The Lookout Man by B. M. Bower (good books to read for adults .txt) 📗

She was, after all, the goddess she looked, he thought whimsically.

THE LOOKOUT MAN By B. M. Bower

WITH FRONTISPIECE BY
H. WESTON TAYLOR

BOSTON

LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
1917

Published, August, 1917

VAIL-BALLOU COMPANY
BINGHAMTON AND NEW YORK
U. S. A.

CONTENTS

I     "SOME TIME!"

II    "THANKS FOR THE CAR"

III   TO THE FEATHER RIVER COUNTRY AND FREEDOM

IV    JACK FINDS HIMSELF IN POSSESSION OF A JOB

V     "IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY," SANG JACK

VI    MISS ROSE FORWARD

VII   GUARDIAN OF THE FORESTS

VIII  IN WHICH A GIRL PLAYS BILLIARDS ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP

IX    LIKE THE BOY HE WAS

X     WHEN FORESTS ARE ABLAZE

XI    SYMPATHY AND ADVICE

XII   KATE FINDS SOMETHING TO WORRY OVER

XIII  JACK SHOULD HAVE A HIDE-OUT

XIV   MURPHY HAS A HUMOROUS MOOD

XV    A CAVE DWELLER JACK WOULD BE

XVI   MIKE GOES SPYING ON THE SPIES

XVII  PENITENCE, REAL AND UNREAL

XVIII HANK BROWN PROVES THAT HE CAN READ TRACKS

XIX   TROUBLE ROCKS THE PAN, LOOKING FOR GRAINS OF GOLD

XX    IGNORANCE TAKES THE TRAIL OF DANGER

XXI   GOLD OF REPENTANCE, SUNLIGHT OF LOVE AND A MAN GONE MAD

XXII   THE MISERERE OF MOTHERHOOD

XXIII GRIEF, AND HOPE THAT DIED HARD

XXIV  TROUBLE FINDS THE GOLD THAT WAS IN THEM
    CHAPTER ONE

SOME TIME!

 

From the obscurity of vast, unquiet distance the surf came booming in with the heavy impetus of high tide, flinging long streamers of kelp and bits of driftwood over the narrowing stretch of sand where garishly costumed bathers had lately shrieked hilariously at their gambols. Before the chill wind that had risen with the turn of the tide the bathers retreated in dripping, shivering groups, to appear later in fluffs and furs and woollen sweaters; still inclined to hilarity, still undeniably both to leave off their pleasuring at Venice, dedicated to cheap pleasures.

But when the wind blew stronger and the surf boomed louder and nearer, and the faint moon-path stretched farther and farther toward the smudgy sky-line, city-going street-cars began to fill with sunburned passengers, and motors began to purr out of the narrow side streets lined with shoddy buildings which housed the summer sojourners. One more Sunday night's revelry was tapering off into shouted farewells, clanging gongs, honking horns and the shuffling of tired feet hurrying homeward.

In cafes and grills and private dining rooms groups of revelers, whose pleasures were not halted by the nickel alarm-clocks ticking inexorably all over the city and its suburbs, still lingered long after the masses had gone home yawning and counting the fullness of past joys by the present extent of smarting sunblisters.

Automobiles loaded with singing passengers scurried after their own beams of silver light down the boulevards. At first a continuous line of speeding cars; then thinning with long gaps between; then longer gaps with only an occasional car; then the quiet, lasting for minutes unbroken, so that the