Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-04-15
CHATTER XVI.

as fair as a rose
''Why, yes. child" replied Mrs Ruth
erford, as she glanced up from her sew
ing, her face beaming. You know whore
It is. You are not going aloneT
IL I'm going with Brice," replied Bar
bara. I'VE are going over to the desert
ed forge have often wanted TO see
that romantic place
"Br.ce-has-ask you" Mrs. Ruth
erford exclaimed ooh, am so glad! In
the conversation l had with him. he"
"Pease do not tell me what be said
about me-" Interrupted Barbara, with
ding of her hand. "Nor anything that
he ever says about met 1t may emba--
rsss me some time. or placo ne under re-
strsint. / suspect that he frequently
has been"
"Oh. understand interrupted Mrs
Rutherford in =. you wish matters
TO take their course. All right. 1t is
the best way | hope you may have
pleasant time
Barbara nodded then ran up to Mrs.
Rutherford's room. She put or the rid
ing habit, then hurried down to the
drive. where she found Brice and the
horses in waiting. He smiled approval.
partly because Of her promptness, partly
because Of the neat and becoming chnr-
acter of her attire. In few minutes
they were mounted and were dashing
across the country, laughing and chatting
as IL never a misunderstanding had ex-
listed between them, Brice particularly
pleased with the condeseenslon which MS
companion had shown him.
The forge was partly unroofed. The
floors were visible through great rents
in the gables. The mammoth water
wheel was broken. and the darby gleam-
ing water fell sullenly athwart II, fail
Ing TO make it revolve. The Hood gates
were gone; the waste weir widened into
a pond. in which some wild-eyed cattle
were wading.
Brice and Barbara had dismounted,
and the latter was taking a slow, detail
ed survey of the forge and its surround
Ings, interest, appreciation and moodiness
strangely intermingled in her face.
THAT towerT' she asked, pointing.
-''what was its object? Or isn't it
tower?"
at is a cupola," Brice said. ''There
used to be furnace in connection with
the forge 1t was added years after
ward, and hence is in a better state of
preservation Would you like to 80 10
the top of the cupola?"
"In what way would | be compensat-
ed?" Bari ans wanted to know
BY the view presented to us. Here
the horizon shuts us in like an inverted
Seacup. Up there we have a wide sweep
Of the open country"
They entered the FORGE they found
the floors and stairways strong enough
TO bear them but strewn with rubbish
and exceedingly dirty Barbara picked
her way quite daintily, Brice holding her
hand, which ug. ! nervously upon his
whenever i bat whirred uncomfortably
close to her head "Oh!" she once ex
claimed, with a shudder, as dusty cob
web, broad as a ribbon, lodged on the
bridge of her nose. The top. of the Gu
pola reached, the view compensated them
FOR the trouble.
'T see Croylands" Barbara said, her
face lighting up. And yonder winds the
echuylkil, a shining scarf Of silver. For
what was this large opening in the stack
intended"
'"rhe ore was thrown there to undergo
to process of melting" Brice said. lit
. very weird-like and desolate here, out
side and in"
The light from the doorway streamed
zpon her; toiling up the spiral stairways
had brought Il rich color to her checks.
She had taken OFF her riding hat, and
whenever she moved her head the bronze
shadows shifted about in her hair Brice
Toasted his eyes upon her trim. shapely.
compact figure. her graceful attitude, her
bright, clear-cut face, her dainty yet
capable looking hands.
His pulses throbbed with a warmer
glow. Had she forgiven him before he
had asked her tn forgive him? Didn't
she harbor any resentment Why did
he widen the chnsm between them when
there was no need of doing so? Wasn't
she beadsome. and true, and pure ard
good? Wasn't she more precious to him
than any other woman whom he had
ever. known? What was in that letter
from Charlie Dewan? Had he asked
her 10 be his, because he so thoroughly
appreciated herr What reply had she
made?
What are you thinking about?" Bar
bara abruptly asked.
Il wouldn't like 10 say" was his reply.
9 faint flush coming to his cheeks
"You'll go home and write n poem about
THE Deserted Forge and | know Il will
be werd-like. accurate, pretty. Or you
may make 1t the scene of one of the
chapters in your book. l spoke to Miss
Wentworth about that letter"
What letter" asked Barbara, In good
faith.
THE one which pusported to be writ
ten by her. She declared that she knew
nothing about it. She saiG that YOU
-ccncocted it"
And yott believed herr" she asked.
ooh, l dent bother myself much about
it, Brice reioined
Let us not talk about the letter or
about her" Barbara proposed. 1T may
turn out u be one of those-those-un
fortunate topics We fail to understand
each other and then feel bad about it,
you know"
Yes" accepted Brice. You are alto.
gether too magnanimous, however. The
fault is invariably mine and never yours
lack tact | get suspectful I miscon.
strue. / neglect to he generous. l fail
TO be just"
He spoke rapidly, in short, crisp sen
fences, his tone earnest and self-re
proachful, his eyes bent upon the dusty
hoor. Barbara watched him out of tn,
corners of her eyes. wondering whittier
the conversation would lead. her hear
beating faster and louder. when Their
was no reason for ii that she could con
ceive.
Mother tells me that you are gnini
away from Croylands." he said. shooting
of in a tangent.
Yes" she simply said.
ssAIiss prs5Iaigb I don't want Won L