The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-07-21
CHAPTER IX-(Continued.)

rom nelped lnduStriOuSly WITH lHS oCA
ry-picking, wondering the while why
she kept her face turned from him, anu
why his brain was in such turmoil
and why his hands shook so If they
happened to touch hers in reaching for
the piggin
But this new mood of hers was more
unapproachable than the other; and 1t
was not until the piggin was filed, and
they had begun to retrace their steps
together through the grant wood,
that she let him see her eyes again,
and told him soberly of her troubles:
how she was 10 and could neither read
nor write; how the workmens children
in GOrdonia hooted at her and called
her a mountain cracker when she went
down TO buy meal or to fill the molas-
ses jug; and. lastly. how. since her
mother had died, her father had work
ed little and drunk much. till at times
there was nothing to eat save the To-
tatoes she raised in the little patcn
back of the cabin. and the berries she
picked on the mountain side.
Il hain't never told anybody afore,
and You mustn't tell, Tom. But times
I'm scared paw II up and XIII me when
when he amt feelin' just right. He's
some good to me when he amt red
eyed; but that ART very often, nova
days"
Toms heart swelled within him; and
this time it was not the heart of the
Pharisee. There is no lure known to
the man part of the race that Is half
SO potent as the tale of a woman in
trouble.
''Does-does he beat you, NanT' he
asked; and there was wrathful horror
IN his voice.
For answer she bent her head and
parted the thick black locks over
long scar
That's where he give me one with
the skillet, year come Christmas
And this"-opening her frock to show
him a black-and- blue bruise on her
breast-"it what I got only day afore
yesterday"
Tom was burning with indignant
compassion, and bursting because he
could think of no adequate way of ex
pressing it In all his fifteen years no
one had ever leaned on his before. and
the sense OF protectorship over this
abused one budded and bloomed like
juggler's rose.
Il wish / could take you home with
me, Man," he said. simply.
mo. you don't" she said. firmly.
Your nanny would call me a little
heather. same as abe used to; and 1
reckon that's what / AMI hain't had
no chanst TO be anything else. And
you're goin' to be a preacher, Tom"
Why did 1t rouse a dull anger in his
heart to be thus reminded of his own
scarce-cooled pledge made on his knees
under the shadowing cedars? He could
not tell; but the fact remained.
You hear me, Nan; I'm going TO
take care of you when I'm able. 10
matter what happens. I'm going to take
care OF you," was what he said; and
a low rumbling of thunder and spat-.
tering Of rain on the leaves punctuatej
the promise.
She looked away and was silent
Then, when the rain began to come
faster: Let's PUN, Tom. don't mind
sottia' wet; but you mustn't
They reached the great rock shelter
Ing the rrel-spring before the shower
broke In earnest. and Tom led the way
to the right Halfway up it's southern
face the big boulder held a water-wor1
cavity. round. and deeply followed AMI
carpeted with cedar. needles. Tom
climbed In first and gave her hand
from the mouth of the little cavern.
When she was up and in, there was
room In the nest-like hollow, but none
to spare And on the instant the sum-
rner shower shut down upon the noun
tain side and closed the cave mouth 80
with a thick curtain.
There was no speech in that little IL.
terval of cloud-lowering and cloud
lifting The boy tried for IL, would
have taken up the condolences where
the storm coming had broken them off;
but fl was blanl<ly impossible. All the
curious thrills foregone seemed to cu.-
inmate now in a single burning desire:
to have it rain for ever. that he might
nestle there in the hollow Of the great
rock with Nan so close to him that he
could feel the warmth of her body and
the quick beating OF her heart against
his arm
Yet the sleeping conscience did not
stir. The moment OF recognition was
withheld even when tine cloud curtain
began to lift and he could see the long
Iashes dropped over the dark eyes, and
the flush in the brown cheek matching
his own
Mani" he whispered. catching his
breath; 'you're-you're the"
She slipped away from him before
he could find the word, and a moment
later she was calling to him from be-
low that the rain was over and she
must hurry
He walked beside her to the door of
the miserable log shack under the sec
ond cliff. still strangely shaken, but
striving manfully to be himself again.
The needed flip came when the noun
tainesr staggered to the threshold. In
times past. Tom would quickly have
out distance between himself and Tika
Bryerssn IN the squirrel-eyed stage of
Intoxication. But now his promise to
Nan was behind him, and the Gordon
blood was to the fore.
1T was my fault that Nan stayed so
tong" he said. bravely; and he was
Immensely relieved when Bryerson.
making quite sure of his identity. De-
came effusively hospitable.
"Cap'n Gordon's boy-f cou'se;
didn't make out to know We. I frs
Come avn In the house an SIT a spell;
come in. / sayi"
Again, for Mans sake, Tom could do
no less 1t was the final plunge The
boy was come Of abstinent stock, which
was possibly the reason why the smell
Of the raw corn liquor with which the
cabin reeked gripped him so fiercely.
Be that as II may. he could make but
a feeble resistance when the tipsy
mountaineer pressed him to drink; and
the slight barrier went down altogether
when he saw the appealing look in
Mans eyes. Straightway he OWNED
that there would be consequences for
her when he was gone if the maudIin
demon should be aroused in her father.
So he put the tin cup 60 his lips and
coughed and strangled over a single
swallow Of the fiery, nauseating stuff:
did this for the girls sake. and thea
rose and fed away from the mountain
with his heart ablaze and a fearful
clamor as of the judgment trumpet
sounding in his ears
The next morning he came hollow
eyed to his breakfast. and when the
chance offered. besought his father to
give him one Of the many boys jobs in
iron nIant drIriuy summer va