Rock Island Argus., 1896-11-09

ed between them. Tisheth sang in .
clear, full soprano, her voice rising naive
" and almost uncc1sciously above the
rest, while the blacksmith, with his
frank blue eyes and honest, open face,
looked up to heaven and poared ont his
blended perfectly.
When the service was finished and
the congregation broke up for the Sun
day school, Alec again felt the cold.
stony stare of the little crowd into
which he was wedeed, on one side Ms.
Higgins gossiping with a nei2hbor, on
the other several other substantial ma
irons gossiping with other neighbors as
II it wero the only opportunity during
the week they had to speak to each 9TH
er. But soon Alec saw George Marston
making his way through the crowd to-
ward him, and giving Aiec's hand o
hearty grip and speaking a still more
hearty welcome. he invited Alec to join
his Sunday school class, and when they
had made their way to the door the
blacksmith introduced the young man
to half . dozen lads who stood about,
some older, some younger, but none
with anything to say. Alec felt awk-
ward. and was glad when the superir-
tendent rang his little silver bell to
call the school TO order. They took their
places in groups about the church. here
big group Of uneasy children, there q
group of young ladies. or half a dozen
old men and women. George Marstou's 8
class had o retired nook in the choir
gallery, from which Alec had an excel
lent opportunity to survey the little
gathering without himself being much
seen.
II was not at all an unpleasant hour
that Alec spent there. lie found Mars
ton keenly Intelligent, sympathetic and
well read for a countryman, and before
he left foresaw that he should find in
him a genuine and true friend. Already
in these few days what deep ties of in
timacy be had formed with this strange
people!
As soon as the service was over, he
slipped away as quickly as possible to
the kitchen # the tavern for q gccd
drink Of cold water. but he found Lis
beth before him busily getting dinner.
for which be confessed himself Cci,e
| ready.
CHAPTER XII.
HE TAKES WALK IN THE WOODS AND
HEARS SOMETHING ABOUT JOE HIGGINS.
Late in the afternoon, when the sun
was sinking rapidly into its golden bed
and the air was somewhat cooler, Alec
went for ramble. Down the hill to
the west the road Is sort of shelving
ledge on an embankment, and the passer
mag look for miles and miles over the
valley dotted with lakes and streams
and flashing bits Of stream and groves
and farmhouses. Then it enters thick
forest, where the cool pines and hem
locks and elms and naples and oaks
meet above ones head like an archius
| bower.
At last he came to q place where a
brook ran through little stone arched
| channel under tho road, and beyond it
spread out into a clear round pool in the
midst Of an open meadow grown rank
with thick swordgrass. He stepped
down from the road to glance into the
dark, cool tunnel Of the stream, where
| -a--.iS - ;'st 49,. a. is--.. ..oucs
tc1,.et N:ij,i n.C!s;2ro. = Ic .Jocd m
ho no..ocl h:;l,. path r;l:.aila OF
around ~. ,Gge of the waier covered
meadow, AID bo Immediately decided tu
follow it. 1t sl.irted the bank of the
meadow and POOL until it came to az
old rail fence. with its rotten logs piled
crcsswise upon each other. Alec climbed
clumsily over and found the path start.
Dig off suddenly into the wood.
| The Immensity of the place filled
him, made him wish to kneel and wor
ship God, sending his prayers up
through those tall, smooth, brown trunks
and the little space that opened to the
sky. A pine wood is like a great ca;he.
aral. with its gigantic pillars springing
| mp on every side, its domes and arches
and massive frescoes and cool, calming
space about one.
At last Alec climbed up on a high,
gray bowlder and sat down, like Robin
son Crusoe in the midst of his lonely
island over which he was sole ruler and
king The bowlder was his throne. All
these tall pines were his humble SUBJ
jects, never uttering a word Of insubor-
dination. What was poverty now, with
such free heritage?
But suddenly a sharp, cool breeze
came along, pushing the sultry air be.
fore it, and Alec glanced up through the
trees to see black, scudding clouds. The
sun was covered. and it was growing
darker, but in this dank forest he had
not noticed it. Then came long, low
rumble Of thunder. and Alec slipped
quickly down from his granite throne
and began to look for the right way
home.
He could rot find it and began to be
somewhat distressed thereat as he hur.
ried here and there, looking and won.
derirg, when suddenly he saw some
thing that changed the whole current @.
his thoughts. There, not two rods away.
wholly unconscious of his presence, sat
'Lisbeth on a low stone. her chin buried
in her hands, which in turn We're sun.
ported by her elbows resting on her