Page 144 (1/1)

Many tihts that day, with the wind keen in his face, and the vast green billows of spruce below hi without object, dreanificent elk cae to invisible rivals, stood there a target to stir any hunter's pulse, Dale did not even raise his rifle Into his ear just then rang Helen's voice: "Milt Dale, you are no Indian Giving yourself to a hunter's wildlife is selfish It is wrong You love this lonely life, but it is not work Work that does not help others is not a real man's work"

From that moment conscience torht to do, that counted in the suood achieved in the world Old Al Auchincloss had been right Dale asting strength and intelligence that should go to do his share in the developh his knowledge of nature's law he had co of the strife of men for existence, for place, for possession, and to hold them in contempt, that was no reason why he should keep himself aloof from them, from some work that was needed in an incomprehensible world

Dale did not hate work, but he loved freedom To be alone, to live with nature, to feel the elements, to labor and dream and idle and climb and sleep unhampered by duty, by worry, by restriction, by the petty interests ofCowboys, riders, sheep-herders, farmers--these toiled on from one place and one job to another for the little nificant had ever existed in that for hie-work, and of all that hu wood best Once he had quit a job of branding cattle because the s hide, the bawl of the terrified calf, had sickened him If men were honest there would be no need to scar cattle He had never in the least desired to own land and droves of stock, and eous to himself Why should a man want to make a deal or trade a horse or do a piece of work to another e? Self-preservation was the first law of life But as the plants and trees and birds and beasts interpreted that law, reed nor dishonesty They lived by the grand rule of as best for the greatest number