Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-09-01

bit OF paper" and he restored the
scrap to its place and returned to the
Bush" with as much expression on
his face as one might expect to see
on blank skin of parchment.
Jack was more moved than he would
have liked to admit by old Skettle's
sympathy and offer of assistance, and
in softened mood produced by the
little incident, sat and smoked his pipe
with a lighter spirit.
After all he was young, and--and-
well, things might turn up; at any
rate, If the worst came to the worst,
he could earn his living at driving a
coach .and-four, or, say, as a NAVY.
81 shouldn't make a bad light por.
ter" he unused, only there are no
light porters now. wonder what
will become of me. Anyhow, I'd
rather live on an Abernethy biscuit a
day than take a penny from Stephen or
borrow ten pounds from Skettle.
Stephen, Squire Of Hurst Leigh! He'll
make a funny squire. | don't believe
he knows a pheasant from barn door
fowl. or a Berkshire pig from a pump
handle. | should have made better
squire than he. Never mind; it's no
use crying over split milk"
Jack was certainly not the man to
cry over milk split or strewn, and long
before the train had reached Arkdale
he had forgotten his ill-luck and the
mystery attending the will, and all
his thoughts were fixed on the beautl.
full girl who dwelt in woodlands
hut in the midst Of Warden Forest.
Forbidden fruit is always the sweet
est, and Jack felt that the fruit was
forbidden here. What on earth bust.
ress had he, ruined man. to be loung.
ing about Warden or any other forest,
in the hope of getting a sight OF, or a
few words with. a girl, whom, be she
as lovely as a peri, could be nothing
TO him? What good could he do? On
the contrary, perhaps, a great deal OF
harm: for ten to one the woodman
would cut up rough, and there would
he a row.
But he felt, somehow. that he had
made a promise, and promises were
sacred things to Jack-excepting al.
ways promises to pay--and row
had rather a charm for him.
Nevertheless, when the train drew
up at Arkdale Station, he had quite
resolved to wait until the London train
came up, and as such resolutions gen.
orally end, 1t ended in giving up the
idea and starting for Warden.
Jack was not sentimental. Men with
good appetites and digestions seldom
are; but his heart beat as he entered
the charmed center of the great elms
and oaks which frnged the forest,
and the whole atmosphere seemed full
Of a strange fascination
Il wonder what she will say, how
she will Iook?" he kept asking him.
self. ''l'd walk thousand miles to hear
her voice, to look into her eyes. Oh,
m a worse idiot than old Skettle!
What can her eyes ald her voice be
to me? by Joye, though, | might turn
woodman and-and-" marry her, he
was going to say, but the thought
seemed so bold, so---well, so coarse in
connection with such a beautiful per-
son, that Jack actually blushed and
frowned at his effrontery.
He found no difficulty in recognizing
the way, and strobe along at a good
pace, which, however, grew slower as
ne heard the clearing in which stood
Gideon Rolfe's cottage and just be-
tnrp no pnnpupI from, 10 wpn1 {Dt AZ
he stopped, and felt with faint won
der that his heart was beating fast.
II was a new sensation for Master
Jack, and il upset him.
This won't do" he said; Il must
keep cool. A child would get the bet
mustn't forget I've got to face that
wooden.faced woodman. Courage, my
boy, courage"
And with resolute front he step
ped into the clearing.
Yes, there was the cottage, but why
ON earth were the shutters up.
With a strange misgiving he walked
up to the door and knocked.
I There was no answer, He knocked
again and again-still no answer.
Then he stepped back and looked
up at the chimney. There was no
smoky trail rising through the trees.
/ He listened-thcre was no sound. His
4 heart sank and sank till he felt as If
/ II had entered his boots
With "A Kind of desperate hope he
knelt on the window-sill and looked
i through n hole in the shutter into the
room.
1t was bare of fmniture-empty,
+ lesolate,
He got down again and looked about
him like one who. having buried
treasure, goes to the spot and finds
that II has gone.
i Gonc-that was the woodland no
i sign
/ II was Incredible. Three days only
three days. What had happened?
! Was-wa anyone dead? And at this
/ thought his face grew MS pale as the