The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-04-26
5 THE GOLDEN DAYf
BY EMMETT CAMPBELL HALL
|nL.>~~or ~~1r~~~Q nr....1 hr.>~|2h.s.,
Copyright. by Daily Story

1t was just living over again one
Of the old, careless, golden days.
Somewhere in the world people were
hurrying to and fro, striving, failing.
attaining, but it all seemed very far
away
l sat down with my back against a
tree, and Nan came and sat beside me-
She had been slightly wearied by our
play, and let her brown head rest
against my shoulder. l could see a
little wistful curve about her mouth
that hurt met had not been there
of Old
Suddenly she turned, 80 as to look
into my face
Ned" she said slowly; how long
have we known each other?"
six years, about-since you were
IL. You know as we'll as l." l an
| swered.
And We have been good comrades
-pals-Ned," she continued, letting
! her brown eyes wander to a distant
point. Tell me, then, Ned, what does
the gang-Bill, and Carter and Ray
mond. and all the rest of them-think
! of me-"
They are sore, Man," 1 told her,
trying to put into the softest terms
the rage and sorrow of the gang that
the Girl should do this thing Ray
mond has gone off to the Rockies to
shoot bear. Tom Mason is talking of
going to work, Bill is like q funeral
| on Monday"
Ned, did you ever hear any OF
them say that, that was pretty?' she
asked, while pink flood showed
through the golden tan upon the slen-
der throat
Say it? OF course mott" I exploded.
do you mean to tell me-" demanded,
that you didn't know that we gave
that chap Forrea a thousand dollars
to come from Paris to paint that wa
ter color of you, and that each one of
us has a miniature copy that cost a
hundred dollars?"
l snapped open my watch case, to
show her her own laughing face and
wind-blown curls.
SILLY boys!" she said, and the pink
in her cheeks deepened to crimson.
Why are they sore, Ned? Are
your she asked
| looked searchingly into her brown
eyes, but found only the frankness
knew SO WELL
"We-that is, they, had always
thought it would be some one of the
old crowd. Girl I told her.
her mouth
Il was good pal, wasn't l, Ned?"
she said.
The finest in all the world!' an
swered truthfully.
And they thought me pretty" she
continued slowly; but not one OF
them-1 am 10, Ned, and no ore ever
or even wanted-to kiss me-"
She buried her face in her hands
| and sobbed. The little figure seemed
| pa thetically slight and lonely
q was good comrade, Ned" she
| continued softly; "but 1 was a girl.
after all. IL wanted some one to-
care. Ned"
My heart leaped, and tumultuous
| speech crowded upon my tongue, but
with an effort held myself in check.
and gently lifted the brown head so
that | might look into her eyes,
Man, I said, you had the whole
crowd to choose from-you know you
did, and yet you went and let them
engage you to that miserable little
monkey of a count"
He asked me, anyway; none of the
others ever did," Nan said defiantly.
'They-they-' I stammered stu
pidly, but she interrupted sharply.
! They did not-never, not one of
them. How could know? Did
you?"
For moment l was dazed, as one
is by sudden glare of light Then
my arms were around her.
"Nan-Girl," l whispered. and bent
toward the red. trembling lips that did
not seek to avoid me-
A moment later she had wrenched
herself free and sprang to her feet.
"Oh, Ned, please let us go." she
cried, and hurried to .he canoe
Silently We took our places. 1t was
dark, and far away to the north lights
were cleaning.
''Girl,'l whispered, and she turned
her head YEARLY. Suddenly we heard
the throbbing of motor boat away to
the south
'They have missed the canoe and
are out in the launch looking for u.s."
said. They could never find us
| among the islands. Oh, Girl, sweet.
HEARTH isn't too late-and | love
YOU I plead.
She did not answer. but | saw
slim. brown hand steal to the pocket
of her blouse and something made
sparkling curve in the air. 1 leaned
forward to press the little hand that
for moment was stretched back to-
ward me and then withdrawn. With
out word she picked up her paddle,
and with deft turn of the blade set
the prov of the canoe toward the dis
tant lights of Cotton