The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-11-18
CHAPTER VI.
@YeII TAX the High Road and I'll TAX
the Low R0ad.o

coulc sec neither bank OF the
river as he made his way down the
big bend OF ice. The wind struck so
bitterly that now and then he stopped
and. painting and gasping. leaned his
weight against it, The snow upon the
ground was caught up and flew like
sea spume in a hurricane; il swirled
about him. joining the flakes in the
air. so that il seemed TO be showing
from the ground upward as much as
from the sky downward. Fierce as
it was, hard as IL was to fight through,
snow from the earth. snow from the
sky. Joe was grateful for it. feeling
that il Veiled him. making him safer,
though he trusted somewhat the change
OF costume he had effected at Beaver
Beach. A rough Workman's cap was
pulled down over his ears and eye
brows a knitted comforter was wound
about the lower part OF his face; un-
der ragged ovcrcost he wore blue
overalls and rubber boots: and in one
Of his red-mittened hands he swung a
tin dinner bucket.
When he reached the nearest Of the
factories he heard the exhaust of its
engines long before he could see the
building. 50 binding was the drift
Here he struck inland from the river
and. skirting the edges or the town.
made nis way 10y unfrequented streets
and alleys. bearing I'm the general d.
rection Of Upper Man street. to find
himself at last almost exhausted. in
the alley behind the Pike mansion.
There he paused. leaning heavily,
against a board fence and gazing at
the vaguely outlined gray plane which
was all that could be made OF the
house through the blizzard. He had
often, very often stood I'm this same
e,fa sol,
dow airs. Pike's) which he had
guessed TO be NAMES.
The storm was so thick that he could
not sec this window now. but he looked
long time through the thickness at
that part Of the gray plane where he
knew IL was. Then his lips parted.
'Good-by. Mamie" he said softly
'GOod-by Mamie"
He bent his body against the wind
and went on. still keeping to the back
ways until he came to the alley which
passed behind his own home where
however. he paused only for a moment
10 make a quick survey OF the prem
Uses. A glance satisfied him. he ran
10 the next fence, hoisted himself
YEARLY over it, and dropped into
Roger Tabors back yard
He took shelter from the wind for a
moment or two. leaning against the
fence breathing heavily; then he STUN
bled on across the obliterated paths
or a vegetable garden until he reached
The house. and. beginning with the
kitchen. began to make the circuit Of
the windows. peering cautiously into
each as he went. ready to tap on the
pane should he catch a glimpse of
Ariel. and prepared to run II he STUN
bled upon her grandfather. But the
place seemed empty: he had made his
reconnaissance apr rently in vain. and
was on the point OF going away. when
lie heard the click Of the front gste
ana saw Ariel coming toward him, her
old waterproof cloak. about her head
ano shoulders. the patched, scant.
faded skirt which he knew so well.
blowing about her unanimously. At
the sound Of the gate he had crouched
close against the side OF the house
but she saw him at once.
fhe stopped abruptly. and, throw
ing the waterproof back from her head.
looked at him through the driven fog
OF snow. One Of her hands
was stretched toward his fnvoluu-
tarily and it was in that atti-
tuoe that he long remembered her:
standing in the drift which had piled
up against the gate almost knee deep
the shabby skirt and the black water
proof Tapping like torn sails, one hand
outstretched like that Of a figure in a
features mottled witt cold and uniove-
~, her startled eyes fixed on him with
a strange, wild tenderness that held
something OF the laughter of whole
companionship in it mingling with a
loyalty and championship that was al
most ferocious-she looked an Undine
Of the snow
Suddenly she ran to him. still keep
ing her hand outstretched until it
touched his own.
How did you know me?" he asked
Know YOU" was all the answer she
made to that question. Come into the
house. I've got some coffee on the
stove for you. I've been up and down
the street waiting for you ever since
il began to get light"
Your grandfather WON'T"
Hes at Uncle Jonas; he won't be
back till noon. There's no one here"
She led him TO the front door. where
he stamped and shock himself: he was
snow from head to foot
I'm running away from the good
Gomorrah," he said. but I've stopped
TO look back, and I'm pretty white
pillar"
Il know where you stopped to look
back she answered. brushing him
heartily with her req hands You
came in the alley way. 1t was Ma
mics window
lie did not reply, and the only visible
token that he had any consciousness
OF this clairVoyance OF hers was a
slight lift Of >his higher eyebrow. She
wasted no time in getting him to the
Kitchen, where, when she had removed
his overcoat. she placed him in a chair.
unwound the comforter, and, as care
fully as a nurse, lifted the can from
his injured head. When the strip of
towel was disclosed she stood quite
still for moment with the cap in her
hand; then, with a broken little cry.
she STOPPED and kissed a lock of his
hair, which escaped. discolored. beneath
the bandage.
stop that" he commanded. horrible
embarrassed
''Oh, Joe" she cried. I knew, knew
it was there-but to see II, And it's
my fault for leaving you-I had to go
or ! wouldn't haVe-I-
Where'd you hear about it?v he
asked. shortly.
i haven't been to bed" she answered.
Grandfather and 1 were up all night
at Uncle Jonas, and Colonel Flitcroft
came about o'clock, and he told us. f"
Did he tell you about Norbert?"
Yes-a great deal" She poured
coffee into a cup from a pot on the
stove, brought il to him, then placing
some thin slices Of bread upon the grid
iron, began TO toast them over the
hot Goals. 'rhe Colonel said that Nor