Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-04-30
CHAPTER xyJlI.--continued.

For a long hour she sat there while
the tide of feeling ebbed and tears
came unchecked, and then the eac
ton came. With 1t, also, came some
thing of the old courage and defiance
that had once led her to face night,
danger, and go miles Of wilderness
alone.
81 have made a mistake" she said,
sitting up, "and Hannah was right. l
am a nobody here, and Ray has been
told so and has kept away"
And now with returning calm, n
soothed, maybe, by the still, ethereal
night, she saw herself, her past and
present, as it all was. Back in an in
slant she sped in thought to the mo-
ment when, kneeling to these people,
she begged for food; back to that first
prayer she ever heard in the tent, and
the offer of rescue that followed.
And then her life here, with all its
hopes and humiliation, rose before her.
1T was all wrong, my coming here"
she said, looking away to the village
where lights twinkled; Il am not their
sort, nor they mine. I'd better go
away"
Then, lifted a wee bit by this new
resolve, she rose and returned to the
house.
The tall clock in the sitting-room
was just Ginning ten when she en-
tered, and Aunt Comfort was there
alone.
Raymond was here this evening"
she said kindly, "and waited quite a
spell. Where have you been?"
ooh, nowhere" answered Chip,
pleasantly, only I was lonesome and
went out for a walk"
Little did good Aunt Comfort realize
what a volcano of hope, despair, shame
and tender love was concealed beneath
that calm answer, or the new resolve
budding in Chips heart.
No more did Ray suspect it when he
met her coming home from school the
next afternoon.
For during those two w%retched hours
when she was alone on the worn
schoolhouse step, poor Chip Mcclure.
the low-born, pitiful waif, had become
a woman and put away girlish i'm
pulses.
Il couldn't come to see you that first
evening"" he said at once, for uncle
and aunty kept me talking till bed
time. Where were you last night?"
ooh, I didn't much think you would
come" answered Chip, calmly, smil
ing at him in a far-off way. Il am a
nobody here, as you will soon find out
and l don't expect-anything. | got
lonesome last night and went off for q
walk"
Ray looked at her in wide-eyed
establishment. And well he might, fol
only two short days since she had
met him, an eager, simple girl, and
now she spoke like a woman Nc
word, no hint of his neglect, escaped
her; but a cool Indifference was ap
parent.
Tell me about the woods and Ole
Cyl she said, not waiting for him tt
speak again, "and how is the hermit
/ want to know all about them"
"Oh, / left EN- all right" answered
Ray, sullenly, for like a boy he wanted
to be coaxed. And then, urged a little
by Chip, he told his winters expert
ence.
One episode interested her most o.
all-the strange trapper's doings, his
theft of their game, their pursuit O.
him and discovery Of his hiding spot.
II know who that was" she said
when it was all described. 1T was m.
father, and if he had caught you spy
ing upon him, | guess he'd shot you
both. He always used to go some
where trapping every fall; but no
body could ever find where"
This return to the memories of thu
wilderness wore away something O
Chips cool reserve, and when thu
house was reached her eyes had grown
tender.
Il shall be glad to see you often-aI
-as your folks will let you come
she said, somewhat timidly when the!
parted; and scarce understanding thii
speech, Ray left her.
Chip has changed a whole lot" HI
said to his aunt a little later, "and
wish she hadn't; she don't seem thu
same any more"
I'm glad of it If she has" answered
Angie, smiling at him. There wal
need enough of it."
CHAPTER XIX.
Old Cy had builded wiser than b.
realized when he coaxed Ray to spent
a u.iraAn.a La 4ha- rtrondnA ----