THE DISTURBING LETTER
It took Jasper longer than he had expected to get everything ready for
his fall and winter lumbering operations. He found it hard to obtain
as many teams as he needed, and greater difficulty still to procure the
right kind of men. He offered good wages, but the choppers held out
for more. Although such matters had been left to Jasper, yet he did
not feel inclined to pay such wages as were demanded. At length,
however, he succeeded in rounding together a band of men upon whom he
felt he could depend, and he hoped in a few days to begin work upon the
building of the cabins for the men and the stables for the horses.
Jasper often mused upon the peculiar situation in which he was placed.
Everything seemed to depend upon him. The engineers, having made their
surveys, had departed, leaving him in charge. The buying of the food
supplies devolved upon him, though the bills were sent to the city
office for payment. He had not seen Robert Westcote since the day he
had luncheon with him at the Sign of the Maple. He had merely received
specific information as to the various kinds of logs required, their
length and size, as well as the places where they were to be hauled
near the falls.
During these busy days Jasper had seen nothing of Lois. He knew that
she visited the Haven regularly, and Betty always had a great deal to
tell him about her. But somehow he had missed meeting her, and every
time he left he felt disappointed, and made his way back to his lonely
cabin which seemed to become more lonely as the days passed. Sometimes
he would stand on the hill and look down upon the Sinclair house,
hoping that he might catch a glimpse of her who was so much in his
mind. He would scan the river, thinking he might see her out there.
At length a great longing came upon him to see her before he should go
into the woods. He knew that in a few weeks at the most she would be
leaving for the city with her father, and then all hope of meeting her
again for months would have to be abandoned. Somehow he could not bear
the thought of her going. As long as she was near he could work
better, and her presence in the place was like an inspiration. He felt
that she knew what he was doing, and took an interest in his welfare.
But in the city she would be far away, and taken up with so many
interests she would have no time to give any thought to him.
All preparations had now been made for the lumbering operations and
work would begin on Monday morning. Saturday found Jasper with nothing
to do. He spent the forenoon in packing up his belongings to take with
him into the woods. They were very few, and one small grip would
contain his scanty library which he could not bear to leave behind.
The next time he went to the city he intended to purchase a number of
books upon which he had set his heart. He would have the long winter
evenings for reading in the little cabin he was to erect for his own
special use.
About the middle of the afternoon he decided to pay a visit to the
Haven. He wished to see David and Betty before going away, and learn
how they were making out. But the hope that he might see Lois was the
real reason why he decided to go. Several times he had thought of
visiting her at her own home. But as he had never been there and had
received no invitation, he did not feel inclined to go where perhaps he
was not wanted, and where his presence might be looked upon as an
intrusion. He often upbraided himself for thinking about her at all.
What hope had he that she would ever deign to look upon him with
favour? What had he to offer her? He was poor, and he had no
guarantee that his employment with this mysterious company would be
permanent. In a few months he might again be seeking for work.
But no matter what resolutions Jasper made he could not banish Lois
from his mind. It was she who several years before had unconsciously
inspired him to launch out into the world and make something of
himself. The thought of her had always urged him on when most
depressed and discouraged. In his darkest hours of gloom he had seen
her eyes filled with sympathy fixed upon him as on that day he had
first met her and had fled disgraced from her father's house.
Such impressions were not easy to banish in an instant, and so as he
knocked at the door of the haven he fervently hoped that Lois might be
there. But as he entered David's room other interests engaged his
attention. Hitherto all had been peace there. The old man was
generally seated by the open window listening to the voice of his
beloved falls. But now there was a distinct atmosphere of excitement.
Mrs. Bean was there, and her face had a most worried expression. Betty
had been crying, but seeing Jasper she brushed away her tears and
sprang to her feet.
"Oh, Mr. Jasper," she cried, "isn't it awful! Have you heard the news?"
"What news?" Jasper asked in surprise, as he took a chair by David's
side. "I haven't heard anything of special importance."
"It's about Mr. Sinclair, that's who it is. Just think, he wants to
take all of our logs!"
"Take your logs!"
"Yes, that's what he's going to do. Mother got a letter from him and
she has just read it to us. He says there is a mistake about the line
between his place and ours, and that all those fine logs belong to him.
He says he had a new line run last week and that the old line is wrong.
