The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-23
PINE LODGE.

But, Hope, it isn't to be thought of" and
big, gaunt John Burke dropped back on his
pillow, closing YEARLY the hollow ewes SO
luminous with hope moment before
John Burke" rang out sweet, decided
voice; didn't the doctor say that the only
thlng to help you regain your strength after
this long fever was change of air? And. do
you think. dear heart, after that that your
wife will stop short IF a whole summer full
OF 1t! Let us call one thing at least decided
summer in a west-fronting fiat is simply
hideous at best, and this year is not to be
tnought Of. Do you remember those shifting
nights last August, and the day you said you
nadnt seen anything for weeks that looked
like comfort but the sponges on the draw
horses heads? John dear" droppinp her
pretty anxious voice; Il have a scheme.
DON'T want to tell you what it is yet John
out l Know it will work, and won't take all
the rainy day money either. Trust me to
plan alone this once John" And John
Burke, looking deep into his wifes pleading
Drown eyes and at the firm sweet lips be-
tween the dlmples, hesitated and at length
SURRENDERED But, remember, l make my
own terms he added with flash of his old
sauelness. l capitulate condition of kiss
now and cream toast for supper" To which
HOPE instantly responded
Ihey were young, these two and the slen-
der thread of life just given back into their
Eands was such dear thing that it was
hard to be always staid and demure
1t had been long, Terious illness but be-
tween the good doctor and the devoted Il had
almost said deseperale) nursing of his wife
John Burke was slowly coming back into
ire again And now the question was-the
coming Summer-a doctors orders nittad
against slender purse Summer resort
prices were neither practicable nor desirable
and the delectable farm houses with visions
OF cream and fresh fruit, of clean, cool rooms
and of a divine motherly genius presidn o
over all, are seldom met with save in blacI
and white. Fruitless searches have often
| demonstrated that those are the farmers who
do not take summer boarders
My scheme will take me away from Won
for day now and then, john" she said that
evening, after coaxlng down a few mouth
fuls of the promised dainty and smuggling his
Elbows comfortably about him as she spoke;
out Aunt Katie will come down and stay
with you. and you will be safe and comfort
able, If you do miss me little
/ suppose it is some suburban cottage
scheme" he said, presently; you are wise
little woman dear, but remember this is an
untried field and the suburbs are expensive
| luxuries
II will remember, JOHN answered Hope.
dutifully
Two years before, when Hope Delamere had
refused fortune and position, and all to
marry sturdy young Lawyer Burke, rich Uncle
David Delamere had handed her, with an
ironieal bow,-a deed of a house and lot add
ing. sneeringly: 1T is my only means Of
making sure that you will ever have a tight
roof oyerlyour head, my dear; and know it
is tight, for it has held my grain many a
year."
Hope Delamere crimsoned as she recognized
deed of ten acres of barren pine land in
the edge of a deep forest, a knoll near the
center surmounted by a dilapidated two-room
building that had been used in turn as lum-
sberman's lodge, granary, Toulouse and
finally left as a resort for owls, bats or
tramps.
Thank you, Uncle David answered the
clear, even voice of his niece. "The gift does
credit to your heart and when | take pos
| session 1 trust you may be my first guest
And Hope Burke, rising superior to the OBJ
viously intended insult, met her uncle's eyes
with look that John always called the
queens own" and turning, laid her hand
proudly on her young husbands arm
And thither turned poor Hopes thoughts
when, in this hour of calamity dear life
hung by thread and poverty forbade aught
but trif1ing outlay.
alighted at the village station one wet April
day, and having secured valuable ally in
Uncle Jake Beam, the village jack all
trades, proceeded up the hill to Pine Lodge
as they had always laughingly termed it.
For johns sake she said again as the
long, low hut met her view, and she realized
to the full the slight that had been put upon
her.
Worse than I thought" she unused. tap
ping her foot upon the dirty threshold; s.and
with greater possibilities taking a second
birdlike survey of the unprepossessing spot
Imagine a long, low hut in the form of a
I, the entrance in the stem of which led
through long passage, fifteen feet wide to
an equally proportioned ROOM running at
right angles. Directly opposite the entrance.
from stem to crown, yawned a huge old brick
fireplace, at the right of which door creaked
dim window. The floor, dirty and broken, the
plastering shrinking as though in horror from