The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-01-01


Astless question half ashamed, barely
ough to shadow forth the something
S sirring her toward an awakening III
NEW world
nd at length. gravely, innocently.
ne spoke Of her engagement and the
worldly possibilities before her, of. the
man she was to marry and her new
and unexpected sense of loneliness in
bis presence now that she had seen
him again after months.
She spoke presently Of Siward.
fugitive question or two offered indlf-
Aesntiy at nrst then with shy persist
@sos and curiosity, knowing nothing
R the senseless form flung face down
ward across the sheets In a room close
~. And thereafter the murmured bui
aWm OF the theme was Siward until one
heavy eyed turned from the whit
dawn silvering the windows, sigheu
and fell asleep, and one lay silent, head
half buried in it's tangled gold wide
awake, thinking vague thoughts that
had no ending, no beginning. And at
last q rosy bar of light fell across the
wall, and the warm shadows faded
from corner and curtain, and, turning
On the pillow, her face nestled In her
hair, she fell asleep.
Nothing of this had Mrs. Ferrall told
her husband Nothing Of this could
her husband understand had she worGs
to convey 1t. There was nothing he
need understand except that his wife
meaning well, had meddled and re-
GREETED.
And now, turning in her saddle with
q pretty gesture Of her shoulders:
II NEEDLE no morel Those who neeG
me may come to me. Now laugh at
my tardy wisdom, Kempi The mis-
chief take Howard Quarrierr'
"Amen! Come on, race"
She gathered bride. do you sup
bose Stephen Siward is going to make
roubler'
How can he unless she helps him?
Nonsense! Airs well with Siward and
Nylvia Shall we gallopT'
All was very we'll with Siward and
Sylvia. They had passed the rabbit
brier country scathless, with two black
mallard, jack snipe and a rabbit to
the credit of their score, and were now
advancing through that dimly lit en-
chanted land Of tall gray alders where
in the sudden twilight Of the leaves
woodcock p tier woodcock futtered up
ward twittering, only to stop and drop
transformed at the vicious crack Of
Siward's gun to fluffy balls Of feather
RhirlinQ earthward from midair.
sycamore came galIOping Dack VIZ,
II soft, unsoiled mass of chestnut and
Brown feathers In his mouth. Siward
look the dead cock, passed 1t back to
me keeper who followed them, patted
The beautiful eager dog and signalet
him forward once more.
you should have fred that time
he said to Sylvia-"that is, II you care
10 kill anything"
But don't seem to be able to- she
Bald. TT isn't bit like shooting at
Clay targets The twittering whir
takes me by surprise-it's all so charm.
ingly sunderland my heart seems to
ptop in one beat, and look and look
and then, whisk. and woodcock is !
gone. leaving me GREATNESS"
cutting up his ground ahead, had stop g
ped, rigid, one leg raised, jaws quive~
Ing and locking alternately. /
isn't that stunning pictureT said :
Siward in low voice. What a beau
ty he is--like statue In white and !.
blue veined marble. You may talk. =
Miss lands; woodcock don't flush at ).
he sound Of the human voice as grouse =
do."
''See his brown eyes roll back at us. u
he wonders why we don't do some I,
thingT' whispered the girl. Look, Mr.. =
Siwardl Now his head is moving oh, o
70 gradually to the leftr' =
'SThe bird Is moving on the ground,
nodded Siward Now the bird has n,
stopped" q,
II do wish | could see a woodcock n
N the ground" she breathed. "Do 4.
'ou think we might by any chances" W
Siward noiselessly sank to his knees a,
nd crouched, keen eyes infinitely busy h,
mong the shadowy browns and grays IN
( wet earth and wtthered leaf, and w
fter awhile cautiously he signaled ar
be girl to kneei beside him and stretch
d out one arm, foreflnger extended +h
"Sight straight along my arm" he wI
hid, las though II were rifle barrel" IN
Her soft cheek rested against his
BOULDER, stray strand of shining hair r.,
rushing his face No
"Under that bunch OF fern" he whis-
cred, Just the color of the dead .,
ayes. DO you see? Don't you see
lat big wncdcock squatted tlat, - 49,.