The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1903-07-04
CHAPTER VII.


"Where in the deuce did you slop'
TOP" inquired Joe Becraft as Rossitel
took his seat at the dinner-table wheI
the meal was more than half through
81 went for a walk" replied Ros
sitter. 81 didn't see you anywhere
about, and didn't know anyhow thai
you would care to go after our long
tramp of last evening"
81 wish you'd waited an come along
with Jim an me-" said Becraft, lin
stead of pokin' off by yourself"
"Where did you go?"
"Over to Blue creek"
"Blue creek! where's that?"
"You follow the road that passes
the house for half mile or so, an
it brings you out over a big gulch
through which the creek flows. It's
fine stream. Trout in it, too, they
say"
"I1l go over with you next Sun
day, if you like" said Rossiter, recog-
nizing from the description the place
where he had met Hart Dawson on
Thursday night.
Joe had seemed rather hurt by Ros-
siter's desertiona but was appeased
by his promise for the coming Sun
day, and when they arose from the
dinnertable they went together into
the upper orchard for a smoke. They
found comfortable spot in the long
nj f,,11 ~
their pipes drawing just to suit them,
the leaves rustled softly above them,
catbird in an adjacent thorn-bush
scolding and singing alternately, they
enjoyed in a brimming measure the
lassitude of simply existing. By and
by Becraft sought his cot for nap,
and Rossiter was left alone. Pres
emily he caught sight of Jack Par
melee near the hop-kiln, and. haiIing
him. asked for the loan of something
to read Parmelee procured him a
a paper and a cheap magazine, and
with these in hand he strolled to the
bottom of the large orchard. Not
seeing any nook there that took his
fancy, and being attracted by the
woodland beyond the meadow. he
. loitered towards it along clearly
defined path that ran parallel to the
fence for some distance and then
swerved obliquely to meet an opening
in the forest. AS he neared the wood
he discovered that the ground fell
away quite abruptly, and at the base
of the declivity near the gap in the
trees (this proved to be the entrance
to an old logging-road) was the most
crystal of springs shaded by a gil
gantic willow. Beneath this had been
placed rustic seat.
"Jove!" he exclaimed, "I've hit
upon it this time!"
There was glass upon fiat stone
at the brink of the spring, and Ros-
sitter refreshed himself with a deep
draught from the cool well-head.
Then he took possession of the seat,
tried several positions, and finally
leaned back with sigh of satisfac-
ton. It had been days since he had
read line of print, and of reading
he had been always passionately
fond (indeed, in his royngs he missed
books more than any other luxury,
yet he was now in no hurry to open
MAGAZINE or paper. The spot appealed
to him as so idyllic he preferred to
enjoy its sylvan beauty. just before
him there was a short vista where
the logging-road penetrated the for
est. Soon this woodlands highway
curved, however, so that he had no
glimpse of the heart of the wood.
The overflow from the spring, with
its small, timbrel-like voice, followed
the bend of the road, and on it's edge.
few yards distant among the trees.
a late cardinal-fower displayed its
scarlet robe. woodpecler struck
up loud tattoo, a squirrel suddenly
grew garrulous and then lapsed into
silence, and far away from remote
swampy recesses came faint wall
ing as though ployer cried.
Having broodcd to his satisfaction
on his wild environment, Rossiter
turned first to paper and. then to
magazine. He was glaneing with idle |
at the faces OF some OF the
people Of the day prominent in public
dew when he fancied he caught the
sound Of voices, Half rising, he Lis.
tened with fntentness Yes. that was
Miss Msrton's merry chatter and Miss I
ehsreIing laugh. He
sonld not see them. tor the ridge be-
htnd hin hid them from view. Thew