The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-12-05
In the Painted
Woods
tcopyrigbt, 1901, Nv Author, syndic.te.J


couch in the portico, ground his
teeth, it was about the only thing |
that he could do, and cursed the road I
the horse, the accident that held him .
a prisoner in this dense Wilderness !
prisoner baudaged and shorn Of his
strength.
As the days passed his evil star
rose slowly 20 the zenith The per-
fume Of the vanished summer was in .
the fern-bed that grew knee-deep be.
yond the porch; the maple branches ,
glowed red as rubies; the beech trees .
illumined the woods, and from behind I
a fallen log near by Bob White sent /
his clear, exultant call He clinched (
his hands and groancd. To be free I
once more! To walk through the /
sweet-scented fern, gun cooked, eyes I
alert--sincc the tim, Of the Pharaohs, /
1t seemed, ne had been chained TO the .
cot
His evil star, that had reached the
zenith, dropped suddenly below the
horizon and the atmosphere was flood
ed with light Of celestial, rosy hue.
She was his sisters friend, she told
him, as she stood on the porch, Stall,
distinguished girl; she had heard Of
his accident, they were campcd only
a half-mile away; she had come hop
ing she might II ever so slightly, re-
heve the tedium Of his days.
He had heard Of her social triumphs
her beauty; he had heard that men
raved over her, although they said she
had no soul, and IN this sweet, friend
ly way she had ceme 90 him in his
hour OF need,
After that afternoon there was al
ways a look Of expectancy in young
Mason's eyes turned toward the brill
liant forest. He blessed the accident
that held him willing prisoner.
The cushions on which he was
propped were hers, the books were
hers She came each afternoon. She
laughed with him, talked o him, read
10 him, sang sweet old-fashjoucd
songs while the sun, blood red, dropped
behind the mountain side, and his boy
heart swcllcd.
From the camp below half a dozen
men came ostensblv 20 inquire Of his
health, but in reality 10 accompany
her home, and Il pleased him 20 see
her naughty and indifferent 20 them
10 him she was all tenderness, all
friendiucss and womanly gcntleness.
Whim eically, n is the privilege Of
sick man. IT pleased him 20 think hey
princess who came through, the sun
~, painted woods. 20 him, an exile In
pain. There were other fanc,es too
beautiful fancies
One afternoon he watched for her
his brows knoitcd with puzzled
frown. He held an unopened letter
addressed TO her; a servant had found
II In q lot ~ old rubbish.
He remembered hat she had been
one Of the gay party that camped fl
the old farmhouse two summers be
fore-it was there she had known his
sister. and Boyd had been Of The party
Boyd was some ten years the senior
OF young Mason, md he was gratiGcd
and honored by the Older mans friend.
ship.
There was n letter in his pocket that
tedlum Of his convalrsccncc would
be there that very night, in snct, and
the bold, firm handwriting was the
same as that on the girls letter
When the princess came up the steps
young Mason put the letter under his
pillow, and n sudden sense Of pending
calamity possessed him. For "A little
l. J.. l. 70.
her smile on him, and watch the ges-
lures Of her hands with their odd. for
eign-loolSing rings. The night would
bring Boyd And afterwards? His
mind didn't 90 any further.
They touched on many subjects and
he brought the conversation around
10 the mountain-party that had met
under the shadow Of the great hills
two summers before.
Have you seen Boyd since his re-
turn from the west?" he asked, abb
ruptly.
mo" said the princess. '"He has
found other interests since he went
west and has dropped the old friends
but I can scarcely claim so much"
There was an odd little chill IN her
voice.
"Oh," with breath Of relief, ~
thought thought"
The princess threw back her head
defantly and looked at him through
hslf-closed lids. zones friends are 20
r1od," she said. They think for them
and thus simplify Mfe." She laughed
laugh that held no heart. or much.
Il was right, then" His lips trem-