The Washington herald., 1907-12-11
By S. r. CROCKETT.

had come % see him, the yellow OF the
spring gold laid against the black of her
hair. the green and yellow Of the broom
in her hand. no more plant than her
young body, Yet she smiled. and-was il
dream?-kisscd hcr hand dantny TO
him through thc meager Iattices Of the
little wooden building. haif-hut half-of-
nee. Perhaps. Phil told himself. il was
but the webs that the wood spiders had
woven which had waited themselves
across his eyes. SO that he failed 10 see
clearly.
Yet he knew better-oh, how much bet
ter.
50 much better that he never made a
mistake or thought that the girl meant
more than she wished him % think she
meant. Quick as a woman be knew and.
I'm addition. he had the gift OF stating
the case exactly 10 himself which women
lack.
III is only pity" he said % himself
'yes pity-not !ove. She is ptiful be-
cause she has treated ne little badly
after-after all she krioyes-ail I told her
She has come Jap 70 talk. simply and kind
Is, as 7 would have done To Rose Nuns
by because her heart IS empty.
He would have liked TO add. And I viii
hll il Tor her,
But because he did not say So. nor yet
think H. his chance % doing SO was 50
much the greater.
Afternoon. PHIL" she cried In az the
door. in her quick. oGhan0 manner. Are
YOU running the mill alone to-day Where
al your grimy cohnrts2 ! thought
yolrtvere SO busy saying 90 this man Co
and 10 tne other 'Come-that YOU had
not found time 10 run down 10 see us.-
You forget. said Phil. gently pulling
out his watch. as n il would ten him the
day OF the week; but this is Saturday
afternoon
Why. what difference does thar make.
Phil?" she said. smiling past the to-and-
fro wave OF the broom branch before her
dancing eyes
Phil had come 10 the door now. and
they stood face 20 face But they did not
shake hands. II did not seem worth
while. They were all 70 each other that
that meant, years and years ago. Yet.
though they did not know e. their fate.
like that Of many others who have as
cenGed mountains. great and small. stood
tiptoe upon little hill"
Phil did not think OF asking -her. 10 come
inside. In the outer Office there was only
which her father hat sat. Somehow that
seemed TO be insufficient accommodation.
Besides, Phil had delicate mind and
he did not consider the white pigeons
which showed and squabhled so disgrace
fully on the window-siIls sufficient chap
erons
50 they went out past the ugly cash
which the pit was making on the hill
side. on beyond the piled heaps OF debris.
They passed the temporarily abandoned
wagons on the unstable track For Mr.
Romer had used his influence 10 get "A
little railway line made 10 the nearest
siding Finally they came out on the
untouched cliffsidc under The lea of the
big indigo-green pines.
"Oh. yonder's Rough Isle. and the bird
cliffs, Vida cried. clapping her hands.
Then she looked gUiltily at him.
You never come now" she continued
hastily. TO go sailing out there?'
1 am busy. as you see-Dick. too. is
busy Besides
And he paused
Besides what?"
oh nothing"
But I want to know-I win know
cried Vida. You have no right to keep
these secrets from-an old frieud?"
Well, then" said Phil, gravely and
gently as ever. Il don't come because
the last time we went 10 the bird cliffs
the waterproof rug was-left behind,"
The girl had an answer. of course. But
she knew instinctively that he would see
through that just as easily. So she did
not say T. II was no use telling Phil
tany more than to another girD that the
Gay was too warm and calm-that the rug
was useless,
Well. / did not want you TO do itr'
she said. showing the highest respect that
a woman can TO man-which is. speak
ing 10 him rs TO another woman. That is
the true Order tand mOtto) Of the Garter
No. queried Phil. with great thought
tulness. but no complaint In the mono
syllable.
We are not babes any longer. YOU
know" she explained
PHI looked about him sOlcmnIy. and
then glanced once and quizzlcaHy al the
face or the girl
We are at least lost in the woods. you
ana l, he said. And taking her hand.
TINS time without waterproof covering or
pretense Of hiding. he led her 20 felled
pine. upon which he often sat to mediate
upon the uncertainty of things and
women.
A little while they were wholly silent.
Then What was that you saidg" Vida
broke out
Nothing" said Phil, for whom the
present possession Of her hand was
enough-warm. soft. pleasant. and with
little Jingle 70 H., highly communicable.
70 BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.