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

They continued farther upstream, commenting on the glorious colors of the turning aspens and oaks, stopping to watch the water cascade over a small fall. It was nearing noon when they came to a place where the stream forked.


Hugh pointed left, so they went that way. The terrain got steeper, the water swifter as a result. When they got to the top of a ridge, they saw a small lake directly ahead of them.


“The perfect spot for lunch,” Ansel said.


Hugh agreed, as the lake was surrounded by a narrow swath of grass between it and the tall pine trees. With the sun at its zenith, it was warm enough to take off their jackets while they ate.


Chapter 32