The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1906-10-18

polseu Wnere the sun came full upon
her. One hand clutched her flowing
blue skirts snugly about her ankles;
the other opened coaxingly to a kitten
crouched to spring OF the limb of an
apple tree above her. The head was
thrown back, the vivid lips were part
ed, and he heard her laugh low to
herself.
Stepping from the covert that had
shielded him, he called softly to her.
"Prudence-Prue!"
She had reached for the kitten, but
at the sound of his low, vigorous note,
h turned quickly toward him, color
ing with a glow that spread from the
corner of the crossed kerchief up to
the yellow hair above her brow. She
answered with quick breaths.
"Joel-Joel-Joel!"
She laughed aloud, clapping her
small hands, and he ran to her-over
beds Of marigolds, heartsease and
lady slippers, through a row of drowsy
looking, heavy-headed dahlias, and
past other whitening flowers, all but
choked out by the rank garden
growths of late summer. Then his
arms opened and seemed to swallow
the leaping little figure.
you dear old ~sobersides, you-how
gaunt and careworn you look, and how
hungry, and what wild eyes you have
to brighten n with! At first I
thought you were a crazy man."
He held her face up to his eager
eyes, having no words to say, over
come by the joy that surged through
him like a mighty rush of waters. In
the moments glorious certainty he
rested until she stirred n%ervously un.
der his %devouring look, and spoke.
Come, kiss me now and let me CO."
He kissed her eyes so that she shut
them; then he kissed her lips-long-
letting her go at last, grudgingly, fear
fully, unsatisfed.
You scare me when you look that
way. You mustn't be so fierce"
II told him he didn't know YOU"
"Who didn't know me-, sir?"
"a man who said 1 wasn't sure of
you"
$50 you are sure of me, are you,
Mr.. Preacherman? Is it because
we've been s~weethearts since so
long? But remember you've been
much away. I've seen you-let me
count-but n little time of two
weeks in three years. You would go
on that horrid mission"
us not religion made up of ODE.
dience, let life or death Gomez"
us there no room for loving ones
sweetheart in it,"
One must obey, and I am a better
man for having denied myself and
gone. I a love you better. 1 have
been taught to think of others. I was
sent to open up the gospel in the east
ern states because I had been en-.
dowed with almost the open vision.
It was my call to help in the setting
up of the Messiah's latter-day king
dom. Besides, we may never question
the commands of the holy priesthood,
eve if our wicked hearts rebel in
secret"
IF you had questioned the right
person sharply enough, you might
have had an nswer as to why you
were sent"
What do you mean? How could l
have questioned? How could l have
rebelled against the stepping-stone of
my exaltation?"
His face relaxed a little, and he
concluded almost quizzically:
Was not Satan hurled from high
heaven for resisting authority?"
She pouted, caught him by the
lapels OF his coat and prettily tried
to shake him.
"Now, now! stop it at once, and
come to the house. I've been tending
your father and mother, and I'm go.
ing to tend you. What you need d.
rectly is food. Your look may be
holy, but I prefer full cheeks. Not
another word until you have eaten
every crumb I put before you"
With ar air Of captor, daintily
fierce, she led him toward the house
and up to the door, which she pushed
open before him.
Come softly, your mother may be
still asleep-no, your father Is talking
-listen!"
A querulous voice, rough with
strong feeling, came from the inner
room.
Here, I tell you, is the prophecy
of Joseph to prove 1t, away back in
1892
He broke off, for the girl came lead.
ing In the son, who, as soon as he
saw the white-haired old man with
his open book, sitting beside the vast.
ed on the bed, flew to them
with a glad cry.
They embraced him and smoothed
and patted him, TREMENDOUSLY, feebly,
with broken thanks for his safe re.
turn. The mother ct last fell back
Upon her pillow, her eyes shining with
the joy of a great relief, while the
father was seized with a At Of cough.
ing that cruelty racked his gaunt
frame and left him weak but smiling
The girl had been placing food upon
the table.
"Come, JOEL" she urged, "you must
eat-we have all breakfasted, so vol