Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-12-26

was old enough to feel the slurs OF
fortune, for my comrades and friends
my brothers more than anyone-to
nickname me "Sorrel" because OF the
color of my hair!
For years this was a sore subject to
me; many a crying spell have had
owing to that and the laughter OF my
thoughtless companions. Everyone
called me Sorrel. My own name,
Ethel, was so seldom spoken l failed
to answer it when heard!
We went up to the country early
that summer, for it was unusually
warm and l was restless for the free
life and exercise to which | owed my
perfect health.
Il shall have Sidney Burnett up this
summer" Tom declared as decidedly
as l, in the laying of plans. He was
awfully good to me, you know, when |
was down in the dumps that time at
college, and during Jul summering to-
gether last summer"
The weather was divine; for the
first two weeks we simply reveled in
the freedom and open life. Then Toms
friend came, and liked him from the
first because he had been so good to
Tom. He was big and broad-shoul-
dered and stern at times, with his
clear gray eyes searching ones soul,
and no smiling of the mouth under the
brown mustache.
Inez was my special chum at school,
and when we parted the day after
graduation she promised me a month
at the end Of summer, and she did not
forget. We correspondent, of course,
and | told her of Toms friend along
with the rest of my brothers, and of
our pleasant life in the old country
house, so that when she came she
knew our routine pretty thoroughly.
But in her letters not a hint did she
give that she and Tom and Toms
friend were not strangers!
She was a beautiful girl, tall and
willowy, with large, soft black eyes
and an abundance of black hair al
ways becomingly arranged, and | did
INV NOIllOl hudl loIh LII Aplll IL i
started when they say her, for | had
simply told them of her as Inez, my
chum at school, and | met her at the
station and brought her home in my
dogcart while they were off on the
hills, and coming in late to dinner,
their eyes fell upon her, cool, quiet,
beautiful. sitting opposite me, and
they started visibly, paling a trifle.
Then Tom bit his lip and Mr.. Burnett
frowned and the stern expression
came around his mouth, each bowling
with cold politeness in recognition of
the introduction, as she lifted her
magnificent eyes straight to theirs for
one brief minute, smiling softly, muir.
murfng in her exquisite voice how odd
it was that they should meet again
this summer in their summering!
Neither smiled in answer, though
wondered how they could remain SC
stolidly cold to her.
why didn't you tell me you knew
them?" I demanded half angrily, as
we stood in the shadows of the piazza
vines,
She laughed lightly, her laughter
like music in the soft silence as she
said, tapping my cheek with the deer
red rose in her hand:
1T isn't a tragedy, Sorrel; dom
look so cross at me! They helped
make last summer pass pleasantly
that is all. Only, my dearest" ant
there was an inscrutable tone in hel
voice, her black eyes burning into
mine through the dusk, don't lost
your heart to your brothers friend
Great Mogul as he is, he isn't worth!
that" and she laughed again.
Toms friend was unusually gay
treating my beautiful Inez as doubt
less he would have treated any casua
acquaintance in the house of a friend
while Dick and Ned tried their wit
upon her, appearing to adore he
mutually from the first; and l wa
too hopelessly healthy to ~degenerat
at once into a "lovelorn maiden an
with spirits happy and heart stron
l set my wits against hers, astonisf
ing even myself with my brillianct
For with the heart of a healthy girl
believed l loved Inez truly, and
Toms friend-but there l always enC
ed. | never allowed more minut
reasoning.
The month was nearly over whe
suddenly the web of mystery tangle
for me and then as suddenly brok
We were out on a canter through IL
hills, the boys, Toms friend, Ii
friend and /, and my fiery chestnu
Katahdin's blood being up, We dasht
on and away from the others rockies
ly, thoughtlessly, delightfully."-, my ha
becoming undone, tumbling down ov
my shoulders in all its heavy weig
of color. Then, with a merry thong
of my inhospitality of winning u
race so far ahead, I wheeled Katahd
and rode back more sedately.
The turf was soft and thick and n
horse made no noise save the de-
crush Of the grass as we passed
slowly back, when presently beside
wood thanking a deep embankmel
the sound Of voices came to my ca,
and drew rein to call IL it were a
Of u party. But at that instant t
voice Of Toms friend stirred the gu
air and my voice was hushed, not
idle curiosity, but stunned by sud-
knowledge.
You say it is nothing to me If y
choose to come here to visit "
friend! Your friend!P Was it scr
of her II Of me in his voice? / 1
myself turning to stone, yet could o.