Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-01-23
CHAPTER XVII.
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ETc:Sl

winter enCrO1cneu ErceQlIy
E,cysSl upon spring. The latter end
UG of March the weather did not
moderate. Instead the wide valley be-
came channel for winds that were
weighted with numbins slcct. Then
April returned angrly, bringing cold
rains and blows to check all vcgcta-
ton.
But April half gone, a tarGy thaw
set in. The icy covering # the river
split into whirlnc blocks. the snow
grew soft and bally, the crust rotted
and picked up. Soon the tempering
sun drove the drifts from south ex-
posures, when 4 rreshet coursed down
the coulee and tho low spots on the
prairie filed until they were broad
ponds. around vhich the migrating
wild fowl aightcl with joyous cries.
Now caves drlpned unsteady, slushy
wagon ruts ran like miniature Mssou-
ris and werc Travelled by horny frogs.
prairie cocks made each dawnlng
weirdly noisy, and far and near where
nnemones sprang bravely and tossed
their fuzzy heads in the sharp air.
Throughout this season the shack
had but one visitor SQuaw Charley. He
brought fuel and once week Il basket
OF supplies from "B troop" Occasion
nliy he came swinging Il brant by the
neck or carry ing a saddle of fresh ven
ison; but. though his manner was as
friendly as ever and he seemed no less
grateful and devoted. he was always
strangely worried and dstraught. Tie
evangelist called by once or twice
when storms or the rushing ic2 pack
in the river did not prevent his cross
ing As for Lounsbury, he traversed
the bend often on his way to Brannon
and II he saw face at window
waved his hand In pleasant greeting
but he kept 20 the road.
Since the morning of the aurora the
little family had ceased to speak of
hir. That silence was neither de.
manded by thc section boss nor agreed
upon by the three. on Lancaster's
part il grow out OF the sneaklng con-
sciousness Of the ingratitude he did
not regret. On the part of Marylyn it
arose from two causes-a sensc of girl
ish shame ut having confessed her at
tachment and a fear that her father
would discover It. With Dallas CON
sderation for the feelings of her sister
made her shrink fcon mentioning
Lounsbury. Yet there was another rea-
son, and one no less dellc ,te--she, MS
well, had n secret to guard.
But in the mind Of the elder girl the
thought of Marylyn's happiness was
the uppermoSt. There were dread mo-
ments when II seemed to her as If that
happiness We're to be shattered.
During all the past weeks Marylyn
had carefully harborcd her fancles
covered books on the maDtcl had no
little part in this. Their stories of I'M
dying aifectl,n-ot bold men. lorn
maidens and the cruel villains who
gloried in scycring them-helped her to
ft her little circle into proper roles.
She loved and must crush out her pas
sion. Lounsbury, whom she loved,
had been sent away by her father, and
she lived up to the play consistently.
She saw the stOrekeeper anguished over
his Punishment; saw depths Of mean
ing in the good natured salutes he gave
the shack. With herself. she accepted
loneliness az sign OF deeper suffering
She was tort"rcl by self pity. by the
doubt she had flung Mt Dallas, by the
firm belief that her heart was hopeless.
ly fettcred. Gazing into piece of
looking glass that served her for mir
ror, she marked with sorrowful pride
her transparent skin and lustercss
eyes. She sighed rs she watched from
the windows. Patiently she listened
for footsteps, her face half turned to
the door.
And yet what she took so tragically
was nothing but failing health. What
was not n fact the night of her admis-
sion TO Dallas, was almost come 10
pass. The few days of great cold and
hunger in February, coupled with long
confinement in the dirt tloored house,
we're having their effect She was on
the verge Of illness.
Lancaster, Whenever he noticed her
detection. was inclined to poohpooh It,
''She looks rs ef she'd jes' been slap.
ped" he declared, AN is expectin' an
other lammln' any mnnit Ell she'd cry
she'd shore weep lemon Juice" Again
he reckoned that she had picked up
some notion" Jealous and suspicious
rs he was, however, he got no nearer
The truth.
But Dallas-she was misled far more
than either Marylyn or their father
She fought away from the idea that
her sister light he breaking physical
ly and tenderly as a mother yearned
over her. Anxious eyed. she noted the
palor of the childlike face, the melan
eho;y expression that had come TO be
babitua. She frctted over the spare
ness OF the younger girl, who ate only
when she was urged. II, stated with
sleep. Margin moved in the night
Dallas aroused on the instant and how
cred beside her
At last, thoroughly alarmed, the elder
girl determined TO follow out the idea
that had occurred TO her In midwin
ter. What did it matter how hard and
hateful the duty would be? What DID
her own hidden feelings matter? She
would appeal to Lounsbury in her sis
ter's behalf
But time passed without bringing hel
the opportunity, and It was borne IL
upon her finally that Lounsbury mean
to remain away, perhaps until LIE wa!
hidden to come I'ndalInt ted sha ma1s