He warns mother not to touch or sell a log there, for if she does he
will sue her."
Betty was excited, and her words rushed forth like a torrent. For a
few minutes Jasper could hardly believe that he had heard aright.
"Do you mean to tell me," and he turned to Mrs. Bean, "that what your
daughter says is true? Surely there must be some serious mistake."
"I'm afraid not," was the reply. "There is the letter, which you can
read for yourself."
It took Jasper but a few seconds to scan the brief note, and when he
was through he sat staring at it as if he had not seen aright. Was it
possible, he asked himself, that Peter Sinclair was stooping to such a
contemptible piece of business? And to do it to a widow at that added
to his meanness. What justification did he have for doing such a
thing? he wondered.
"Was there ever any dispute about the line?" Jasper asked.
"None at all," Mrs. Bean replied. "A mistake was made years ago just
after we were married. The surveyor started from the wrong rock up the
brook, and the line then run cut off that part which Mr. Sinclair is
now claiming. But it was rectified just as soon as my husband came
home, and there has been no trouble since until now."
"Did Mr. Sinclair notify you that he was going to have a new line run?"
Jasper enquired.
"No, I knew nothing about what was taking place until I received that
letter."
"I wonder what suggested such a thing to him?" Jasper mused as if to
himself. "There must have been something."
"Why, I think I know." Betty exclaimed. "I do not believe he ever
thought about it until that day he was talking to Mr. David and me up
the brook. We were near Pyramid Rock, and I told him about the mistake
the surveyor had made years ago in running the line. He seemed to be
very much interested then. Maybe that was what started it. Just
think, it was all my fault. Oh, if I could only hold my tongue once in
a while how much good it would do."
At that instant a knock sounded upon the door, and when Betty had
opened it Lois entered. She looked surprised when she saw the visitors
in the room, and at once noticed the worried expression upon Mrs.
Bean's face.
"This must be your special afternoon for receiving company," she
remarked with a smile, as she took David's hand. "It isn't often you
have Mrs. Bean and Mr. Randall to see you on the same day, is it?"
"Mr. Randall has been here before," was the reply, "but this is the
first time that Mrs. Bean has favoured me with a call. It was special
business which brought her here to-day."
"You're not going to take Betty away from Mr. David, are you?" Lois
asked, turning to Mrs. Bean.
"Oh, no; it is something far different from that. It is a very serious
matter, I assure you."
"What, no one ill at home, I hope?"
"No. The boys were well when I left."
An awkward silence followed, and Lois felt that there was something of
a private nature which these people were discussing, and that she had
interrupted their conversation.
Jasper, who had risen to his feet as Lois entered the room, divined the
thoughts which were passing through her mind, and came to her
assistance.
"Let Miss Sinclair see the letter, Mrs. Bean," he suggested. "Perhaps
it will explain matters better than we can."
Without a word Mrs. Bean complied with this request, and then leaned
back in her chair with a deep sigh.
Much mystified, Lois ran her eyes over the letter, and as she did so
her face underwent a marvellous transformation. The sunny expression
departed and the colour faded from her cheeks, leaving them very white.
The words seemed to fascinate her, and for a while she stood staring
upon them. Then a tremor shook her body, and her right hand closed,
crushing the letter within it. With a strong effort she regained her
composure and turned toward the widow.
"I cannot understand this," she began. "I had no idea that my father
would do such a thing. There must be some mistake. I shall go now and
think it all over. Will you come with me, Mr. Randall? I would like
to speak with you."
Without another word the two left the house and walked slowly down the
lane leading to the road. Presently Lois stopped and turned to her
companion.
"I am almost heartbroken over what my father has done," she began. "I
have stood by him, and have tried to shield him all I could, but what
is the use of doing so any longer?"
"Could you not speak to him, and induce him to change his mind?" Jasper
asked.
"I can do nothing. He has even turned against me. He believes that I
am his enemy, and that I know more about the affairs of the new company
than I am willing to tell him. He is becoming more unbearable every
day. Only last night he told me that I could leave him whenever I
wanted to as he could get along better without me. He said that he did
not want a traitor in his house. Oh, it is terrible! I cannot
understand what has come over him. He was always hard and
unsympathetic, but never like this."
"And will you go?" Jasper enquired.
