Those two women
together hovering over his child,--one who was still legally his wife,
the other his wife in reality.
How the world would prick up its donkey ears--even the little cosmos
of the Toba valley--if it knew. But of course no one would ever know.
Hollister was far beyond any contrition for his acts. The end
justified the means,--doubly justified it in his case, for he had had
no choice. Harsh material factors had rendered the decision for him.
Hollister was willing now to abide by that decision. To him it seemed
good, the only good thing he had laid hold of since the war had turned
his world upside down and inside out.
He went about his work mechanically, deep in thought. His mind
persisted in measuring, weighing, turning over all that Myra had said,
while his arms pushed and heaved and twisted the pike pole, thrusting
the blocks of cedar into an orderly arrangement within the
boom-sticks.
CHAPTER XVI
Hollister had gone down to Lawanne's with a haunch of venison. This
neighborly custom of sharing meat, when it is to be had for the
killing, prevails in the northern woods.
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