turned toward them as Sandy signs of paws the unmistakable Sandy ducked down while from out of a new ruse tried bis point vantage from his whiskers in front a ' man’s voice broke into sternly motioned to them to keep It failed to attract attention Plainly "Here I lugs a Sack of flour twenty They saw from his attitude '’urses directed ht the one who had lence ' miles into the woods and you Jest his opponents were enemies of no Bred the shot bad hapthat something inexplicable An old trick could be mean caliber won’t let It alotie even when I makes and acquiesced “Can’t you see” the voice expostupened They stood friends with you and feeds you till played upon them once but that was over lated “that maybe she’s In range awkwardly while she looked from one must He all use retreat or either no showed The mouse to the other in vague questioning you're fat" there — you damn fool!” new tactics Tbte first was untenable "You see I fell and my rifle went sign of fear jyid with twinkling eyes Sandy paid no heed to this remark because he "never had rfln ylt’ and his toilet as Sandy with continued off — and — and well I got scratched and it Is doubtful if he even heard it tbe second meant a reconnoiter because firms akimbo stood in front of him a leetle mite" said the man with all his attention was atJest Sandy made his way around the thickhis scolding "Well and delivered tracted toward the great unusual the the shattered elbow and Sandy loved et and by the aid of another fallen feminine side him for the lie you little cuss" he concluded “you an from he which gained log angle ain’t like men you don’t know no an accident" “Yes Jest glibly "Help! Help!” the woman’s voice better” He laid a coaxing hand on peered An elbow was In sight He called "Ugh! There was li great big chimed in the foreman would practise on that the edge of the shelf and the mouse bear here a minute ago and I have They looked from one to the other went his pistol and the fallen off a log Into the bushi and "Whang" and the foreman brought relief by up accepted the truce by scampering elbow lurched violently and smothSandy's arm to his shoulder can’t get up and there may be whole suggesting that It was time to make ered oaths told that the shot had been herds of bears down here in the dark camp One man began the opening Sandy prepared his homely woodswell aimed man's meal finished it with' a woodsSandy smiled' The joy for all I can see Why don’t you help of their packs while the wounded of battle was on him He felt took grim and seated himself were cared for man's me?” appetite Sandy exultation which comes from deadly with lighted pipe on a bench In front “Jest keep yer shirt on a minute " satisfaction from the thought that the lie wanted to yell It would Sandy called reassuringly But tbis night there strife of his cabin hot" that caught the elbow had been “and I’ll he felt He him have sure the wowas helped Interludes But or one a good were no of whistling there get around and help you I’m a trifle his trouble was upon him caught sight of a head and fired but busy out lp front Just now" Then man singing That bothered him “So you are ’A Burrows’?” he said he tried to make the wait easier by It sermed strange that through all evidently missed You see my full name Is “Yes the years stretching away back to a little Misses were not in his line assuring her that the "b’ar had hiked Once more he emptied bis pistol nna but I have been writing it with those of the desert sands when he and there wa’n’t nothin’ down there and carefully Inspected each load as to hurt her" had been alternately the Initial so long since my husband packer in “Too died he placed It Its chamber miner or woodsman he who that It comes natural now” "But why don’t you come at once?" nd her laughter smote upon him as bad” he mused “to lose that last the voice Insisted loved peace and quiet should be coma blow shot! Fellers that sell “Got to kill a few fellers out here pelled always to fight and fight and “Ef Now he was facing another Here was his enemy — a woman cartridges like these ought ter have In front first” Sandy apologized fight the law on ’em - Goin’ ter smash that It wa’n’t for that I’d come now” And it was her men whom he had “Old Miss Trouble must have fight feller one next time I see him” and It was her he said aloud been my godmother” The voice was silent for a moment fought Then the battle became slow that threatened him and she a widow San- as the woman evidently tried to think ns he prepared for his night’s rest who had paid money to professional “I hanker after the peaceful life but dy couldn’t work farther around his over a situation that made It necesbarricade and peep as he would he sary for a man to "kill a few fellers” locators to put her upon his ground I’m goln' to kill any damn man that Yes — his ground! Ground that he had before coming to her aid' tries to git this claim an' the man could catch ho sight of an enemy came Well they being the strongest a masculine paid for with money and labored efIt was you!” "Hey might as well be A Burrows as B fort and by following the maze of the known as Sandy Smith" otherwise “up to” them to come and hunt him voice from out in front law’s technicalities "His home!” It had been many months since the He would wait "Yep" responded Sandy The home that he had built and Bees hummed "Woman back thar!” the busily through beavy Colt's was taken down from its forward ROY ' "Yep" ws with a tenderness that came of probably thought the real owner waa a "squatter” one of those shiftless years of longing for it Anyway thinking took time and be must find Ignominious tramps of the wilderness the right way out despised by all "homesteaders” as well So Sandy told Mrs Burrows that as by Sandy Smith he had a good cabin below here and Dick came and with a cold muzzle that she must be hts gueBt that night tried to explain that he waa surprised at least and until her men got a at his own sleeplessness and was in hosHe established hla And with his master’s urged camp sympathy pitality and tbe foreman added his from the dog Sandy took comfort Insistence “You old rascal" he said patting As they walked down the trail and the head which had been laid trustcame in sight of its homely comfort ingly beside hla “you’re worth a dozen an you don’t suffer as ebe went into ecstacles over its trimmuch as lots of men and over Your game ness and plcturesqueness the great majestic view of peaks and ain’t been an easy one either what with losin’ your leg Jest go to sleep valleys that stretched away In the distance from the brow of the hill But and thank the Lord that you got your every word of praise that but a few tall