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〃Come；〃 she said to Roeder。 He sat opposite and looked at her as if
he would fasten her image on his mind。
〃You remember；〃 he said after a time； 〃that I told you I used t' dream
of sittin' on the veranda of th' hotel and havin' nothin' t' do？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； I don't think I care fur it。 I've had a month of it。 I'm goin' back
up th' gulch。〃
〃No！〃 cried Kate； instinctively reaching out her hands toward him。
〃Why not？ I guess you don't know me。 I knew that somewhere I'd find
a friend。 I found that friend； an' now I'm alone again。 It's pretty quiet up
thar in the gulch； but I'll try it。〃
〃No； no。 Go to Europe； go to see your mother。〃
〃I thought about that a good deal； a while ago。 But I don't seem t' have
no heart fur it now。 I feel as if I'd be safer in th' gulch。〃
〃Safer？〃
〃The world looks pretty big。 It's safe and close in th' gulch。〃
At the station the major went to look after the trunks； and Roeder put
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Kate in her seat。
〃I wanted t' give you something 〃 he said； seating himself beside her；
〃but I didn't dare。〃
〃Oh； my dear friend；〃 she cried； laying her little gloved hand on his red
and knotted one； 〃don't go back into the shadow。 Do not return to that
terrible silence。 Wait。 Have patience。 Fate has brought you wealth。 It
will bring you love。〃
〃I've somethin' to ask；〃 he said； paying no attention to her appeal。
〃You must answer it。 If we 'a' met long ago； an' you hadn't a husband or
anythin' do you think you'd've loved me then？〃
She felt herself turning white。
〃No；〃 she said softly。 〃I could never have loved you； my dear friend。
We are not the same。 Believe me； there is a woman somewhere who
will love you； but I am not that woman nor could I have ever been。〃
The train was starting。 The major came bustling in。
〃Well； good…by；〃 said Roeder； holding out his hand to Kate。
〃Good…by；〃 she cried。 〃Don't go back up the gulch。〃
〃Oh；〃 he said； reassuringly； 〃don't you worry about me； my don't
worry。 The gulch is a nice； quiet place。 An' you know what I told you
about th' ranks all bein' full。 Good…by。〃 The train was well under way。
He sprang off； and stood on the platform waving his handkerchief。
〃Well； Kate；〃 said the major； seating himself down comfortably and
adjusting his travelling cap； 〃did you find the Western type？〃
〃I don't quite know；〃 said she； slowly。 〃But I have made the discovery
that a human soul is much the same wherever you meet it。〃
〃Dear me！ You haven't been meeting a soul； have you？〃 the major said；
face… tiously； unbuckling his travelling…bag。 〃I'll tell Jack。〃
〃No； I'll tell Jack。 And he'll feel quite as badly as I do to think that I
could do nothing for its proper adjustment。〃
The major's face took on a look of com… prehension。
〃Was that the soul；〃 he asked； 〃that just came down in the carriage
with us？〃
〃That was it；〃 assented Kate。 〃It was born； it has had its mortal day；
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A Mountain Woman
and it has gone back up the gulch。〃
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A Mountain Woman
A Michigan Man
A PINE forest is nature's expression of solemnity and solitude。
Sunlight； rivers； cascades； people； music； laughter； or dancing could not
make it gay。 With its unceasing reverberations and its eternal shadows； it is
as awful and as holy as a cathedral。
Thirty good fellows working together by day and drinking together by
night can keep up but a moody imitation of jollity。 Spend twenty…five of
your forty years； as Luther Dallas did； in this perennial gloom； and your
soul that which enjoys； aspires； competes will be drugged as deep as
if you had quaffed the cup of oblivion。 Luther Dallas was counted one of
the most experienced axe…men in the northern camps。 He could fell a tree
with the swift surety of an executioner； and in revenge for his many
arboral murders the woodland had taken captive his mind； captured and
chained it as Prospero did Ariel。 The resounding footsteps of Progress
driven on so merci… lessly in this mad age could not reach his fastness。 It
did not concern him that men were thinking； investigating； inventing。 His
senses responded only to the sonorous music of the woods； a steadfast
wind ring… ing metallic melody from the pine…tops con… tented him as the
sound of the sea does the sailor； and dear as the odors of the ocean to the
mariner were the resinous scents of the forest to him。 Like a sailor； too；
he had his superstitions。 He had a presentiment that he was to die by one
of these trees； that some day； in chopping； the tree would fall upon and
crush him as it did his father the day they brought him back to the camp on
a litter of pine boughs。
One day the gang…boss noticed a tree that Dallas had left standing in a
most unwood… manlike manner in the section which was allotted to him。
〃What in thunder is that standing there for？〃 he asked。
Dallas raised his eyes to the pine； tower… ing in stern dignity a hundred
feet above them。
〃Well；〃 he said feebly； 〃I noticed it； but kind…a left it t' the last。〃
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〃Cut it down to…morrow；〃 was the response。
The wind was rising； and the tree mut… tered savagely。 Luther
thought it sounded like a menace； and turned pale。 No trou… ble has yet
been found that will keep a man awake in the keen air of the pineries after
he has been swinging his axe all day； but the sleep of the chopper was so
broken with disturbing dreams that night that the beads gathered on his
brow； and twice he cried aloud。 He ate his coarse flap…jacks in the morning
and escaped from the smoky shanty as soon as he could。
〃It'll bring bad luck； I'm afraid；〃 he muttered as he went to get his axe
from the rack。 He was as fond of his axe as a soldier of his musket； but to…
day he shouldered it with reluctance。 He felt like a man with his destiny
before him。 The tree stood like a sentinel。 He raised his axe； once；
twi