ELVE

KATE FINDS SOMETHING TO WORRY OVER

Kate may have been wild, but if so she managed to maintain an
admirable composure when Marion walked up to the door of the cabin.
She did not greet her best friend with hysterical rejoicings, probably
because she had been told of her best friend's safety soon after dark
the night before, and had since found much to resent in Marion's
predicament and the worry which she had suffered before Marion's
message came.

"Well!" she said, and continued brushing her hair. "Have you had any
breakfast?"

"Ages ago. Where's everybody?" Marion flung down her hat and made
straight for the hammock.

"Helping put out the forest fire, I suppose. They had to go last
night, and I was left all alone. I hope I may never pass as horrible a
night again. I did not sleep one minute. I was so nervous that I never
closed my eyes. I walked the floor practically all night."

"Forevermore!" Marion murmured from the hammock, her cheek dropped
upon an arm. "I simply ruined my shoes, Kate, walking through all
those ashes and burnt stuff. You've no idea how long it stays hot. I
wonder what would soften the leather again. Have we any vaseline?"

Kate looked at her a minute and gave a sigh of resignation. "Sometimes
I really envy you your absolute lack of the finer sensibilities,
Marion. I should not have suffered so last night, worrying about you,
if I were gifted with your lack of temperament. Yes, I believe we have
a jar of vaseline, if that is what worries you most. But for my part,
I should think other things would concern you more."

"Why shouldn't it concern me to spoil a pair of nine dollar shoes? I
don't suppose I could get any like them in Quincy, and you know what a
time I had getting fitted in Hamburger's. And besides, I couldn't
afford another pair; not till we sell our trees anyway."

"How is the fire? Are they getting it put out?" Kate's face was veiled
behind her hair.

"I don't know, it is down the other side of the mountain now. But
three hundred men are fighting it, Jack said, so I suppose--"

"Jack!" With a spread of her two palms like a swimmer cleaving the
water, Kate parted her veil of hair and looked out at the girl. "Jack
who? Is that the man up at the lookout station, that you--"

"He's not a man. He's just a big, handsome, sulky kid. When he's
cross he pulls his eyebrows together so there's a little lump between
them. You want to pinch it. And when he smiles he's got the