Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1903-11-17
ANDREWS Of
THE APRIL
FLOOD By VIM. il.
OSBORNE


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Andrews rose from his seat and look
ed down upon the girl, He fumbled
with his hat
Tim sorry he faltered. 4
thought it right to be different. I'm
getting along so we'll over in town, and
this spring | thought perhaps that we
that IL might build somewhere
around here and He paused. I'm
sorry he repeated.
The girl flushed. She glanced over
toward the mountain. 1t was in the
month of April, but the mountain top
was still white with the winters snow.
I'm sorry, too" she replied in a
tone that indicated that she was not
so sorry as she seemed. Andrews start
ed off. Suddenly he returned and once
more laid down his hat.
Louise he exclaimed impulsively
tell me something. | can stand 1t.
and | want to know. We-we've grown
up together. You can afford to be
frank with me- Is there anybody
else?'
She slowly shook her head. "No one
in particular" she said.
"What is it, them" he persisted. She
looked him full in the face.
"I'll tell you. Stephen Andrews" she
said 1T is not your fault but you
are not my kind of a man. Oh.
g,oxx, che oddad hoctiIx, s.x+o,, oro q
college fellow and what these people
call smart and all that She hest
tated. Il don't know she continued.
whether l have been reading too
many novels in my time or not, but !
-I-there must be something more in
the man that I'll don't know just how
to express it. ! think you understand
Andrews smiled in spite of himself
"You mean" he said, that l wear
spectacles and that don't tan up
quite so much as the other fellows In
the summer | am not impulsive. My
name is not lvanhoe. Is that it, Lou
ise?v
The girl sighed snd looked off to-
ward the white hills II do like strong,
muscular men," she admitted. She
had no hesitation in saying this to An
drews, for she generally said to him
just what she meant. Andrews smiled
a grim smile. He had never told her
| that he held the record for boxing and
wrestling in his college class, and be
did not propose to tell her now.
Like John Duryea, for instance y
he suggested. Again the girl flushed
for as she sat there she had contrasted
| the two men. somewhat to the detri
nent Of the man before her.
GAS you please" she answered, bib
coldly. Suddenly she turned to him
| you said," she went on, that
thought you were not impuIsive. Tel
me honestly. if this house were on fire
| and | were upstairs, and you were
down below. would you brave the dan
ger that might exist and rush in to my
rescue at the risk of your life? Would
| you 90 that?v
| Andrews smiled again. Would John
Duryea!" he asked. The girl nodded
"He WOULD know he would" she
answered. Andrews shook his head.
cts hard thing to answer" he re
| piled. circumstances might alter
cases. should stop to think first, and
| them
"And them pursued the girl.
II can't tell" returned the man. q
/ would do the best l could. It's nice
| question: he added.
| He said all this in an amused sort o.
way. The girl was serious. Andrews
became serious again. He knew too
well that the girl was uttering hel
| thoughts thoughts that with othel
girls exist, but remain unuttered. HI
realized with bitterness that the mar
who looks and acts like a hero is ths
man, after all. Duryea was such /;
man.
| 81 am sorry" he reiterated. and hs
went.
John Duryea was not a youth of in
tellect, but he had kindling eye, and
he had that appearance of animal cour
age and spirits that is so taking. An
drews envied him. He would have Civ
en- all his intelligence and experience
he would have relinquishcd all the les
sons he had learned in youthful ad
versity and hard work, to be In thu
shoes of this man Duryea-
The snow on the mountains melted
melted in a day and night The riy
i err rose. 1t rose so much that the tow
talked of it, The roar of the water
could be heard affair of. Duryea calles
at the girls house. "Come down AM
see the food he said They had bee
down before. but it was at all times d
interesting sight. They strolled towar'
the long bridge The waters roare
under this bridge like a cataract. Th
eye could detect clearly the tremblin
Of its timbers.
"We'd better not go on the bridge.
exclaimed tile girl. hating just befor
they reached it. Duryea threw bac
his shoulders
aCome on" he said, with an air Q
bravado. sI'H take care of you" Tn
girl looked at him with admiration an
laughed They went. She shivered a
she felt the timbers tremble beneat
her feet. The man lightly put his arr
about her. 1t was good to feel III
strength. It gave confidence. SUI
denly he pointed down the roa'
Lock- he shouted in her ear "HeI
comes Andrews The girl looke'
Sure enough, it was Andrews. runnin
and waving his hand. He was war;
ing them Off the bridge, but they wave
lightly back to him. He reached Il
entrance and stood there. They bee
Toned him to come, but he shook b