The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-08-09
Darrell Of THE
BLESSED ISLES
BY IRVING BACHELLER,
Author o "Ebsn Holden "Dd and l." Etc.
COPYRIGHT LoTHRoP PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHAPTER XIV.
NR0vE had much to help him
youth, cheerful temperament,
q counselor of unfailing wis.

never able to surprise and overthrow
him.
After due examination he had been
kept in bail to await the action Of the
grand jury, soon to meet. Now, there
were none thought him guilty save one
or two afflicted with the evil tongue.
1t seemed to him q dead issue and
gave him no worry. One thing, how
ever, preyed upon his peace-the knowl.
edge that his father was thief. A
conviction was ever boring In upon him
that he had no right to love Polly. A
base injustice It would be, he thought,
to marry her without telling what he
had no right to tell But he was ever
hoping for some word Of his father
news that might set him free. He had
planned to visit Polly. and on GER
tain day Darrell was to meet him at
Robins Inn. The young man waited
In some doubt Of his duty, and that
day came, one Of the late summer,
when he and Darrell went afoot to the
Inn, crossing hill and valley as the
crow files, stopping here and there at
isles Of shadow In hot amber seq Of
light. They sat long to hear the dron-
Ing In the stubble and let their thought
drift slowly as the ship becalmed.
"Some days." said Darrell, "the soul
In me is like a toy skin, tossing in the
ripples of duck pond an mayhap
stranding on n reed or lily. An then,"
he added, with kindling eye and voice,
'she is great ship, her sails league
long an high, her masthead raking the
stars, her hull In the infinite sea-"
"Well," said Trove, sighlng, "Tm
still In the ripples of the duck pond"
"An' see they do not swamp thee"
said Darrell, with smile that seemed
to say, Poor weakling, your trouble
Is only as the rippes Of tiny pool"
They went on slowly, over green pas
lures, halting at brook In the woods.
There again they rested In q cool
shade Of pines, Darrell lighting his pipe.
II envy thee. boy" said the tinker,
@'entering on thy life work In this great
land-a country blest O. God. To thee
all high things are possible. Where
was born, let poor lad have great
hope In him, an all--aye, all-even
those he loved, rose up to cry him
down. Here In this land all cheer an
bid him godspeed. An here is to be the
great theater o. the worlds action.
Many Of high hope in the broad earth
shall come, an here they shall do their
work. An Its spirit shall spread like
the rising waters, aye. 1t shall food tho
world, boy, 1t shall flood the world"
Trove made no reply. but he thought
much and deeply Of what the tinker
said. They lay back awhile on the
needle carpet, thinking. They could
hear the murmur OF the brook and a
woodpecker drumming on dead tree
me head is busy as yon woodpeck-
'er's," Darrel went on. ITS the soul
fire In this great. free garden O. God
it's America. Have ye felt 1t, boyT
"Yes; It Is In your eyes and on your
tongue" said Trove.
"Ah, boy, tits only Gods oxygen.
Think O. the poor fools whitening on
cracker barrels In Hlllsborough an
wearing away the lag end O. their
lewdness.' have no patience with
the like O. them. I'd rather be q
butchers clerk an carry with me the
redolence O. ham,"
In Hillsborough, where all spoke Of
him as an odd man Of great learning,
there were none, saving Trove and two
or three others. that knew the tinker
well, for he took no part In the roaring
gossip of shop and store.
~Hath 1t ever occurred to thee" said
Darrell as they walked along, that q
fool Is blind to his folly, q wise man to
his wisdom?"
When they were through the edge Of
the wilderness and came out on Cedar
hill and saw below them the great
round shadow of Robins Inn they be-
gan to hasten their steps. They could
see Polly reading q book under the big
tree.
"What no, the alttie queen" said
Darrell as they came near. "Now. put
upon her brow AN odorous chaplet O.
sweet summer buds.'"
She came to meet them In a pretty
pink dress and slippers and white
stockings.
Fair lady, bring thee flowers"
said Darrell, handing her bouquet.
"They are from the great garden O
the fields"
"And ] bring q crown" said Trove
as he kissed her and put a wreath OF
clover and wild roses ON her brow.
II thought something dreadful had
happened" said Polly. with tears In
her eyes. "For three days I've been
dressed up waiting"
"An' a grand dress Il is," said Oar
rel, surveying her pretty fgure.
"Ive nearly worn It out waiting"
said she. looking down. her voice trem-
bling.
"Tut, tut, giri-'tis Q lovely dress"
the tinker insisted
1T 10 one my mother wore when she
was girl" said Polly proudly. 1T
was made over"
"O-oh, God love thee, child" said the
tinker In tone OF great admiration.
"Tis beautiful"
"And you came through the woodsT
said Polly.
Through wood and held." was
Trove's answer.
II wonder you knew the way"
'The little god O. love, he shot his
arrows, an we followed them as the
hunter follows the bee." said Darrell.
1T was nice Of you to bring the
flowers" said Polly. "They are beau.
ttflI"