When Hugh Mathews decides it's time to get out from under his tyrannical father's thumb and away from the life he's been living, he does it in a big way. Packing what he'll need to survive in the wilderness, and with only his dog, Orion, for companionship, he heads into the mountains. When they find a abandoned cabin, Hugh begins the arduous task of repairing it, as well as hunting for food and everything else they'll need to stay alive.<br><br>Soon after, Ansel Jeffries, a nature photographer, arrives at Hugh's cabin, seeking an abandoned mine he wants to photograph. After talking with him, Ansel sees the potential for a story in what Hugh is doing -- and why.<br><br>Ansel convinces Hugh to let him tell it, meaning he'll be living at the cabin with Hugh. When he moves in, will what becomes friendship between the two men grow into more?

Off the Beaten Path

Ansel knelt to pick some more yarrow, only to be knocked over by Orion, who had apparently decided it was playtime. “Damn, dog,” Ansel grumped with a laugh as he wrestled with him while Hugh watched in amusement.


The sky suddenly darkened and a cold wind kicked up, sending the men and dog racing back to the cabin. The rain began pouring down in torrents moments after they were inside. While Ansel emptied his pocketsof the vegetation they’d gathered, Hugh built and lit a fire.


“Now, we find out if our chimney cover really works,” Hugh said. They’d had a couple of light rains since they’d made it, but none as torrential as what was happening now. A few drops of water made it down—the result of them making it through the slits in the cover—hissing as they hit the fire. They decided that was nothing to worry about.


Chapter 27