The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-11-07

liza AothSA thot Oh AoAO va
sions, when the humor was on him, he
also took 1t up. She now addressed
herself to Burrell in the same manner.
ST think we are very smarts to come
SO far" she said.
"You travel like a deer" he declared
a%dmiringly. why, you have tired me
down." Removing his pack, he stretch
ed his arms and shook out the ache lii
his shoulders.
He built a fire, then fetched a bucket
of water from a rill that trickled down
among the rocks near by. He made as
If to prepare their meal, but she would
have none Of it.
"Bigs should never cook" she de-
clared. "That work belongs to littles,'
then forced him to vacate her domain
and turn himself to the manlier duties
Of chopping wood and boughs.
First, however, she showed him how
to place two green foot logs upon
which the teapot and the frying pan
| would sit without upsetting and how
long she wished the sticks of cooking
wood. Then she banished him, as 1t
were, and he built a wickiup Of spruce
tops, under the shelter of which he
piled thick. fragrant pillows of yukon
feathers"
He filled his chest deeply and leaned
on his ak, for he found himself shak-
ing as If under the spell of some great
expectancy.
"Your supper is getting cold" she
called to him.
He took a seat beside her on a pile
of boughs where the smoke was least
troublesome. He had chosen a spot
that was sheltered by a lichen covered
ledge, and this low wall behind, with
the wickiup joining it, formed an in
closure that lent them a certain air Of
privacy. They ate ravenously and
drank deep cupfuls of the unflavored
tea. By the time they were finished
the night had fallen. and the air was
just cool enough to make the IRE
agreeable. Burrell heaped on more
wood and stretched out beside her.
"This day has been so wonderful"
said the girl, ''that l shall never go to
sleep. l can't bear to end it."
"But you must be weary, little
maid," he said gently. 81 am"
"Wait. Let me see." She stretched
her limbs and moved slightly to try
her muscles. Eyes, I am very tired,
but not the kind Of tired that makes
you want to go to bed. l want to talk,
talk, talk, and not about ourselves ell
Their, but about sensibles. Tell me
about your people-your sister,"
He had expected her to ask this, for
the subject seemed to have an mex
haustible charm for her. She would
sit rapt and m%otionless as long as he
cared to talk of his sister. In her wide.
meditative eyes the shadow Of a great
unvoiced longing. He told her Of his
father, the crotchety old soldier whose
absurd of duty and whose elab-
crate southern courtesy had become a
byword In the south. He told her
household tales that were priced like
pieces Of the Burrell plate, beautiful
heirlooms of sentiment that mark the
honor of high blooded houses, follow
ing which there was much to recount
Of the Meades, from the admiral who
fought as a boy in the bay of Tripoli
down to the cousin who was at An
upon his words hungrily, her mind so
quick in pursuit of his that it spurred
him unconseieEsiy, her great, dark
eyes han closed in silent laughter or
wide with wonder, and in them al
ways the warmth Of the leaping fire.
born virginia. love.
Then he began to laugh silently.
"What is it?' she said curiously.
ooh, nothing! 1 was just wondering
what my straitlaced ancestors would
say If they could see me now"
"What do you mean?" the girl asked
in open eyed wOnderment.
II don't care" he went on, unheed-
ing her question. "They did worse
things in their time, from what I hear
He leaned forward to draw her to
him.
Worse things! But we are doing
nothing bad" said Necia, holding him
of. There's no wrong in loving"
"Of course not" he assured her.
II am proud Of It," she declared. at
is the finest thing, the greatest thing,
that has ever come into my life. Why,
I simply can't hold 1t. 1 want to sing
1t to the stars and cry 1t out to the
whole world. Don't your
II hardly think we'd better adver-
tise," he said dryly.
"Why mott"
"Well, 1 shouldn't care to publish the
tale of this excursion Of ours. Would
you?"
81 don't see any reason against it.
have often taken trips with Poleon
and been gone with him for days and
days at a time"
"But you were not a woman them
he said softly.
"No, not until today, that's true.
Dear, dear, how 1 did grow all Of q
sudden! And yet I'm just the same as
I was yesterday, and I'll always be
the same, just a wild little. Please
don't ever let me be a big tame. ]
l1-,k -~-k ~ ~ ao-n1-Dyaao o~1 NV