Kindred of the Dust

e of his unfamiliarity with their present location, his father's chauffeur drove him up. He wa

nt and her tragedy. Since his visit to the Sawdust Pile the day before, two picture

and her father might haul the reef-points home and make them fast. In his mind's eye, he could see the pulse beating in her throat as they prepared to come about, for on such occasions she always became excited; he saw again the sweet curve of her lips and her uplifted chin; he heard again her shrill voice crying, "Ready, about!" and saw the spokes spin as she threw the helm over and crouched from the swinging

gain-a neck fuller, rounder, glorious with the beauty of fully developed womanhood. And the riot of golden hair was subdued, with the exception of little wayward wisps that whipped her white temples. Her eyes, somewhat darker now, like the sea near the horizon after the sun has set but while the glory of the day still lingers, were bright with unshed tears. The sweet curves of

ver reveal to him the identity of the villain. Perhaps, some day, in a burst of confidence, she might. Even if she did tell him, what could he do? To induce the recreant lover to marry her openly and legally would, he knew, be the world's way of "righting the wrong" and giving the baby a name, but the mischief had been done too long, and could never be undone unless, ind

eve you've seen it, have you? Darrow put

ction of shacks as the automobile r

ello! There's one of my late f

im. He lifted his hat gravely, whereat she screamed a curse upon him. An instant later, an empty beer-bottle dropped with a cr

ded. "I think that man wants

d, and trod on the accelerator. "They call that place the 'Bucket of Blood,' and you'll need s

Some other t

to be popular in D

sterday-in a hurry," Donald explained.

s was good, and when you take money from that kind of cattle you make a worth-whil

nd those shifty little Greeks, I'll be a few years older than I am now, Henry

-houses to see which one should draw him for a partner next day; for the choppers worked in pairs, likewise the cross-cut men. Their bucolic sense of humor impelled the choppers to speed up when they foun

e learned considerable of the art of dropping a tree exactly where he desired it, and bringing it to earth without breakage. He rode down to Port Agnew with the woods crew on the last log-train Saturday night, walked into the mi

k it, eh?" he queried. "I told Dane

ges of the job I'm working at. When I'm thoroughly acquainted with all the jobs in the Tyee Lu

big brown hands in his

a labor dispute. 'Twould improve you if you were a married man and had to live on that for a week, less twenty-five cents for your h

the cashier, then turned and handed ten dolla

's pay I could fell a tree quicker than he and with les

ather ordered, and le

t a certain account headed, "Sandy dough." To Sandy's credit each month, ex

an hour, I watched him one day when he didn't know who I was-so I figured him for a man and a half and raised him a dollar a day. He doesn't know it, however. If he did, he'd brag about it, an

f some working-clothes at the general store. His pu

socks, shoes-the complete outfit. Charge them to my account and send them ove

kly she averted her eyes, but, nevertheless she had a feeling that the young laird of Tyee was still appraising her, and, unable to withstand the fascination peculiar to such a situation, she looked at him again to verify

night. FR

to look after him, you know; at least, you didn't decline it.

y have probably arrived by parcel-post. Sent you a box of cand

che all over. Expect to be hard and not quite so weary

y, DONAL

day-afternoon peace upon her front veranda, looked up from the columns of the Churchman as the long string of logging-trucks wound round the base of the littl

nice young man, too! I should think he'd have mor

nded, emerging from behind t

ld Mc

ney demanded, with sligh

othing

y wh

unduly interest

ess. Don't let what people

elp it if peop

they tal

been talking to me, Andre

-finger at the partner of his joys and sorrows. "You forget Donald McKaye and that Brent girl," he ordered. "It's none of your bus

ird wouldn't permit it-

run-in with Donald before he had been in command fifteen minutes. I refer to that Sawdust Pile episode. You dissua

ng?" she demanded,

t he lo

he look

wos, and put it to the torch. You be careful what you say to people, Mary. Get that boy started once, and he'll hark back to his paternal ancestors; and if The Laird has ever told you the hi

mild enough,

whip twice his weight in bear-cats. Old as he is to-day, he's as s

e Churchman, laid it aside, an

uch a thing, but-did it ever occur to you that-p

exploded in

at calm self-confidence of an attorney who is winning h

d Daney, "you have th

ember it's t

thoroughly angry. She gazed up at him in vague apprehension. Had she gone too far? Suddenly he relaxed. "No; don't tell

ou know I wouldn't dare br

e, I'll excuse you from breathing it to me, f

me why you know it isn't true, in order

arm of her chair. "The McKayes meet their responsibilities as eagerly as they do their enemies. If that child were yo

cKaye family, Andrew," said a quiet voice. "I t

d back in her chair again, for her legs absolutely refused to support her. Sta

t," he explained. "I didn't intend to eavesdrop, and I didn't-very much; but since I couldn't help overhearing s

ft it. The Laird perched himself on the veranda railing, ha

dressed to both, but his glance was fixed on Mrs. Daney-and now sh

to say, Mr. McKaye," Andrew

ke no mistake, I think, if your statement wasn't in reply to some idle tale told your g

e, I-I'd rather not-discuss it!

of scandal touches my son, it becomes a personal matter with me, and I must look well for a weapon to

nd made as if to go. But The Laird's fierce eye

m, that he wasn't a gossip, and wouldn't befoul the salt he ate by being disloyal, or words to that effect. Is it possib

hout giving sober thought to the matter, she's been listening to the idle chattering of other idle women. Now then, my dear," he continued, turning to his wife, "that

Pile the day Donald burned those shacks, and after be burned them he spent an hour in the Brent cottage, and wh

aird

department of my general store for years, and the tots of Port Agnew have been the beneficiaries of his vandali

on Saturday night he sent over a complete outfit of

-m-

membered that the chi

that child,

onsid

e'll be three year

deprecation for the blunt language he was about to employ, "you'll admit that t

aney antic

rrupted, "and Donald was home from

'd forgotten. So that alibi goes by the board.

ceive visitors, and she hasn't been

at all

ave hear

opinion, she had heard altogether too much, but

. "You'll be kind enough, Mary, not to carry word of this id

he quiet pleasure he had anticipated in the visit had not materialized and he longed to leave at once, for Daney's sake he remained for tea. When he departed, Mrs. Daney ran to her room and found surcease from her distress in tears,

e called him to the telephon

e, Andrew," he ordered, "do not dismiss her or repriman

well

ight, A

night,

in his heart. I wish I dared indicate to Donald the fact that he's being talked about-and watched-by the idl