The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-06-17
CHAPTER XIV.
IN THE WILD AzALEA.

IN THE WILD AZALEA.
In the late spring and early sum.
mer the Seven mountains burst sud
denly from their sombre melancholy
and bury themselves for a month In
a wealth Of etflorescence such as one
may look for in vain elsewhere north
or the tropics. The wild gaps and runs
become choked with mighty masses OF
pink and white hat fill even those long
accustomed to 1T with wonder. First
comes the miracle of the dogwood, the
spangling of the forest with spotless
white; then the miracle of the aZalea
when the swart htllsides break sudden
~ into pillows of fire; then the miracle
OF the laurel with it's great masses
of bloom like baskets of flowers set
here and there amid the rocks; and
then the miracles of miracles of the
~rhodendron which fills gap and tangle
and scaur with great banks of I'M
broken snow. One might be contented
70 i've IL months in the dun solitudes
Tor the sake of this one marvellous
month of flowers.
One visiting in mid-June the mouth
OF Roaring u will find it transformed
almost beyond belief. The fantastic
Weatherings are empowered in laurel;
the tangle along the Run is a bank of
solid bloom; and among the cedar
scrubs still shoulders the last of the
azaiea. 1t is a transformation indeed.
one that no familiarity can ever strip
OF Its semblance of miracle.
The morning after the pow-wowing
at Roaring Run broke free-skied and
smokeless. BY midday there was no
trace of the storm. The Mountains lay
soft and warm in the spring sun. I'm
der Its radiance the azalea shot up it's
radiance until 1t dominated ridge
ana bottom and gap. Along the trough
OF Plum Run where It flowers in great
EST nrn3yIS{nn ff rr11o| y, ~ -
flame, and ever among it ard around
u, like a deliberate contrast, glistened
the stars of the dogwood. AS Tom
Farthing stood on the crest of R~accoon
ridge 1t seemed to him as If the noun
tains were In gala dress: green and
spanglings of white.
he was hot and restless. He had
struck up into the ridges after the
sunday d1nner In sheer unrest. On and
on he had tramped without aim or
tnought. A mass of color in the sharp
oa tne ' caught his and automati-
cally ne turned toward it. At one place
In an angle of the rocks the efflores-
cence seemed to culmfnate. 1t was like
q huge centerpiece or a single giant
blossom. 1t cooled and rested him. He
STOOD wondering a moment, drinking
IN the sweet reek of It, then sat down
IN the middle Of the plot. his back
against the sandstone. All was still
save for the drone of the stream near
by and the voice of a warbler in the
heart of the tangle.
unconsciously. for the thousandth
1ane, ne to go over the prob
mad become Of her? Why had she
left him 500 What was the mys-
terry OF it all? The brook pnrled
h bird sang over and over
It's simple note, and his thoughts be-
came ever more vague and more vague.
He awoke with a start. He was con
scious of some sharp. sudden noise
close by him. but all was silent when
opened his eyes. He was strangely
Everything seemed changed:
the sun was lower: the shadows had
sniIIed greatly; there was a different
light In the atmosphere. A vague i'm
preston Of some presence close at hand
caused him to turn his head.
Why. Iona" he cried In startled
voice, 'fs It you? Is 1t really you?"
She did not nswer For a moment
2 stood as on that first evening by
the brookside. when he had come sud-
denly upon her. II he moved she
would vanish.
But how came you way up here ~
He did not wait for her to answer; he
made q swift bound through the azalea
and stood beside her. Did you know
was here? Did you?"
mo"
Then It's an accident? You just hap
pened to Gomez
Yes"
You Were walking and saw this
bunch OF h~oneysuckle? Is that why?p
Yes. ! must go now she turned
abruptly In the direction Of Heller's
Ridge, n began almost to run
through the tangle.
Iona. don't he pleaded. Why do
you go. Lona?" She made no answer,
but bounded up the rocks;
stop. 1t was as If she were afraid OF
him. She cast a swift glance back
and Quickened her pace He was gain
ing on her. At the summit She
stopped abruptly and faced him.
Well rest a minute here, she
announced decisively. perching herseli
on q rock.
Teli me. Iona. what the matter is
Why DO you always run from me:
Tell me. Iona" He came close to her
and looked up into her face.
comfortable seat there.
She pointed to a rock opposite hers
AZ he turned he noted that she was
pale. and that there were flushed spots
In her cheeks.
You are not well, Iona. Tell me,
what ~ y He did % take the seat
hut came nearSSto her again.
It's nothing. she said absently. She
was looking far out over the VALLEY
which lay bathed In the evening LIGHT
The sun was Just on the horizon. The
lstiItness of the Sabbath fay
like e spell. From the far away farm
houses roads there arose no sound
saxe tne laint pe-pe-pe-pe" Of q WON
monotone OF the Run purring with soft
throat. x q kitten half asleep by til
Emother. A breath of the hot clover
neids sQ4faint as to be only half per-