The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-24

carefully noted the details of the room
with wide, searching eyes. His glance
finally resting upon Hugh, he asked
gravely;
" Mr., Hermit, arc YOU lniun?"
Hugh stared.
No, | m not, he replied with equal
gravity,
What arc you, then? You re not
most like muvver s, only hers is brown
like mine and not so snarly'
Hugh, leaning against the mantle
piece, lighting his pipe afresh, threw
back his great head and laughed until
the very woods rang Then of a sud
den he stopped, realizing that for the
first time in seven years he heard his
own laugh Ii sounded strangely un-
familiar and SO loud that he glanced
down hastily to see ii the child was
frightened. The little fellow. apparent
~, was merely scrutinizing bin, sol
emnly and critically
'I knowl' he cried at last trump
antly, his face beaming with the graft
fcation of relieved mystery. @ You re
not 'Hactly a man, nor Lnjun; you re
Just er hermit -
moderately, and. drawing the lad ia
him, said gently;
And how is it. that YOU re NOT
afraid of me if m not an Iujun nor
man? How do you know that hermits
like little boys2''
After a moment Of unabashed scru-
tiny the boy replied gravely:
Cause your eyes is so kind -
A mist gathered quickly before the
man man S eyes, obscuring his vision.
Through the upturned face of the child
nn SaarnpA IN
memory. half pleasure, half pain, swept
over him, and he trembled Rising
abruptly he pushed the boy almost
roughly before him and walked nm
steadily to the open door The moon
had risen and the valley was bathed
In its pallid glow, the black pines
rocked voluptuously in the rising wind,
while from the village below the strains
OF dreamy waltz came family TO his
ears: Mingled with the pungent breath
of the pines was the faint, subtle odor
of violets. 1t seemed to fill every fiber
and crevice OF his senses and his will
rendering him powerless. Before him
swan A face whose laughing brown
eyes smiled tenderiv into his. Scarlet
lips parting over CLEAN Of white
teeth murmured caressinglv in his car
Once more he held the beloved form IN
his arms, her heart beating against his
own. her small head nesting on his
shoulder. her perfumed tresses brush
ing his cheek
He closed his eyes and eroaned
aloud.
Then a small. cold hand was laid on
his and A timid voice murmured,
'Don't be angry, Mr.. Hermit. T
only want to see my muvver.' -
OF sudden the dream faded and the
man found himself staring confusediy
down into the face Of the unknown
child who had lost his way and wan
dered tc his cabin,
The boy was now wiping his ewes
vigorously with a small lace handker-
chief, from which there arose the aroma
of violets. With a stifed oath Hugh
tore the handkerchief from his prasp
and, striding to the hearth, threw it
furiously on the Kissing flames.
"Oh, you cruel, wicked man; that
was my muvver's handkerchief, and
she told me TO be careful, cause some.
one gived it, to her long ago. -
FNever mind Hugh replied. strok.
ing the small head, but watching re.
morselessly the last curling sparks of
the charred handkerchief until they
were quite extinct. Then he turned
abruptly.
"Come.'' he said, '"and have some
supper, and then L will take you
But the child continued to vail pite-
ously,
"Never mind the handkerchief. nv
boy. j will give you the money TO buy
a nice new one, and your mother will
be just as pleased Then, with a