"At first I thought I would. But after thinking it all over very
carefully I have decided to remain with him. He needs me now more than
ever. You have no idea what a helpless man he is. I shudder to think
what would become of him should I leave him at the present time."
"But it might teach him a lesson if you should leave him for a while,"
Jasper urged. "It is not right that your life should be made so
miserable."
He was looking into her downcast face as he said this. Her hands were
clasped before her, and how he longed to seize them in his, and tell
her all that was in his heart; how he would look after her and bestow
upon her that love which her father denied her.
"I must not forsake him," was her low reply. "He is my father, and I
must remain by his side. I promised my mother that I would. We shall
leave for the city next week, and I dread the thought of going."
"But you will be able to forget much of your trouble there, will you
not? Your social life will be so different, and----"
"Don't speak of such a thing," she interrupted. "You little realise
how I despise so many of the social gatherings held there. What do
they amount to? What good do they do? I enjoy amusements, but I think
people should not make them the sole object in life. But that seems to
me to be just what so many do. I want to be of some use in the world,
and I believe the best way to be happy is to help others."
They were walking slowly along as Lois uttered these words. She spoke
deliberately as if she had considered them carefully, and was not
speaking under the influence of the moment.
"You are right, Miss Sinclair," Jasper replied. "I, too, have come to
realise that he who thinks only of self finds unhappiness, while he who
forgets self in seeking to help and uplift others will find the
greatest joy."
The tone of certainty in his voice caused Lois to glance up into his
face. She liked his words, especially as she felt they were real.
"And you were not always like that?" Lois asked.
"Oh, no. Only recently have I come to view things in a different
light."
"What caused the change?"
"It was old David."
"Old David! I am surprised to hear you say that. I had no idea that
he was able to influence any one except Betty Bean."
"He has influenced me as well, though it was all done unconsciously. I
have been watching him closely for some time, and ever since I have
known him he has been so happy. Even when he had not a cent and was
sold to the lowest bidder, he did not lose heart. And why? Because he
was thinking of others, and what his plans would do for the people both
in the city and in the country. He was willing to endure poverty and
taunts that those around him might be benefited. He was misunderstood,
but it made little or no difference to him. He was happy in the
thought that he was going to do good. To me he is a wonder, and I
believe I can do no better than endeavour to follow his example and
think less of myself. When I entered into the employ of this new
company I did it merely for the money I was to get out of it, and a
certain spirit of curiosity as to the outcome. Now, however, I am
working with a far higher motive. I begin to see what a benefit this
undertaking will be to the entire community and a blessing to so many,
even though at present they may not realise it."
They had reached the gate leading to the Sinclair house by the time
Jasper had finished. The colour had returned to Lois' cheeks, and her
eyes were now filled with animation.
"Oh, I am so glad to hear you speak as you do," she replied. "It
strengthens my own convictions to hear you express yourself that way,
and I feel that I shall bear my part more bravely in the city than
otherwise I would have done."
Jasper's pulse beat quicker at these words. So she would think of him,
then, in the midst of her active city life. There was a great comfort
to him in the thought.
"You will return next summer, I suppose," he remarked. "We shall miss
you very much in the meantime."
"I hope to do so, and it will be something to look forward to. But you
will surely come to see us when you visit the city. I shall be so
anxious to hear all the news from Creekdale."
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure," Jasper replied. "But I do
not expect to leave the woods before spring. Even if business should
take me to the city, I should not feel like making a social call. I
should frighten you and your friends who might happen to be with you by
my rough clothes and hard hands. Oh, no, it would not be proper, so I
had better stay away."
Lois was not slow in detecting the note of bitterness an his voice as
he uttered these words. She was aggrieved that he should think that
his rough appearance would make any difference to her. And yet she
understood his feelings. His sensitiveness would make him most
unwilling to go to a place where he would be looked upon with ridicule,
and at the same time embarrass the ones he happened to visit.
"You need not worry about your appearance when you visit me, Mr.
Randall," and her eyes met his as she spoke. "I shall think all the
more of you if your hands are rough and your face weather-beaten. I
shall never be ashamed of the marks of honest toil. I must go now, but
I shall expect to see you before spring."
To Jasper that was one of the happiest times of his whole life. He
believed that she was interested in him, while the look in her eyes and
the words she uttered were to him an inspiration during the following
days and weeks of weary work in the woods.