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CHAPTER XXII. THOUGH IT COST A LIFE.
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It is generally believed by people who have not visited the State of Maine that it is a country of great pine forests. School geographies and popular histories call Maine the “Pine Tree State.” Four score years ago this was applicable, and it was then that the State seal was adopted. Since then there has been a wonderful change. On the shore front and extending far inland are tillage lands, pastures, villages and cities. Once that country was covered with mighty1 pine forests.

Out of about five hundred million feet of timber cut in Maine, as shown by the last census2 in 1890, three hundred million feet were spruce. Pine came second, with hemlock3 third. More than half the timber cut in Maine is spruce, and Maine furnishes over half the spruce used in New England. This being the case, it has been suggested that the State seal should be made over, the spruce tree should be substituted for the pine, and Maine should be called the “Spruce Tree State.”

The black spruce of the Maine forest furnishes pulp4 for paper, lumber5 for houses, and chewing gum for boys and girls. It is a sub-Arctic tree, and thrives best and reaches fullest maturity6 on the rocky sides of high hills and mountains in the northern part of the State.

There are but three pulp and paper mills of any size within fifty miles of the great spruce belt of New England,[186] and so, before the logs can be manufactured, they must be driven down many crooked7 and turbulent streams and over numerous wide lakes.

This is where the river driver comes in. He must launch the logs from the shore, boom them across ponds and lakes, and, in the northern streams, send them singly through narrow channels, pick them out of eddies8, prevent jams from forming, break jams, and do a thousand and one things that test his skill, strength, nerve and endurance.

Fortunately for Fred Forest, a great deal of his timber had been “started” before the death of his father, which brought a sudden end to the work. Still at least a fourth of the amount cut had been left inland where it would be impossible to move it till the spring freshets another year. As it was, Forest was getting out as much timber as he could, the advance in prices making him sure of a good profit, for all of the extra expense of moving the logs at that season of the year.

Being determined9 to see Jennie Wren10, Mike Sullivan had hurried on in advance of the drive, which was strung out for a distance of ten miles along the river. The morning following the encounter between the Yale lads and the loggers the first sticks of the drive were beginning to appear at Mattawamkeag, and it was certain the main drive was not more than ten miles away.

Sullivan did not wait for breakfast after being ordered by Forest to join the drive and attend to his duties. He aroused the Canadian, and, shortly after, the two men were[187] seen riding away on the horses that had brought them into the village.

The appearance of the scattering11 timber in advance of the drive told Forest it was nearer than he had thought. Still he made preparations to hasten up the river right away after breakfast. After having a talk with Frank, it was agreed that Merry had better remain in the village and see that his party was all ready to go aboard the drift immediately below the falls.

Thus it came about that Frank and his friends did not join the drive till late that afternoon.

In the meantime, Jack12 met Jennie Wren at one of the village stores and had a short talk with her. Diamond was enthusiastic in relating to Frank what had passed between them.

“She is a dear little queen?” declared the Southerner. “She was very grateful to us for what we did last night, but she says her old brute13 of a father will force her into marrying that ruffian Sullivan. It’s a shame! Why, she is good enough for any man!”

Frank laughed outright14.

“Take care, Diamond!” he exclaimed.

Jack blushed furiously, but quickly said:

“Oh! there is no danger. I’m simply interested in Miss Wren, for I did not dream of finding such a girl amid the rabble15 of a public dance in this town.”

“You are still prone16 to misjudge the people of Maine, I see,” said Merry; “and, as a result, you are meeting with many surprises. This Jennie Wren is not the only one of her kind. There are others.”

[188]

“Well, I feel that I’d like to do something to help this one.”

“What can you do?”

“That is the question. I’d like to free her from any danger of being forced to marry that brute Sullivan.”

“You might assist her to elope with Bill.”

“She can’t do that—or she will not.”

“Why not?”

“On account of her father. He is an invalid17, and she will not leave him alone. It seems that Sullivan has some influence over old Wren, who used to work under him.”

“Well, if you can’t help her that way, I don’t see but you will be forced to challenge Sullivan and kill him in a duel18.”

The Southerner’s face actually lighted with a gleam of satisfaction and approval.

“I might do that!” he cried. “Never thought of it. But do you suppose he would fight with pistols?” he asked, doubtfully.

“Ha! ha! ha!” merrily rang out Frank’s musical laugh. “I was joking, old man. Such a thing would not do down this way. Besides, it is certain Sullivan would not meet you.”

“How could he refuse if he were challenged?” asked Jack, gravely.

“There you go! You are forgetting you are not in the South. It is not the man who refuses to accept a challenge who is ridiculed19 in this part of the country; it is the fellow who sends the challenge.”

The Virginian shook his head.

“No,” he confessed, “I am not used to such a condition[189] of affairs, and I forget how the people of the North look on dueling20. Well, I can’t help the girl that way.”

“Wait; perhaps your time will come. We are going down the river with the drive. No one can tell what may happen.”

Jack looked at Frank queerly.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he said.

“I do not mean anything in particular, but I have noticed that fate sometimes works in wondrous21 ways. Jennie Wren is not married to Mike Sullivan yet, and she may not be forced to marry him. If her father should die, she could do as she pleased.”

“And if Sullivan should die——”

“Exactly.”

