The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-01
CHAPTER XIV

LEAVE JOAN AND RIDE TO THE WARS
You may guess how | felt at being thus
properly fooled. And the worst was could
see no way to mend it, for against the barri-
cado between us | might have beat myself
for hours, yet only hurt my fists; and the
wall was SO smooth and high that, even by
standing on Molly's back l could notify
foot or more-reach the top to pull myself
over.
There was nothing for it but to turn home
wards down the hill, which | did, chewing
the cud of my folly and finding it bitter as
gall.
Joan was not in the kitchen when ar
rived, nor about the buildings, nor yet could
spy her anywhere moving on the hills. So,
after calling to her once or twice, stabbed
the mare and set off up the tor side to seek
her
Row / must tell tell you that since the day of
my coming | had made many attempts to
find the place where Joan had then hidden
me, and always fruitlessly, though l knew
well whereabouts it must be- Indeed, l had
thought at first L had only to walk straight
to the hole, yet found after repeated trials
but solid earth and powders for my pains.
But today, as l climbed past the spot,
something very bright flashed in my eyes
and dazzied me; and rubbing them and look
ing | saw great hole in the hill-facing to
the Southwestern the very place 1 had
searched for it, and out of this a beam of
light glancing.
Creeping near on tip toe | found one huge
block of granite, that before had seemed bed
ded among dozen fellow powders against
the turf-the base resting on another well
Mi orb hi
been fixed to work smoothly on a pivot, yet
so like nature that no eye, but by chance,
could detect it. Now who in the beginning
designed this hiding place leave you to con-
slider, and whether it was the Jews or Phoe-
nicians--nations, l am told, that once worked
the hills around for tin But inside twas
curiously paved and lined with slabs of gran
lite, the specks of ore in which, noted, were
the points of light that haa once puzzled me.
And here was Joan's bower and Joan herself
inside it,
She was sitting with her back to me, in her
left hand holding up the mirror, that caught
the rays of the NEW sinking sun land thus
had dazzled mel, while with her right she
tried to twist into some form of knot her
tresses- black, and coarse as horses name
that already she had roughly braided. A
pail of water stood beside her, and around
lay scattered a score or more of long thorns,
cut to the shape of hairpins
TITS probable that after a minutes watch
ing let some laughter escape me- At any
rate, Joan turned, spied me, and scrambled
up, with an angry red on her cheek Then I
saw that her bodice was heater laced than
usual, and bow of yellow ribbon (fshed up
heaven knows whence) stood in the bosom
But the strangest thing was to note the effect
of this new tidiness upon her; for she took
step forward as if to cuff me by the ear-as,
day agone, she would have done-and then
stopped, very shy and hesitating.
''Why, JOAN" said 1, "dont be angered. 1t
suits you choicely-it does indeed Joan, art
certainly handsome GIRL give me kiss for
the mirror
Instead of flying out, as l looked for, she
faced round and answered me gravely:
''That l will not; not to any but my mas.
ter"
S'And who is that?"
mo man yet nor shall be till one has beat
me sore; him will love an follow like dog
If SO be he whack me often enow."
"A strange way to love-" laughed l.
She looked at me straight, albeit with an
odd gloomy light in her eyes.
sThink SO, Jack? then l give thee leave to
try"
think there is always brutality lurking
IN q man to leap out unawares. Yet why do
l seek excuses, that have never yet found
onea To be plain, I sprang fiercely up and
after Joan, who had already started, and
was racing along the slope.
Twice around the tor she led me; and,
though / strained my best, not yard could l
gain upon her, for her bare feet carried her
light and free. Indeed, was losing ground,
when, coming to the jews Kitchen a second
time, she tried to slip inside and shut the
stone in my face.
Then should / have been prettily bemocked
had not, with great effort, contrived to
thrust my boot against the door just as it
was closing. Wrenching it open, laid hand
on her shoulder; and in a moment she had
gripped me and was wrestling like wildcat
Now, being Cumberland bred, | knew only
the wrestling of my own county, and moth
ing of the Cornish style. For in the north
they stand well apart, and try to wear down
one another's strength; whereas the Cornish
is brisker, lighter play, and-as must con-
fess-prettier TO watch So when Joan rushed
in and closed with me was within an zee of
being thrown, pat.
But, recovering, l got her at arms length,
and held her SO, while my heart ached to see
my fingers gripping her, shoulders and sink
ing into the flesh. begged off; bat she only
fought and painted, and struggled to lock
me by the ankles again. | could not have
dreamed to find such fierce strength in a girl.
Once or twice she nearly overmastered me;
but at length my stubborn play wore her
out Her breath came short and fast, then
fainter; and in the end, still holding her off,
l turned her by the shoulders and let her
drop quietly on the turf No thought had l
any longer of kissing her, but stood back,
heartily sick and ashamed of myself
For while she lay, turned over on her
side, with hands guarding her head, as il ex-
pecting me to strike her Then, gathering
herself up, she came and put her hand in
mine very meekly.
"Had liked it better hadst thou stamped
the life out O. me, almost. But there, lad
am thine foreverl"
"Whatl" cried.
She looked up in my face-dear heaven
that l should have to write it!-with ewes
brimful, sick with love; tried to speak, but
could only nod, and broke into a wild fit of
tears.
Twas standing there with her hand in mine,
and burning remorse in my heart, when l
heard the clear notes of bugle blown away
on the road to Launceston.
Looking that way saw a great company
Of horse coming down over the crest the sun
shining level on their arms and a green stand
ard that they bore in their midst
Joan spied them the same instant and
checked her sobs. Without word we flung
ourselves down full length on the turf to