Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-25
continuation Of Chapter XI.

/ awaiting Gaston's return.
What luck old boy?" he eagerly asked.
Couldn't say a word. I'll do 1t tomor-
row or die"
Shake hands partner. I've been there"
Bob, it's a serious thing TO run up
against little answer yes or no. that
means life or death"
Feel like you'd rather live on hope
while and let things drift, don't your" .
Exactly, / think 1 can understand for
the first time in my life that awful look
In a prisoners face on trial for his life.
when he watches the lips of the foreman
of the jury to catch the first letter of the
verdict! I used to think that an interest
ing pshcychology study. By George,
feel am his brother now"
The next day was perfect The warm
life giving sun of June was tempered by
breezes that swept fresh and invigorating
over the earth that had been drenched
with showers in the night. The woods
were ringing with the chorus of feathered
threats chanting the old ortorio of life
and love. Again CASTOR and Sallie were
Jogging along the shady river road they
had Travelled on the first day she had
taken him driving.
do you remember this road?' she
asked.
''In never forget IT, Along this road we
hurried in the twilight to face your angry
mother, and Just one kiss smoothed her
OIOW INTO a WGlCOnlAA6 III
well, I'm going to risk greater trouble
today, and take you mile or two further
up the river to the old mill site at the
rapids. It's the most beautiful and ro-
mantle spot in the country. The river
spreads out quarter of a mile in width,
and goes plunging and dashing down the
rapids through thousands of projecting
rocks, a mass Of white foam as far as you
can see. It's full of tiny green islands
with ferns and rhododendron and Wild
grape vines and their perfume sweetns
the air for miles along the water. These
little islands. some ten feet square. some
an acre are full of mocking-birds nesting
there. though since the mills were burned
during the war nobody has lived near
The songs of these birds seem tuned to
the music of the river"
1T must be glimpse of fairyland!" he
exclaimed.
''I know you will be thrilled with its ro-
mantle beauty. It's five miles from a
house in any direction. h&~
CASTOR was silent. He made a resolution
in his soul that he would never leave that
spot until he knew his fate. His heart
began to thump now like sledge-ham-
mer. He looked down furtively at her and
tried to imagine how she would look and
what she would say when he should star
tie her first with some word OF tender en-
dearment or the sound of her name be had
said over and over a thousand times In
his heart. and aloud when alone. but
never dared TO use without it's prefix.
she saw his abstraction and OWNED in
tuitively the current of emotions with
which he was struggling. but pretended
not to notice IL. He tied the horse at the
old MILL and they walked slowly down the
bank of the river.
That is my island she cried. pointing
out into the river hat third one in the
group running out from the point We can
step from one rock to another to it,
II was indeed an enhancing spot. The
island seemed all alone in the middle OF
the river when one was on Il. 1t was not
more than fifty feet wide and hundred
feet long, it's length lying with the swift
surrent. At the lower end of it a fine
ash spread it's dense shade. hanging far
over the still waters that stood in smooth
eddy at it's roots. On the upper side Of
this tree lay a big boulder resting against
its trunk and embedded In a mass of clean
white sand the water had filtered and
washed and thrown there on some spring
flood.
She climbed TO this rock, sat down. and
leaned her bare head against its trunk
This is my throne" she .aughingly
cried.
He leaned against the rock and looked
up at her with eyes through which the
yearn'ng. the hunger. the joy and the
fear Of all life were quivering. What
picture she made under the dark cool
SHADOWS! Her dress was woven out or
the foam of the river. Her throat was
bare. her cheeks flushed, and her wavy
hair the wind had blown loose into 3
hundred stray ringiets about her face and
neck. Her lips We're trembling with
smile at his speechloss admiration.
you seem to have been struck dumb"
she said. Isn't this glorious"
Beyond words. Miss Sallie. I didn't
know there was such spot on the
EARTH
This is my favorite perch. Art and
wealth could never make anything like
thisi I could come here and sit and
dream all day alone If mamma would let
me-" t'r.
He tried to begin the story of his love.
but every time his tongue refused to move
He was trembling with nervous hesitation
and began TO dig at hole in the sand
with his heel.
What is the matter with you today
never saw you so serious and moody?"
Just then female mocking-bird in her
modest .dove-colored dress lit on sway
| ing limb whose tips touched the still wa
ter of the eddy at their feet, and her
proud mate with head erect, far up on the
topmost twig of the ash struck softly the
| first note of his immortal love poem. tho
dropping song.
Listen, he g going to sing his dropping
song!' he cried in a whisper.
And they listened. He sang his first
stanza in a low dreamy voice, and then
as the sweetness of his love and the glory
of his triumph grew on his bird soul, he
| lifted HIS clear notes higher and higher
until the woods on the banks of the river
rang with its melody
His mate turned her eyes upward and
quietly twittered a sweet little answer.
/ His response rang like a silver trumpet
/ far up in the sky! He sprang ten feet into
the air and slowly dropped singing. sing
ing his long thrilling notes of melting
sweetness! He stopped on the topmost
| twig. sat a moment never ceasing his
matchless song. and then began to- fall
| downward from limb TO limb toward his
mate. pouring out his soul in mad aband-
onment of JOY, but growing softer. sweet
err more tender as he drew nearer. They
/ could see her tremble now with pride and
\ love at his approach, as she glanced tim
/ idly upward. and answered him with
/ maiden modesty. At last when he reached
/ her side. his song was so low and sweet
and dream-like it could scarcely be heard.
He touched the tip of her beak with
bird kiss they chirped, and flew into the
/ woods together.
CASTOR determined to speak or die. His
was trembling from head to foot. He
| had meant to pour out his love for her
| like that bird in words OF passionate beau
| ty. but all he could do was to say with
stammering voice low and tense with
! emotion:
Miss Sallie, love your