Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-11-11

1t was Il great day and n good day
| for her when she fished the Sky Pilot
| out of the Swan and brought him home,
| and the night of Ovens first
prayers" when she heard for the first
time the story of the Man Of Nazareth,
was the best of all her nights up to
that time. All through the winter.
under the Pilots guidance. she, with
her father, the Old Timer, listening
near, went over and over that story SO
old now TO many, but ever becoming
new, till a whole new world Of mysteri-
GUS powers and presences lay open to
her imagination and became the home
4 Of great realities. She was rich in
imagination and, when the Pilot read
Bunyan's immortal poem, her mothers
old "Pilgrim's Progress" she moved
and lived beside the hero Of that tale,
backing him up in his fights and con-
sumed with anxiety over his many i'm
pending perils, till she had him safely
across the river and delivered into the
charge of the shining ones.
The Pilot himself, too. was a new
and wholesome experience. he was
the first thing she had yet encountered
that refused submission and the first
human being that had failed to fall
down and worship. There was some
thing in him that would not always
| yield, and, indeed, her pride and her
imperious tempers he met with surprise
and sometimes with pity that yerged
toward contempt. With this she was
not well pleased and not infrequently
she broke forth upon him. One Of
4 these outbursts is stamped upon my
mind, not only because Of Its unusual
violence, but chiefly because of the
events which followed. The original
cause Of her rage was some trifing
misdeed Of the unfortunate Joe; but
when came upon the scene 1t was
the Pilot who was occupying her at
tention. The expression of surprise
and pity on his face appeared to stir
her up.
uHow dare you look at me like
thatY she cried.
How very extraordinary that you
can't keep hold Of yourself betterw he
answered.
81 CAM she stamped. "And shall
do as likep
ut is great pity" he said, with
provoking calm, land, besides, 1t is
weak and silly" His words were I'M
fortunate.
"Weakv she gasped, when her
breath came back to her. "Weakr'
YES" he said; very weak and child
ish.''
Then she could have cheerfully put
him to slow and cruel death. When
she had recovered little she cried
| vehemently:
"I'm not weak! I'm strong! I'm
stronger than you are! I'm strong Us
1 ash manY
do not suppose she meant the In
situation. AT any rate the Pilot ig-
nored 1t and went on.
you're not strong enough to keep
your temper down" And then. as she
had no reply ready, he went on: "And
really, Gwen, 1t is not right. You must
not go on in this way"
| Again his words were unfortunate.
.Must not!" she cried. adding an inch
to her height. "Who says SOP
"God!' was the simple, short answer.
/ She was greatly taken back, and
gave quick glance ever her shoulder
as II to see him who would dare to
say "mnst not' to her: but recovering.
she answered sulIenly:
II don't carep
Don't care for GodY' The Pilots
voice was quiet and solemn, but some
thing in his manner angered her, and
she blazed forth again:
II don't care for any one, and
shnll do as like"
The Pilot looked Mt her sadly for
moment, and then said slowly:
"Some day, Gwen. you will not be
able to do as you like"
| / remember well the settled defiance
in her tone and manner as she took q
step nearer him and answered in
voice trembling with passion:
Listen! have always done as ]
like, and shall do as like till dep
And she rushed forth from the house
and down toward the canyon. her
refuge from all disturbing things and
chiefly from herself.
/ could not shake of the impression
her words made upon me- Pretty di-
rect, that" I said to the Pilot as we
rode away. 1.-THE declaration may be
philosophically correct, but 1t rings I'm.
commonly like challenge to the Al
mighty; throws down the gauntlet, so
to speak"
But the Pilot only said: Don't!
How can your"
Within week her challenge was nc
cepted. and how fiercely and how gall
lantly did she struggle to make 1t good!
| 1t was the Duke that brought me the
news, and as be told me the story his
gay. careless self command for once
was gone. For in the gloom of the can
yOn where he overlook me could see
his face cleaning out CHASTITY white,
and even his iron nerve could not keep
the tremor from his voice.
"I've just sent up the doctor" was
his answer to my greeting. II looked
for you last night, couldn't find you and
SO rode of to the Fort"
whats upY / said, with fear in my
heart. for no light thing moved the
Duke.
Haven't you heard? It's Gwen" he
said. and the next minute or two he
gave to lingo. who was indulging in a
series Of unexpected plunges. When
lingo was brought down the Duke was
master Of himself aud told his tale with
careful self control.
Gwen. on her fathers buckskin bron-
co, had gone with the Duke to the big
plain above the cut bank where Joe
was herding the cattle. The day was
hot. and storm was In the air. They
found Joe riding up and down, singing
to keep the cattle quiet, but having o
hard time to hold the bunch from
breaking. While the Duke was riding
around the far side Of the bunch cry
from Gwen arrested his attention. Joe
was In trouble. His horse, half bro