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Denning to him。
〃Jim；〃 said he； 〃I'll be down to see you through the sluiceways at
Redding； of course。 But now that you have a good； still stretch of
river； I want you to have the boys let up on sacking out those 〃H〃
logs。 And I want you to include in our drive all the Heinzman logs
from above you possibly can。 If you can fix it； let their drive
drift down into ours。
〃Then we'll have to drive their logs for them；〃 objected Denning。
〃Sure；〃 rejoined Orde； 〃but it's easy driving； and if that crew of
his hasn't much to do； perhaps he'll lay most of them off here at
Redding。〃
Denning looked at his principal for a moment； then a slow grin
overspread his face。 Without comment he turned back to camp； and
Orde took up his reins。
XXV
Oh； I'm so GLAD to get you back！〃 cried Carroll over and over again；
as she clung to him。 〃I don't live while you're away。 And every
drop of rain that patters on the roof chills my heart； because I
think of it as chilling you； and every creak of this old house at
night brings me up broad awake； because I hear in it the crash of
those cruel great timbers。 Oh； oh； OH！ I'm so glad to get you！
You're the light of my life； you're my whole life itself！〃she
smiled at him from her perch on his knee〃I'm silly； am I not？〃 she
said。 〃Dearg heart； don't leave me again。〃
〃I've got to support an extravagant wife； you know；〃 Orde reminded
her gravely。
〃I know； of course；〃 she breathed； bending lightly to him。 〃You
have your work in the world to do； and I would not have it
otherwise。 It is great workwonderful workI've been asking
questions。〃
Orde laughed。
〃It's work； just like any other。 And it's hard work；〃 said he。
She shook her head at him slowly； a mysterious smile on her lips。
Without explaining her thought； she slipped from his knee and glided
across to the tall golden harp； which had been brought from
Monrovia。 The light and diaphanous silk of her loose peignoir
floated about her； defining the maturing grace of her figure。
Abruptly she struck a great crashing chord。
Then； with an abandon of ecstasy she plunged into one of those wild
and sea…blown saga…like rhapsodies of the Hungarians； full of the
wind in rigging； the storm in the pines； of shrieking； vast forces
hurtling unchained through a resounding and infinite space； as
though deep down in primeval nature the powers of the world had been
loosed。 Back and forth； here and there； erratic and swift and
sudden as lightning the theme played breathless。 It fell。
〃What is that？〃 gasped Orde； surprised to find himself tense； his
blood rioting； his soul stirred。
She ran to him to hide her face in his neck。
〃Oh； it's you； you； you！〃 she cried。
He held her to him closely until her excitement had died。
〃Do you think it is good to get quite so nervous； sweetheart？〃 he
asked gently； then。 〃Remember〃
〃Oh； I do； I do！〃 she broke in earnestly。 〃Every moment of my
waking and sleeping hours I remember him。 Always I keep his little
soul before me as a light on a shrine。 But to…nightoh！ to…night I
could laugh and shout aloud like the people in the Bible； with
clapping of hands。〃 She snuggled herself close to Orde with a
little murmur of happiness。 〃I think of all the beautiful things；〃
she whispered； 〃and of the noble things； and of the great things。
He is going to be sturdy； like his father； a wonderful boy； a boy
all of fire〃
〃Like his mother；〃 said Orde。
She smiled up at him。 〃I want him just like you； dear；〃 she
pleaded。
XXVI
Three days later the jam of the drive reached the dam at Redding。
Orde took Carroll downtown in the buckboard。 There a seat by the
dam…watcher's little house was given her； back of the brick factory
buildings next the power canal； whence for hours she watched the
slow onward movement of the sullen brown timbers； the smooth；
polished…steel rush of the waters through the chute； the graceful
certain movements of the rivermen。 Some of the latter were brought
up by Orde and introduced。 They were very awkward； and somewhat
embarrassed； but they all looked her straight in the eye； and
Carroll felt somehow that back of their diffidence they were quite
dispassionately appraising her。 After a few gracious speeches on
her part and monosyllabic responses on theirs； they blundered away。
