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Updated: July 21, 2025
"What we've got to meet is Seth Belden's report Berrie has cut loose from Cliff, and he's red-headed already. When he drops onto this story, when he learns that I had to chase back after the horses, and that you and Berrie were alone together for three days, he'll have a fine club to swing, and he'll swing it; and Alec will help him.
"Barring the hickory-nut on the back of my head," he explained, "I'm feeling fine, almost ready for another expedition. I may make a ranger yet." Berrie, though equally gay, was not so sure of his ability to return to work. "I reckon you'd better go easy till daddy gets back; but if you feel like it we'll ride up to the post-office this afternoon."
"As a forest guard with official duties to perform I can meet that young savage on other and more nearly equal terms," he assured himself. The trail grew slippery and in places ran full of water. "But there's a bottom, somewhere," Berrie confidently declared, and pushed ahead with resolute mien. It was noon when they rose above timber and entered upon the wide, smooth slopes of the pass.
The forewoman, who knew Mrs. McFarlane, gladly accepted her commission, and, while suspecting the tender relationship between the girl and the man, she was tactful enough to conceal her suspicion. "The gentleman is right; you carry simple things best," she remarked to Berrie, thus showing her own good judgment. "Smartly tailored gray or blue suits are your style."
They both grew uneasy as time passed, for fear something or some one would intervene to prevent this trip, which grew in interest each moment; but at last the Supervisor came out and mounted his horse, the pack-ponies fell in behind, Berrie followed, and the student of woodcraft brought up to rear. "I hope it won't rain," the girl called back at him, "at least not till we get over the divide.
Thereafter Wayland spent nearly every day with the ranger, either in his cabin or riding the trail, and during these hours confidence grew until at last Landon confessed that his unrest arose from his rejection by Berrie. "She was not to blame. She's so kind and free with every one, I thought I had a chance.
"I don't see how the horses got away. There's a pasture here, for we rode right through it." Berrie was aware that each moment of delay in explaining the situation looked like evasion, and deepened the significance of her predicament, and yet she could not bring herself to the task of minutely accounting for her time during the last two days. Belden came to her relief. "Well, well!
Berrie opened the door and confronted her mother, who said: "Mr. Evingham 'phones that the afternoon papers contain an account of a fight at Coal City between Settle and one of Alec Belden's men, and that the District Forester is coming down to investigate it." "Let him come," answered Berrie, defiantly. "He can't do us any harm. What was the row about?" "I didn't hear much of it.
"Come in and get some coffee, and we'll straighten things out." Apparently Mrs. Belden did not know that Cliff and Berrie had quarreled, for she treated the girl with maternal familiarity. She was a good-natured, well-intentioned old sloven, but a most renowned tattler, and the girl feared her more than she feared any other woman in the valley.
"We must do a little shopping first. We can't meet your father as we are." "Very well. I'll go with you if you'll let me. I'm a great little shopper. I have infallible taste, so my sisters say. If it's a case of buying new hats, for instance, I'm the final authority with them." This amused Berrie, but her mother took it seriously.
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