Part 56 (1/2)

Next morning they began to look around. California John was overjoyed at this chance to show a sympathetic and congenial man what he had done.

”I got a trail 'way up Baldy now,” he confided as they swung aboard.

”It's a good trail too; and it makes a great fire lookout. We'll take a ride up there, if you have time before you go. Well, as I was telling you about that Cook cattle case--the old fellow says----”

At the end of the Supervisor's long and interested dissertation on the Cook case, Thorne laughed gently.

”Looks as if you had him,” said he, ”and I think the Chief will sustain you. You like this work, don't you?”

”I sure just naturally love it,” replied California John earnestly.

”I've got the chance now to straighten things out. What I say goes. For upward of nine years I've been ridin' around seein' how things had ought to be done. And I couldn't get results nohow. Somebody always had a graft in it that spoiled the whole show. I could see how simple and easy it would be to straighten everythin' all out in good shape; but I couldn't do nothing.”

”Hard enough to hold your job,” suggested Thorne.

”That's it. And everybody in the country thought I was a d.a.m.n fool. Only d.a.m.n fools and lazy men took rangers' jobs those days. But I hung on because I believed in it. And now I got the best job in the bunch. In place of being looked down on as that old fool John, I'm Mr. Davidson, the Forest Supervisor.”

”It's a matter for pride,” said Thorne non-committally.

”It isn't that,” denied the old man; ”I'm not proud because I'm Supervisor. Lord love you, Henry Plant was Supervisor; and I never heard tell that any one was proud of him, not even himself. But I'm proud of being a _good_ supervisor. They ain't a sorehead near us now.

Everybody's out for the Forest. I've made 'em understand that it's for them. They know the Service is square. And we ain't had fires to amount to nothing; nor trespa.s.s.”

”You've done good work,” said Thorne soberly; ”none better. No one could have done it but you. You have a right to be proud of it.”

”Then you'll be sending in a good report,” said California John, solely by way of conversation. ”I suspicion that last fellow gave me an awful roast.”

”I'm not an inspector,” replied Thorne.

”That so? You used to be before you resigned; so I thought sure you must be now. What's your job?”

”I'll tell you when we have more time,” said Thorne.

For three days they rode together. The Supervisor was a very busy man.

He had errands of all sorts to accomplish. Thorne simply went along.

Everywhere he found good feeling, satisfactory conditions.

At the end of the third day as the two men sat before the rough stone fireplace at headquarters, Thorne abruptly broke the long silence.

”John,” said he, ”I've got a few things to say that are not going to be pleasant either for you or for me. Nevertheless, I am going to say them.

In fact, I asked the Chief for the privilege rather than having you hear through the regular channels.”

California John had not in the least changed his position, yet all at once the man seemed to turn still and watchful.

”Fire ahead,” said he.

”You asked me the other day what my job is. It is Supervisor of this district. They have appointed me in your place.”

”Oh, they have,” said California John. He sat for some time, his eyes narrowing, looking straight ahead of him. ”I'd like to know why!” he burst out at last. A dull red spot burned on each side his weather-beaten cheeks.