The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-09

perhaps became she had not understood
him.
HIS next visit was q day or two delayed.
and in her anxiety she had venturss "a FAR
al the highway TO earnestly watch for his
coming. From her hiding place n the an
derwood she could see the team and Jim
Hoskins already waiting for him. Pres
entity she saw him drive up to the trail in
carryali. WITH a party Of ladies and geu-
t.emen He argh,ed. hade -.good-by'' 10
the party. and the team turned TO retrace
It's course. But in that single moment she
had been struck and hewildered by what
seemed 10 her the daxxlingiy beautiful APP
parel OF the women. and their rretttness-
She ssis sudden Consciousness OF her own
coarse. shapeiess calico gown. her stray
Cling hair and her felt hat, and a revulsiou
OF feeling seized her. She crept like a
wounded animal out Of the underwood. and
then ran swiftly and almost Hereby back
toward the cabin. She ran so fast that for
time she almost kept pace with the doc
tor and Hoskins In the wagon on the d.s-
tant trail. Then she dived into the under
wood again. and making short cut
through the forest. came. at the end of two
hours. within hating distance Of the cabin
-foossore and exhausted. in spite OF the
strange excitement that had driven her
back. Here she thought she heard voices,
his voice among the rest. calling her, but
the same singular reyulsion OF feeling hur-
ried her vaguely on again, even while she
experienced foolish savage delight in not
answering the summons In this erra,ic
wandering she came upon the spring she
had found on her first entrance in the for
est year ago. and drank feversshiy q sec
ond time at its trickling source. She could
see that since her first visit il had worn
great hollow below the tree roots. and now
formed shining. placid poo:. As she
stopped to look a; II, she suddenly OBJ
served that 4 reflected her whole figure
as In a crue. mirror. her sioucheS hat and
loosened hair. her coarse and shapeless
gown, her hollow checks and dry. yellow
skin. in all Their hopeless. uncompromis-
ing details. She uttered quick. angry.
half-reproachful cry, and turned again to
fly. But she had not gone far before she
came upon the hurrying figures and
anxious faces OF the doctor and Hoskins.
She stopped. trembling and irresolute.
"Ah," said the doctor. in q tone of frank
relief. Here you are, I was getting wor-
red about you. waya said you had been
gone since morning. He stopped and
looked at her attentivey. rs there any,
thing the NATTER?
His evident concern sent a warm glow
over her chilly frame. and yet the strange
sensation remained. mo. no.' she stam-
mered.
DIR. Ruysdael turned to Hoskins. Go
back and tell Waya I've found her.
Libby felt that the doctor only wanted
to get rid of his companion and became
awed again.
HAS anybody been bothering your
mo"
Have the Disxers frightened your"
NO." with a gesture OF contempt.
'Have you and waya auarreled?''
Mary" with faint. tremulous smile.
He stu stared at her. and then dropped
his blue eyes musingly. Are you lonely
here? Would you rather go to San JOSEF"
Like fash the figures OF the two smart
~ dressed women started up before her
again. with every detail Of their fresh and
wholesome fnery as cruelty distinct as
hac been her own shapeless usliness n
the mirror of the spring NO. MOI she
broke out. vehemently and passionately.
"Neverv
He smiled gently Look here. Til send
you up some books. You read. don't yong"
She nodded quickly. Some magazines
and papers. Odd l never thought OF II
BEFORE" he added. half musingiy. Come
along to the cabin. And" ne stopped
again. anc said. decisively. ''the next tine
you want anything don't wait for me to
come. but write"
A few days after he left she received
a package OF books--an odd collection OF
moves, magazines and illustrated journals
OK the peFfOO. SHe seceiVeu tHeu eu8eTly
as an evidence OF his concern for her--but
II Is to be feared that her youthful nature
found little satisfaction In the qualification
Of fancy. Many OF the people she read Of
were strange TO her; many of the incidents
related seemed TO her mere lies: some tales
which treated OF people in her own sphere
she found profoundly uninteresting. In
one Of the cheaper magazines she CHANGED
upon a fashion plate: she glanced eagerly
through all the others for a like revela-
ton until she got dozen together. when
she promptly relegated the remaining 1T
erature 10 a corner and oblivion. The text
accompanying the plates was IN a Jargon
not always clear, but her instinct supplied
the rest She dispatched by Hoskins a
note 10 DR.. Ruysdaei: please send me
some brite Kalikers and things for sew
ing You tolc me 10 ask" A few days
later brough. the response In a good-ssxed
parcel.
Yet this did not keep her from her care
OF the stock nor her rambles In the forest:
she was quick TO utilize her re-disc overy
of the spring for watering the cattle. II
was not SO far afieid as the half-dried
creek In the canyon. and was quiet syi-
van spot. She ate her frugal midday meal
there, and drank OF its waters and. secure
in her sec:us.on. bathed there and made
her rude toilet when the cows were driven
home But she DID not again look into
It's mirrored surface when 1t was tranquil!
And 30 a month passed. But when DR..
Ruysdael was again due at the cabin a
letter was brought by Hoskns with the
news that he was called away on profess
sionaI business down the coast. and could
no. come until two weeks later. In the
disappointment that overcame her she lid