"He's a good man, but he has his peculiarities. Belden is your real
enemy. He is blue with malignity--so are most of the cowmen I met up
there. I wish I could do something for the Service. I'm a thoroughly
up-to-date analytical chemist and a passable mining engineer, and my
doctor says that for a year at least I must work in the open air. _Is_
there anything in this Forest Service for a weakling like me?"
Nash considered. "The Supervisor might put you on as a temporary guard.
I'll speak to him if you like?"
"I wish you would. Tell him to forget the pay. I'm not in need of money,
but I do require some incentive--something to do--something to give me
direction. It bores me stiff to fish, and I'm sick of loafing. If
McFarlane can employ me I shall be happy. The country is glorious, but I
can't live on scenery."
"I think we can employ you, but you'll have to go on as fire-guard or
something like that for the first year. You see, the work is getting to
be more and more technical each year. As a matter of fact"--here he
lowered his voice a little--"McFarlane is one of the old guard, and will
have to give way. He don't know a thing about forestry, and is too old to
learn. His girl knows more about it than he does. She helps him out on
office work, too."
Wayland wondered a little at the freedom of expression on the part of
Nash; but said: "If he runs his office as he runs his ranch he surely is
condemned to go."
"There's where the girl comes in. She keeps the boys in the office lined
up and maintains things in pretty fair shape. She knows the old man is in
danger of losing his job, and she's doing her best to hold him to it.
She's like a son to him and he relies on her judgment when a close
decision comes up. But it's only a matter of time when he and all he
represents must drift by. This is a big movement we're mixed with."
"I begin to feel that that's why I'd like to take it up. It's the only
thing out here that interests me--and I've got to do something. I can't
loaf."
"Well, you get Berrie to take up your case and you're all right. She has
the say about who goes on the force in this forest."
It was late in the afternoon before Wayland started back to Meeker's with
intent to repack his belongings and leave the ranch for good. He had
decided not to call at McFarlane's, a decision which came not so much
from fear of Clifford Belden as from a desire to shield Berea from
further trouble, but as he was passing the gate, the girl rose from
behind a clump of willows and called to him: "Oh, Mr. Norcross! Wait a
moment."
He drew rein, and, slipping from his horse, approached her. "What is it,
Miss Berrie?" he asked, with wondering politeness.
She confronted him with gravity. "It's too late for you to cross the
ridge. It'll be dark long before you reach the cut-off. You'd better not
try to make it."
"I think I can find my way," he answered, touched by her consideration.
"I'm not so helpless as I was when I came."
"Just the same you mustn't go on," she insisted. "Father told me to ask
you to come in and stay all night. He wants to meet you. I was afraid you
might ride by after what happened to-day, and so I came up here to head
you off." She took his horse by the rein, and flashed a smiling glance up
at him. "Come now, do as the Supervisor tells you."
"Wait a moment," he pleaded. "On second thought, I don't believe it's a
good thing for me to go home with you. It will only make further trouble
for--for us both."
She was almost as direct as Belden had been. "I know what you mean. I saw
Cliff follow you. He jumped you, didn't he?"
"He overtook me--yes."
"What did he say?"
He hesitated. "He was pretty hot, and said things he'll be sorry for when
he cools off."
"He told you not to come here any more--advised you to hit the out-going
trail--didn't he?"
He flushed with returning shame of it all, but quietly answered: "Yes, he
said something about riding east."
"Are you going to do it?"
"Not to-day; but I guess I'd better keep away from here."