left There’s a heap o’ satisfacdaya ago would have gladdened the tion In bein’ able to wag along” When her men reported at the cabin big man's heart was as a searching out and opening up to him door in the morning they found it meal out of the those things which he had always open tbe morning seen and felt but could not have put way and Sandy busily making up a Into words Again he glowered at them and pack took satisfaction from the appearance For once Dick got no word of Two big rough hands held the of the bandaged ones He clumped head up where the eyes could be Into the cabin and took down the looked Into but bis master was befrom their peg moldering he words Could his around have drew them spoken tightly yond he would have said: "Dick Dick they blankets In which were flour and want our home" wrapped his bacon beans It wasn’t a very reassuring tale that tea he added the frying pan coffee Sandy listened to that night and when pot and axe to the outer lashings be went out to roll himself Into his Then he swung the pack to his back Into the and settled his shoulders blankets beneath the stars having He picked up the rifle at surrendered his roof tree to his guest He his feet and stood In tbe cabin door sleep failed to close his eyelids was fighting a battle which must be “Missus Burrows" he said his his alone voice husky with emotion "you kin The widow had no other means than have this cabin and all that’s in It those which had been paid to the lo- It’s on your land you know because cators I ain’t nothin’ but a squatter Sandy silentHope and had come into you like the place" ly called them) these solitudes to make for herself Before she could reply he was gone men where to out her squatted on a loved log “Damn you!" he snarled as he stood “Don’t think I’m leavin' before them I’m goin’ because there’s four of you on off out into the west somewhere where there ain’t no stakes to take a Ai unless It’s a woman new claim who Jumps It there ain’t enough men In the Olympics to take the new claim away frum me” The thrusting of Dick’s nose Into his unoccupied hand aroused other thoughts He turned back to the open door wherein stood the woman “I’d be much obliged If you’d take good care of Duck fur me” he said I had “because he caln’t travel much to lug him on my back most of the way up here an’ I’ve got a long ways to go — maybe the trail won’t never He’s a good Be good to him end fellow even If he ain’t got but three legs” Then with a final scowl at the men he swung out and Into the darkness of the woods while behind him a crippled dog threw his head Into the air It was the and howled mournfully farewell of desolation Weeks of weary quest passed over Go as he would Sandy’s tired head was no spot open to him no deplace which could be considered sirable that welcomed him as a claimant and no niche wherein he might Time with security rebuild his home and again he bad faced starvation and always hardship and fatigue had was It his been only companions He had decided with a weary useless heart to make his way out of this country where everything worth having had been taken go to Seattle and turn his face to the far north His route led him near the old home He hungered for a sight of Dick and of his great for the companionship sympathetic eyes and caressing nore The trees took on a familiar look as and he border-linhis old neared he thought bitterly of his relinquishment of all that life had held for him there He came suddenly on a new clearing in and and a new cabin stopped amazement to woman stepped A the open door and a dog sprang past her awkwardly making his way with mouthings of welcome to Sandy's side The man knelt on the ground and took the big kindly beast’s head In his hands and held it againBt his Here at last was a friend face did you do It for?” Mrs “What "The locators came Burrows askqd the day after you left and said that there had been a mistake and that my claim was the one adjoining yours They said that you clearly owned the one which you lived on and then heard all about the fight We tried to find you but you had gone no one After they had built knew where this for me I took care of your place too because both Dick and I knew you would come back some time Why did you ever give It up? Go back to it It’s yours and we have all been keeping It for you” “Two of us Is workin’ for her now" said a man with a bandaged arm who came up "and we want to be your friends You’re worth knowing” Sandy overjoyed and dazed walked down the trail There before him with flowers In front of the cabin and other marked evidences of imstood attention provement and “home” In the fading light of the west where the dying sun lighted uj and left in' their peaks shadow their somber forests stood and the hills — his hills — unchanged waiting and welcoming A weary man entered the silent cabin where everything stood as of old and bowed his head upon hli bands over the little pine table whll his body was shaken with sobs And at bis feet a crippled dog nestled wlte a great sigh of contentment there and her son a home which would when the render them Independent lumber companies came with the big mills to turn the giant trees Into The wait would not be long gold especially as this claim was one of the most desirable In the region Two or three years at the most and Mrs Burrows would be surrounded by farms Instead of by forests and she would be beyond want for life But had seen that and more too Sandy For In this cabin which rested on the hill back of him was that consummation of his years of dreams — a "home” Every log in the humble pile had been squared with Infinite care and sentiment every shelf and homely convenience within it had carried a portion of his heart and every "shake” in the roof had been to him but one step more toward a permanent shelter The splendid ring of his adze had sung to him to the tune of the wilderness that at last his days of traveling and travail were at an end What should ne do? What could he do? To contest the claim was of course to win because his title was clear and unimpeachable But to do so would end the dreams of a woman a creature of the weaker sex a pormankind was of tion to be fought that for Instead of against that was to be treated tenderly and with reverence that was unable to fight its own battles In the cabin’ yonder she slept dreaming even more beautiful dreams than Sandy had ever known of a home to ha ind worst of all aha His Idea “What Is your Idea of a really pen good time BJInks?” asked Bjon the little chap at the son meeting club off to Eu “Seeing my motheMn-larope for six months" said Bjlnksi whateve- rwithout any hesitation fectly Judge |