In spite of the scant communication； these interviews left something
of a friendly feeling on both sides。
〃I like your Jim Denning；〃 she told Orde； 〃he's a nice； clean…cut
fellow。 And Mr。 Bourke；〃 she laughed。 〃Isn't he funny with his
fierce red beard and his little eyes？ But he simply adores you。〃
Orde laughed at the idea of the Rough Red's adoring anybody。
〃It's so；〃 she insisted； 〃and I like him for itonly I wish he were
a little cleaner。〃
She thought the feats of 〃log…riding〃 little less than wonderful；
and you may be sure the knowledge of her presence did not discourage
spectacular display。 Finally； Johnny Challan； uttering a loud
whoop； leaped aboard a log and went through the chute standing bolt
upright。 By a marvel of agility； he kept his balance through the
white…water below； and emerged finally into the lower waters still
proudly upright； and dry above the knees。
Carroll had arisen； the better to see。
〃Why；〃 she cried aloud； 〃it's marvellous！ Circus riding is nothing
to it！〃
〃No； ma'am；〃 replied a gigantic riverman who was working near at
hand； 〃that ain't nothin'。 Ordinary； however； we travel that way on
the river。 At night we have the cookee pass us out each a goose…
ha'r piller； and lay down for the night。〃
Carroll looked at him in reproof。 He grinned slowly。
〃Don't git worried about me； ma'am；〃 said he； 〃I'm hopeless。 For
twenty year now I been wearin' crape on my hat in memory of my
departed virtues。〃
After the rear had dropped down river from Redding； Carroll and Orde
returned to their deserted little box of a house at Monrovia。
Orde breathed deep of a new satisfaction in walking again the
streets of this little sandy； sawdust…paved； shantyfied town； with
its yellow hills and its wide blue river and its glimpse of the lake
far in the offing。 It had never meant anything to him before。 Now
he enjoyed every brick and board of it； he trod the broken； aromatic
shingles of the roadway with pleasure； he tramped up the broad
stairs and down the dark hall of the block with anticipation； he
breathed the compounded office odour of ledgers； cocoa matting； and
old cigar smoke in a long； reminiscent whiff； he took his seat at
his roll…top desk； enchanted to be again in these homely though
familiar surroundings。
〃Hanged if I know what's struck me；〃 he mused。 〃Never experienced
any remarkable joy before in getting back to this sort of truck。〃
Then； with a warm glow at the heart； the realisation was brought to
him。 This was home； and over yonder； under the shadow of the
heaven…pointing spire； a slip of a girl was waiting for him。
He tried to tell her this when next he saw her。
〃I felt that I ought to make you a little shrine； and burn candles
to you； the way the Catholics do〃
〃To the Mater Dolorosa？〃 she mocked。
He looked at her dark eyes so full of the sweetness of content； at
her sensitive lips with the quaintly upturned corners； and he
thouht of what her home life had been and of the real sorrow that
even yet must smoulder somewhere down in the deeps of her being。
〃No；〃 said he slowly； 〃not that。 I think my shrine will be
dedicated to Our Lady of the Joyous Soul。〃
The rest of the week Orde was absent up the river； superintending in
a general way the latter progress of the drive； looking into the
needs of the crews； arranging for supplies。 The mills were all
working now； busily cutting into the residue of last season's logs。
Soon they would need more。
At the booms everything was in readiness to receive the jam。 The
long swing arm slanting across the river channel was attached to its
winch which would operate it。 When shut it would close the main
channel and shunt into the booms the logs floating in the river。
There； penned at last by the piles driven in a row and held together
at the top by bolted timbers； they would lie quiet。 Men armed with
pike…poles would then take up the work of distribution according to
the brands stamped on the ends。 Each brand had its own separate
〃sorting pens；〃 the lower end leading again into the open river。
From these each owner's property was rafted and towed to his private
booms at his mill below。
Orde spent the day before the jam appeared in constructing what he
called a 〃boomerang。〃
〃Invention of my own；〃 he explained to Newmark。 Secret invention
just yet。 I'm going