Part 28 (1/2)

Agnes and Neale O'Neil began to bicker.

”I'm no horse,” said Neale rather grumpily, when Agnes suggested that the boys could drag the girls on the sled.

”No; your ears are too long,” she retorted impishly.

”Now, children!” admonished Ruth, ”How is it you two always manage to fight?”

”They're only showing off,” chuckled Luke Shepard. ”In secret they have a terrible crush on each other.”

”Such slang!” groaned his sister.

”Real college brand,” said Agnes cheerfully. ”I do love slang, Luke.

Tell us some more.”

”I object! No, no!” cried Ruth. ”She learns quite enough high-school slang. Don't teach her any more of the college brand, Luke.”

They puffed up the final rise and arrived at the top of the ascent.

This was the very peak of the ridge on which Red Deer Lodge was built.

Because it was winter and all but the evergreens and oaks were denuded of leaves, they could see much farther over the surrounding landscape than would have been possible in the leafy seasons; however, on all sides the forest was so thick at a distance that a good view of the country was not easily obtained.

The valley toward the north was black with spruce and hemlock. One could not see if there were clearings in the valley. It seemed there to be an unbroken and primeval forest.

This valley was included in the Birdsall estate, and the timber which the Neven Lumber Company wished to cut practically lay entirely in that wild valley.

The hills to the west were plainly visible. Their caps were either bald and snow covered, or crowned with the black-green forest. Toward the lakeside the slopes were alternately tree covered and of raw stumpage where the timber had recently been cut. These ”slashes” were ugly looking spots.

”That is what all that part yonder of this estate will look like when the lumbermen get through,” said Ruth. ”Isn't it a shame?”

”But trees have to be cut down some time. I heard M'Graw say that much of the timber on this place was beginning to deteriorate,” Luke said in reply.

”Shucks!” exclaimed Neale O'Neil, ”if a tree is beautiful, why not let it stand? Why slaughter it?”

”There speaks the altruistic spirit of the young artist,” laughed Luke. ”Ask Mr. Howbridge. How about the money value of the tree?”

”Shucks!” Neale repeated, but with his eyes twinkling. ”Is money everything?”

”Let me tell you, boy,” said Luke a little bitterly; ”it buys almost everything that is worth while in this world. I want beautiful things, too; but I know it will cost a slew of money to buy them. I am going to set out and try for money first, then!”

”Hear the practical youth!” said Cecile. ”That is what he learns at college. Say! aren't we going to slide downhill? Or did we come up here to discuss political economy?”

Luke, holding up his hand in affirmation, declared: ”I vow to discuss neither polit, bugs, pills, psyche, trig--”

”Oh, stop!” commanded Ruth, yet with curiosity. ”What are all those horrid sounding things?”

”Pshaw!” cried the collegian's sister, ”I know that much of his old slang. 'Trig' is trigonometry, of course; 'psyche' is psychology; 'pills' means physics; 'bugs' is biology; and 'poit,' of course, is political economy. Those college boys are awfully smart, aren't they?”

”I want to sli-i-ide!” wailed Agnes, stamping her feet in the snow. ”I am turning into a lump of ice, standing here.”