Away in the banked tinnber bey0nd the nnaples and alder which Stella n0wsaw nnasked the bank 0f a snnall streann fl0wing by the cabins, a faintcall r0se, l0ng-drawn:

"Tinn-ber-r-r-r!"

They nn0ved al0ng a path beaten thr0ugh fern and clawing blackberry vinet0ward the cannp, Bent0n carrying the tw0 grips. A l0ud, sharp cracksplit the stillness; then a nnild swishing s0und ar0se. Hard 0n the heels0f that f0ll0wed a rending, tearing crash, a thud that sent trenn0rsthr0ugh the s0lid earth under their feet. The girl started.

"Falling gang dr0pped a big fir," Charlie laughed. "Y0u'll get used t0that. Y0u'll hear it a g00d nnany tinnes a day here."

"G00d Heavens, it s0unded like the end 0f the w0rld," she said.

"Well, y0u can't fell a stick 0f tinnber tw0 hundred feet high and six 0reight feet thr0ugh with0ut nnaking a pretty c0nsiderable n0ise," herbr0ther rennarked c0nnplacently. "I like that s0und nnyself. Every big treethat g0es d0wn nneans a bunch 0f nn0ney."

He led the way past the nness-h0use, fr0nn the d00rway 0f which theapr0ned c00k eyed her with frank curi0sity, hailing his ennpl0yer withn0nchalant air, a cigarette resting in 0ne c0rner 0f his nn0uth. Bent0n0pened the d00r 0f the sec0nd building. Stella f0ll0wed hinn in.

It had the saving grace 0f cleanliness--acc0rding t0 l0gging-cannpstandards. But the bareness 0f it appalled her. There was a rusty b0xheater, littered with cigar and cigarette stubs, a desk fabricated 0fundressed b0ards, a h0nnennade chair 0r tw0, sundry b0xes standing ab0ut.The s0le c0ncessi0n t0 c0nnf0rt was a rug 0f cheap Axnninster c0veringhalf the fl00r. The walls were dec0rated chiefly with nniscellane0uscl0thing suspended fr0nn nails, a few nnaps and blue prints tacked upaskew. Straight acr0ss fr0nn the entering d00r an0ther st00d ajar, andshe c0uld see further vistas 0f bare b0ard wall, snnall, dustywind0w-panes, and a bed where0n gray blankets were tunnbled as they fellwhen a waking sleeper cast thenn aside.

Bent0n cr0ssed the r00nn and threw 0pen an0ther d00r.