left to Jasper, yet he did
not feel inclined to pay such wages as were demanded. At length,
however, he succeeded in rounding together a band of men upon whom he
felt he could depend, and he hoped in a few days to begin work upon the
building of the cabins for the men and the stables for the horses.

Jasper often mused upon the peculiar situation in which he was placed.
Everything seemed to depend upon him. The engineers, having made their
surveys, had departed, leaving him in charge. The buying of the food
supplies devolved upon him, though the bills were sent to the city
office for payment. He had not seen Robert Westcote since the day he
had luncheon with him at the Sign of the Maple. He had merely received
specific information as to the various kinds of logs required, their
length and size, as well as the places where they were to be hauled
near the falls.

During these busy days Jasper had seen nothing of Lois. He knew that
she visited the Haven regularly, and Betty always had a great deal to
tell him about her. But somehow he had missed meeting her, and every
time he left he felt disappointed, and made his way back to his lonely
cabin which seemed to become more lonely as the days passed. Sometimes
he would stand on the hill and look down upon the Sinclair house,
hoping that he might catch a glimpse of her who was so much in his
mind. He would scan the river, thinking he might see her out there.
At length a great longing came upon him to see her before he should go
into the woods. He knew that in a few weeks at the most she would be
leaving for the city with her father, and then all hope of meeting her
again for months would have to be abandoned. Somehow he could not bear
the thought of her going. As long as she was near he could work
better, and her presence in the place was like an inspiration. He felt
that she knew what he was doing, and took an interest in his welfare.
But in the city she would be far away, and taken up with so many
interests she would have no time to give any thought to him.

All preparations had now been made for the lumbering operations and
work would begin on Monday morning. Saturday found Jasper with nothing
to do. He spent the forenoon in packing up his belongings to take with
him into the woods. They were very few, and one small grip would
contain his scanty library which he could not bear to leave behind.
The next time he went to the city he intended to purchase a nu