The two lads looked at each other; they understood each other. It is possible that in the heart of each was born a wish that Jennie Wren might be freed to follow the inclinations22 of her heart, even though it were at the expense of a human life as worthless as that of Mike Sullivan; but if either thought such a thing, neither expressed the thought in words.


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1 mighty YDWxl     
adj.强有力的;巨大的
参考例句:
  • A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
  • The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。
2 census arnz5     
n.(官方的)人口调查,人口普查
参考例句:
  • A census of population is taken every ten years.人口普查每10年进行一次。
  • The census is taken one time every four years in our country.我国每四年一次人口普查。
3 hemlock n51y6     
n.毒胡萝卜,铁杉
参考例句:
  • He was condemned to drink a cup of hemlock.判处他喝一杯毒汁。
  • Here is a beech by the side of a hemlock,with three pines at hand.这儿有株山毛榉和一株铁杉长在一起,旁边还有三株松树。
4 pulp Qt4y9     
n.果肉,纸浆;v.化成纸浆,除去...果肉,制成纸浆
参考例句:
  • The pulp of this watermelon is too spongy.这西瓜瓤儿太肉了。
  • The company manufactures pulp and paper products.这个公司制造纸浆和纸产品。
5 lumber a8Jz6     
n.木材,木料;v.以破旧东西堆满;伐木;笨重移动
参考例句:
  • The truck was sent to carry lumber.卡车被派出去运木材。
  • They slapped together a cabin out of old lumber.他们利用旧木料草草地盖起了一间小屋。
6 maturity 47nzh     
n.成熟;完成;(支票、债券等)到期
参考例句:
  • These plants ought to reach maturity after five years.这些植物五年后就该长成了。
  • This is the period at which the body attains maturity.这是身体发育成熟的时期。
7 crooked xvazAv     
adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的
参考例句:
  • He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指,示意我们到他那儿去。
  • You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。
8 eddies c13d72eca064678c6857ec6b08bb6a3c     
(水、烟等的)漩涡,涡流( eddy的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Viscosity overwhelms the smallest eddies and converts their energy into heat. 粘性制服了最小的旋涡而将其能量转换为热。
  • But their work appears to merge in the study of large eddies. 但在大旋涡的研究上,他们的工作看来却殊途同归。
9 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
10 wren veCzKb     
n.鹪鹩;英国皇家海军女子服务队成员
参考例句:
  • A wren is a kind of short-winged songbird.鹪鹩是一种短翼的鸣禽。
  • My bird guide confirmed that a Carolina wren had discovered the thickets near my house.我掌握的鸟类知识使我确信,一只卡罗莱纳州鹪鹩已经发现了我家的这个灌木丛。
11 scattering 91b52389e84f945a976e96cd577a4e0c     
n.[物]散射;散乱,分散;在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的;分散在不同范围的;广泛扩散的;(选票)数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式);散布;驱散
参考例句:
  • The child felle into a rage and began scattering its toys about. 这孩子突发狂怒,把玩具扔得满地都是。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The farmers are scattering seed. 农夫们在播种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
13 brute GSjya     
n.野兽,兽性
参考例句:
  • The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
  • That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲,它咬人。
14 outright Qj7yY     
adv.坦率地;彻底地;立即;adj.无疑的;彻底的
参考例句:
  • If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事,你应该直率地对我说。
  • You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。
15 rabble LCEy9     
n.乌合之众,暴民;下等人
参考例句:
  • They formed an army out of rabble.他们用乌合之众组成一支军队。
  • Poverty in itself does not make men into a rabble.贫困自身并不能使人成为贱民。
16 prone 50bzu     
adj.(to)易于…的,很可能…的;俯卧的
参考例句:
  • Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
  • He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。
17 invalid V4Oxh     
n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的
参考例句:
  • He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
  • A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
18 duel 2rmxa     
n./v.决斗;(双方的)斗争
参考例句:
  • The two teams are locked in a duel for first place.两个队为争夺第一名打得难解难分。
  • Duroy was forced to challenge his disparager to duel.杜洛瓦不得不向诋毁他的人提出决斗。
19 ridiculed 81e89e8e17fcf40595c6663a61115a91     
v.嘲笑,嘲弄,奚落( ridicule的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Biosphere 2 was ultimately ridiculed as a research debade, as exfravagant pseudoscience. 生物圈2号最终被讥讽为科研上的大失败,代价是昂贵的伪科学。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She ridiculed his insatiable greed. 她嘲笑他的贪得无厌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
20 dueling dueling     
n. 决斗, 抗争(=duelling) 动词duel的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • More light-hearted But somewhat puzzled, Vladimir prepared to meet Eugene on the dueling ground. 弗拉基米尔心里轻松了一些,但仍感到有些困惑,在这种心情下,他准备去决斗场地迎战叶甫盖尼。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
  • They had been dueling for hours and finally called a draw. 他们一直决斗了数小时,最后打成平局。
21 wondrous pfIyt     
adj.令人惊奇的,奇妙的;adv.惊人地;异乎寻常地;令人惊叹地
参考例句:
  • The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。
  • We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。
22 inclinations 3f0608fe3c993220a0f40364147caa7b     
倾向( inclination的名词复数 ); 倾斜; 爱好; 斜坡
参考例句:
  • She has artistic inclinations. 她有艺术爱好。
  • I've no inclinations towards life as a doctor. 我的志趣不是行医。


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