In Blue Creek Cañon   By: Anna Chapin Ray (1865-1945)

BY ANNA CHAPIN RAY

AUTHOR OF "HALF A DOZEN BOYS," "HALF A DOZEN GIRLS," ETC.

NEW YORK: 46 EAST 14TH STREET THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CO. BOSTON: 100 PURCHASE STREET

COPYRIGHT, 1892, BY THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CO.

Printed and Electrotyped by ALFRED MUDGE & SON, BOSTON.

[Illustration: "A quartette of boys and girls were darting about on skates."]

If you've wronged him, speak him fair. Say you're sorry and make it square; If he's wronged you, wink so tight None of you see what's plain in sight.

When the world goes hard and wrong, Lend a hand to help him along; When his stockings have holes to darn, Don't you grudge him your ball of yarn.

Stick to each other through thick and thin; All the closer as age leaks in; Squalls will blow, and clouds will frown, But stay by your ship till you all go down!

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.

CONTENTS.

I. A COUNCIL ON SKATES

II. TO WELCOME THE COMING GUEST

III. THE EVERETT HOUSEHOLD

IV. ON THE CROSS HEAD

V. THE MEETING IN THE WATERS

VI. MARJORIE'S PARTY

VII. JANEY'S PROPHECY

VIII. IN THE DARK

IX. CAMPING ON THE BEAVERHEAD

X. UP THE GULCH

XI. "SWEET CHARITY'S SAKE"

XII. HOME WITHOUT A MOTHER

XIII. AT THE NINE HUNDRED LEVEL

XIV. THE BEGINNING OF THE OLD STORY

XV. MR. ATHERDEN

XVI. THE COMPLETED STORY

XVII. THE TRAGEDY OF THE UNEXPECTED

XVIII. UNDER ORDERS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"A quartette of boys and girls were darting about on skates."

"He cautiously moved away a few inches along the beam."

"His lamp extended in one hand, while with his other he held his cane, which he was poking about in the soft, sticky mud."

IN BLUE CREEK CAÑON.

CHAPTER I.

A COUNCIL ON SKATES.

A strong southeast wind was blowing up the cañon and driving before it the dense yellow smoke which rolled up from the great red chimneys of the smelter. To the east and west of the town, the mountains rose abruptly, their steep sides bare or covered with patches of yellow pine. At the north, the cañon closed in to form a narrow gorge between the mountains; but towards the south it opened out into a broad valley, through which the swiftly rushing creek twisted and turned along its willow bordered bed. A half mile below the town the creek suddenly broadened into a little lake that was now frozen over, forming a sheet of dazzling ice, upon which a quartette of boys and girls were darting about on skates.

"Ugh!" gasped one of the boys, as a sudden gust of wind, coming straight from the east, brought the stifling cloud in their direction; "I'm glad I'm not up in town this afternoon. It's getting ready for a storm, I think, from the way the smoke comes down; and they must be catching it all, up there."

"Oh, dear!" sighed the girl with whom he was skating; "if it storms 'twill be sure to be more snow, and spoil the ice. It's too bad, for we get so little skating out here, and it's almost time to go home now. Just see how low the sun is getting!"

"Never mind, Marjorie," said the boy, as he paused to breathe on his cold fingers; then held out his hand to her once more. "We'll have one more go across the pond, anyway, for there's no knowing when we'll have another chance. You take Allie, Ned, and we'll race you, two and two, over to that largest stump. Come on, and get into line. One! two! three! "