The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-06-30
CHAPTER VI


tunn. Thomas Jefferson was fishing
luxuriously in the most distant OF the
upper pools. There were three tat
perch gill-strung on a forked withe un-
der the overhanging bank, and fourth
was rising TO the bait, yhen the peace
ful stiffness was rudely rent by
crashing In the underground. and a
great dog, OF a breed hitherto unknown
to Paradise. bounded into the little
glade TO stand gIaring at the fisherman.
his teeth barred and his black hairs
bristling.
-Oh. please, Don't hurt my dog."
said a rather weak little voice out IF
tho rearward void.
You come round here and call him
off O. me-"
HE is not wishing to hurt you, or
anybody" said the voice. Down, Hec-
tori"
The Great Dane passed from sus-
picious rigidity and threatening lip
twitchings to mighty and frivolous
gambolings, and Thomas Jefferson got
up to give him room. A girl was try
ing to make the dog behave. So he
had a chance to look her over before
the battle for sovereignty should be-
gin.
There was a little shock of disdain-
ful surprise to so with the first glance
Somehow he had been expecting some
thing very different; something on the
order OF the Queen of Sheba-done
small. OF course-as that parsonage
was pictured in the family Bible-a
girl. proud and scornful. and possibly
wearing a silk dress and satin shoes.
rola
baby In orier-torn frock; girl
whose bones showed brazenly at every
angle. and whose only claim to Sec
Dnd glance lay in her thick mop OF
reddish brown hair and in a pair OF
great. slate-blue eyes two sizes 100
large for the thin face. A double con-
clusion came and sat in Thomas Jel-
Persons mind: she was rather to be
contemporary pitied than feared;
and as for looks-well. she was not to
be thought OF in the same day with
black-eyed Nan Bryerson. When the
dog was reduced to quietude. the small
one repaid Thomas Jefferson's stare
with level gaze out Of the diversified
eyes.
WAS it that you were afraid of
Hector" she asked.
HUH" said Thomas Jefferson. and
the scorn was partly for her queer way
OF speaking and partly for the foolish
ness OF the question. Huh! i reckon
you don't know who 1 am. I'd have
killed your dog if he'd jumped on me.
maybe"
You are Thomas Gordon. Your
mother took care Of me and prayed
for me when I was sick. Hector is
an extremely good dog He. would
not jump at YOU"
TITS mighty lucky for him he didn't. "
Dragged Thomas Jefferson, with very
creditable imitation of his fathers
grim frown. Then he sat down on the
bank OF the stream and busted himself
with his fshing-tack as if he consid-
cred the incident closed.
What is 1t that you are trying to
dor asked Ardea, when the silence
had extended to the third worm i'm
paled on the hook and promptly alb
stracted therefrom by q willy sucker
lying at the bottom of the pool.
II was fishin' some before you and
your dog came along and scared all
the perch away" he said. sourly. Then,
turning suddenly on her: why don't
you go ahead and say it? Is it cause
you're afeard to-"
1T don't know what you mean"
Il know what you're going to say;
you are going to tell me this is your
grandfather's land and run me off. But
! amt amin TO go till I'm good and
ready"
You are sucn a funny boy" she re-
marked. and there was something in
h,r Of rfr,e IoF f7o
as Jefferson feel little and infantile
and inferior, though he was sure there
must be an immense age difference n
meant" she sobbed. with an angry
stamp Of her foot Il want to Sc
ho-ome."
We'll. reckon there amt anybody
holdin' you." said Thomas Jefferson
brutality. He was intent on fixing the
sixth worm on the hook in such fash
ion as permanently TO discourage the
bait thief. and was coming to his owr
In the matter OF possession will
grateful facility. 1t was going to b,
notably easy to bully her-anothel
point of difference between her ant
Nan Bryerson-
II know there isn't anybody holdine
me, but-but 1 can't find the way"
You want me to show your" h,
asked, putting all the ungraciousnes,
he could muster into the query.
You might tell me. I should think
rye walked and walked"
Il reckon I'd better take you; yol
might get lost again." he said, will
gloomy sarcasm. Then he consumed
AL the time he could for the method.
cal disposal of his fishing tackle. L
would be good for her to learn tina
abe must wait on his motions.
She waited patiently, sitting on I'll.
ground with one arm around the neci
Of the Great Dane; and when Thoma.
Jefferson stole a glance at her to Sc,
how she was taking it. she looked $.
tired and thin and woebegone that h,
almost let the better part Of him ge
the upper hand. That made him sur
her than ever when he finally recoY
cred his string of fish from the strear
and said: We'll. come on. If your
comm"
He told himself. hypocritically, tina
IT was only to show her what hard
ships she would have to face II sh
should try to tag him, that he dragged
her such a weary round over the hill
BnQ l1llOOSh the WORST Dr1er patcnc
and across and across the creek. doul,
ling and circling until the easy mil,
was spun out into three uncommon,
difficult ones. But at bottom the mo
tive was purely wicked. In all tn,
range OF sentieilt creatures there /.
none so innately and barbarously crue
as the human boy-child; and this wa!
the first time Thomas Jefferson ha,
ever had helplessly pliable subject
The better she kept up. the more de
termined he became to break he
down; but at tn very last, when sh
stumbled and fell in an old leaf be-
and cried for sheer WEAKNESS. he re
Tented enough to say: Il reckon you1
know better than to go projectin' roun
IN the woods the next time. Come on
were most there. now"
But Ardea's troubles were not yet a
an end. She stopped crying and go
up to follow him blindly over NOR
hills and through other brier tangles
and when they finally emerged in til
cleared lands, they were still on tn
wrong side of the creek.
It's only about up to your chin