with a roar that sounded through the whole valley, it fell crashing and disappeared.
“Oscar,” cried Hugh, “what does it mean?”
There was a little silence, then Oscar spoke in a voice husky with excitement.
“It means the road,” he said; “they are clearing the way to build it at last.”
They watched another tree fall and another, as they stood there in the breathless cold, while Oscar told his story. His return with John Edmonds and his news that Jake had been unable to prevent the establishing of a claim, had stirred the people to belief in his plan at last. First a few and then more and more had agreed to help him, until now nearly all the men of Rudolm were at work in the forest, clearing the way, and hauling out the logs over the frozen ground, preparatory to building the road in the spring.
“Now that they know the land is mine, safe in spite of Jake, there are a hundred more who are ready to dare the same thing. Ingmarsson and my sister Linda will come first, others will follow; they will be here soon enough to break the
