Willmar tribune., 1906-10-31
IS SIS E*' e .5g g n ~, D.
!. Lavender ] !. ! / i : ]: (! ] i. I:
3Cre:'iglfltO:i'n:l''S. j:
: :: Lovers. ; s & Z.
By OLIVIA b. sTR0HM
(copyrisht, 1905. BY Olivia B. strohml
CHAPTER XIX.

-: tcopyrisht, 1905. BY Olivia 3. strohml !
CHAPTER XIX. :
- It was June when Winslow was
once more able to be about.
Although he was pale and thin, he
made great effort to get strong. For
he must soon agitate the school
project, and he must see Lavender. He
had received no message direct from
Aaron Burr, and, so slow was travel,
knew nothing of the trial or its prog
ress. He only knew that the gov
ernor genera(to whom he was the
bearer of letters from Aaron Burr, was
on his way to denounce the man, his
partner, as Winslow believed, in the
transaction. Much of the mystery of
that transaction might be cleared by
those letters-but there was no hurry,
and still he kept his own counsel.
Meantime word had been brought
him by boat to st. Louis from friend
then established in New Madrid. The
letter ran:
"My script is scant, and it behooves
mo to make living in these wilds.
/ am going to teach the western rustics
how to trip the light fantastic in the
little frisks they hold in the barns.
Murray, too, is here-do you remem-
Der him? His ambition is equally high
soaring with mine; he is to teach the
fiddle (he dare not say the violin,
or he would have no pupils). AS for
yourself-go thou and do likewise.
Find some young ideas, and teach
them how to shoot something, any
thing. We are all scattered for the
present; stranded-like snags along
the river. But it is not for long. Burr
will be acquitted; Goa bless him, and
then we will all go back in blaze of
glory"
And Winslow, too, took this hope
full view. OF course his leader, too
wise, too brainy for trickery, must sue
ceed in proving his innocence-proving
that he was no traitor, no arch-plot-
ter againsts the nations peace. For
whatever light the lamp of history may
have thrown upon it, the accusation OF
Aaron Burr seemed to Winslow as a
willful bit Of party .slander, wrecking
the hopes and destroying the prospects
of innocent men; fabrication found
ed upon malice, and fostered by ig-
norance and sycophancy.
And here, as in St. Louis, he had no
hesitation in freely speaking his mind,
with small respect for authority. If
here, too, he met with no opposition,
it was mainly due to ignorance, not Of
the facts, merely, but of the parties
concerned.
One afternoon, at sunset, Winslow
walked along one of the narrow by
paths which diverged from the main
road. Elder blossoms waved their
parasols Of snow on either side, and
a multitude Of wild roses trespassed
on the right of way. At the end of
the view rose pile of clouds, downy
and purple, royal couch for the sun.
Suddenly, in the hollow of rail
fence, and from over the top of a
screening tangle, Winslow espied a bit
of blue cotton. Seen closer, this took
the form of q sunbonnet, and inspec-
ton revealed girls face beneath.
Perched on the highest rail, her hands
tightly clasping the bar, she made an
attractive spot in the landscape. But
nearer view marred the effect. Her
face was white with dismay, her jaws
apart in fright. For in the grass at
her feet. as if waiting her first move
ment to attack, was a snake-long.
mottled, ugly.
One blow Of the stout cane Winslow
carried, and the thing, vengeful in
death, writhed with impotent swing of
its ringed tail. There was a pause, and
the girl drew long shuddering
breath.
'I'm ever so much obliged" was all
she said, but the grateful sigh lent dig
nifty to the words.
Don't mention it, beg" and Wins
low stood gravely regarding her from
his own point of vantage.
She climbed from the rail, stepping
gingerly as if to avoid the yet CULVER
ing snake.
Winslow extended his hand to help
her; she was about to take it, for the
first time closely observing him. Then,
with sharp cry, she backed away
from him, and leaned upon the fence,
staring at him with wide, frightened
eyes. "No, no." she murmured.
He smiled reassuringly docs this
bandage alarm you? It is nothing
a mere scratch"
To his amazement, she fell to Sob
bing, her face buried in her folded
hands.
Stepping close to her, he said, kind
ly: "You are unnerved by your recent
fright; do not want to leave you un-
til you are quite calm; shall we walk
on together?"
Still she did not answer. At loss,
and loath to leave her, for night was
falling, Winslow persisted: "Other
snakes may come to the funeral OF
their fe1low-it Is low and damp here;
come" }''s s'
She seemed SO young and helpless, q
timid child. He gently touched her
shoulder. Come" + -. - w.
But she shook of his touch, and,
raising her eyes, met his with look
OF mingled fear and: defiance: "You
+. must not touch me-you must not
!. speak to- me- Go on, oh, please 30
+ on" !: Ss ri f'F45 Is, ~ - l9S i !:
He: made no reply, but his glance q
!, cold inquiry travelled from her to the
yet writhing snake, and back again: To
I the 2disdainful reproach: of his manner