The Yale expositor., 1909-12-10


the character of the winters in this
region, spoke of the employments of
the village folk, then mentioned the
canoe-maker
Yes; he works the year round down
there on the Tippecanoe. He sells
his canoes all over the countryside
Hartridge, that's his name. You must
have seen his sign there by the cedar
hedge. They say he gets big prices
for his canoes"
II suppose he's native in these
parts?" ventured.
mo; but he's been here a good
while. / guess nobody knows where
he comes from-or cares. He works
pretty hard, but | guess he likes it,"
Hes an industrious man, is he?"
"Oh. he's steady worker; but he's
queer kind, too. Now, he never
votes and he never goes to church;
and for the sake of the argument,
neither do T"-and the old fellow
winked prodigiously. He's a mighty
odd man; but can't say that that's
against him. But he's quiet and peace
able, and now his daughter"
"Oh, he has a daughter?'
yes; and that's all he has, too;
and they never have any visitors. The
daughter just come home the other
day. and we amt hardly seen her yet.
She's been away at school,"
Il suppose Mr.. Hartridge is absent
sometimes; he doesn't live down there
all the time, does he?"
Il can't say that could prove il;
sometimes / don't see him for a
month or more; but his business is his
own, stranger" he concluded, point
edly.
You think that II Mr.. Hartridge
had visitor you'd know IT. | per
sis,.ed, though the shopkeeper grew
less ann.able.
well, now, ] might; and again !
mightn't Mr.. Partridge is a queer
man. l don't see him every day, and
in the winter l don't keep |
track of him.
With a little leading the storekeeper |
described Hartridge for me, and his |
description tailed exactly with the |
man who had caught me on the canoe.
makers premises the night before.
And yet, when / had thanked the |
and ridden on through the |
village, was as much befuddled as
n There was something decidedly |
W Truous in the idea that a man |
leche by all superficial signs, at |
no Wa, 'leman, should be estab-
asst gen. business of making ca
shed in this of lonely creek in |
hes by this sies the world. From
10 odd Corn er ~ !. Nunt, Hartridge |
e storelteep, ,r's SeeD = retreat fcr !
light be al5se, It fE6ni h. 1er.n IS.
ng pesiods; II he lG'ere l. t;s no.
ook and wishe, | to ann, 80 .aeer'
was not so 4 lr from tn. nelV
eek to the Conn ecticut town W. ese
SIS Pat lived Ag. ain, as to the daugn.
, just home froL I school and not
familiar to the ey 'es of the village,
might easily enOt 'gh be an inven,
TO hide the vista of Helen Hol- I
'ok. l found myseh trying to ac- I
INT for the fact that, D some means {
'rt OF the miraculous, Helen Hol-
OK mad played chess wi tn Miss Pat c
d. Agatha's at the very hour l had |
n ner with her father on the Tip, g
anoe. And then / was bafied s.
IN as | remembered that PaA II Stod- 81
mad sent the two women to St
ltnas, and that their destin alton
brook. sc
y thoughts wandered into man y M
abeys as / rode on. was tbon. lel
my dlsgusted with myself at find. WI
the loose ends of the Holbroolxs.
rs multiplying so rapidly. The COT
OF noon shone hot overhead and LOT
ed my horse into a road that Iad
sword by the eastern shore of the Ai
as l approached little country s sou
cn at the crown of a long hin ope
a crowd gathered in the highway anu
reined my horse to see what had 0u''
eneu' The congregation of farmers
lneir Families had just been dis I'm
'u' ana they were pressing abort cott
ing man who stood in the centar An
excited throng. Drawing closer feet,
ou W nnd my friend Gil soou
the center of attention. resu
u, my dear SIR" cried a tall mas
cd man whom took to be the G zen
ter OF this wayside flock won sam sns
In. So give us the privilege of direc
ing you! You cannot know what
leans to us, gift so munificent
ar beyond our dreams "Fs
'reat Gillespie looked hored again
MS head, and tried to force his "w
trough the encircling rustics. He I'll,
lad In a Norfolk jacket and came
rockers OF fantastic plaid, with
to match. On.
Jung tanner, noting my curiosity PETIT
avy with great news, whispered 1877,
I boy In short pants put 81 600 Emit
the collection basket. All IN causes
y They thought It was a mis-. crowd
Ut ne told our preacher II was know
cro BE coNTINuED)