THE CABIN IN THE VALLEY

New Zealand Tablet, 31 December 1908, Page 3

THE CABIN IN THE VALLEY

.-; ■'. Beyond shone the sparkling tops, of -the twin mounS£ nea^ bjr *£* of hills that circled in the lower J5l y ' ? c S6i t-ng SUn tt)uched tlie white-clad peaks to 3rl° n sn g °ry;- the m °°n r °de palel * ■» a■■*** she would soon reign supreme and splendid. The snow had "* a?J tb«t aVllyi^ c day h^ ie > S° that cold; stiCqS Sl'iSS * Sca*let -f*\ making ruddy the virgin whiteness, '■' by +^ t T ? US - f , fche aZV re dome, flecked here and there by tiny clouds, pink now in reflected beauty—all combined reioTce °^,^ member *t day it was, and marvel and of the' Child! WaS adoriUl1 S he«eH to greet the coming The little mountain path which led from thfe city was •'. nXure OUgh Tht M"' ***** Sn™ Pa^ed tiglitly Ld^r wSi + i* 9 Itr1 tr f veller corn »-g "P that path on his surelooted, neat-limbed mare, had been in the saddle many rS Tv 6 We^ mcd ' the sight of the 107---oofed cabin nestling against a' background of pines, half lost in their protecting shadow. He welcomed the sight of the man^who, standing in- the -doorway, kept peering m his direction A; tall, wiry man, clad in .rough frieze* Al 1-h«f a u oOUeilsca* T° Und about his throat! As the traveller approached, so that his features. were di.l cenuble, the inmate of the cabin turned away But by to We. 6 °ther had rein ' ai^d Wed from ™„ < ] *Viend'' he said, and spoke <iuite .pleasantly, «will you let me warm myself awhile? I've been in the saddle since noon and am chilled to the marrow' The man, bending over a pile of neatly sawed and as neatly piled logs from which the snow had evidently just ' been cleared, did not turn or raise-,his head, but jerked - his thumb m the direction of the cabin door. JerK™ 'Go inside/ he answered. : ■ The traveller used to, or expected; this brevity. He gave the mare's nose a friendly rub, drew her close to the shelter of the,cabin wall, and then opened the door and went in It was a two-roomed shack, the floor' of hard earth the furniture a table and some < rude stools. Ikiee or four shelves held the few utensils necessary to& the most simplified housekeeping. All adornment was v conspicuous by its absence. The windows, high in the wall served to light the room, and on the sill of one rested a ci e «n cie i°Se^ c h \ n! P ' Bnfc the hearth was- wide and deep and filled with a blaze that sent a thrill of pleasure through the tired wanderer, white, before it were stretched several splendid skins. The stranger went, over to it, and sank ■'- on one of the stools beside it. The man from whom' he ' asked hospitality entered in a few moments, laying a great armful of wood where one could reach it easily to replenish the fire. Then,. in silence, he took the stool opposite his guest. 'I "hope you'll excuse , me, \ began :^e . latter, rather^ because he wished to enter into conversation 7 than to make any apology.- <lamon my way to Clifton for the Christmas^ holidays, and it's no joke of a journey.' ' You've only about two miles more to go said the man. fa ' 'Oh I know how far it is; I'll be able to push on as soon as I rest and warm up a-bit.' ' ( v tc i • J l6 e fP ected any reply to this he was disappointed. It he thought to wake the man into any semblance of-cor-diality, in this, too, he was disappointed. Michael Jordan s, eyes rested somewhat curiously \m his host. He received more than a usual share of deference ifrom the world at large, but this was bare civility—and it was nob - pleasant.' - 'You kiiow Miss Jordan, of Clifton ?' he- ventured - now. .. . . '.-'".' 'Every one hereabouts kuows Miss Jordan, of Clifton ' was the reply.- - . ' ' And like her—that, of course.' ' She is the right kind,' answered the man; c a fairspoken woman.' , j MiehaeLJordan smiled at this characterisation of hig sister. _It would amuse her mightily, , he thought; for Helen Jordan was a power to be. reckoned with in more circles than one, well-ed«cated, clever, successful, whom / some called a genius, and others merely lucky— one from whose keen brain and fertile pen had, come much that was to be admired. She might have been the central star in a bright firmament had she chosen to make her home nearer the haunts of men, v but she loved the mountains too well. She had ..hungered for them during her student days, and now that those days were ended, she preferred the quiet of her home, wherein, for her, was supreme