The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-09-23
FRANCIS LYNDE
CHAPTER xII.-(Continued.)

CHAPTER XII.-(Continued)
It was on crisp morning in the sec I
Dnd week of January when the pro-
Ionged agony of suspense drove him to
the mountain. His mother was sitting
mp, and was rapidly recovering her
strength. His father had gone back TO
his work in the iron plant, and his I'M
Gle was preparing to return to MS
charge in South Tredegar. With no
particular destination in view, it was
only natural that his feet should find
che familiar path leading up to the
great boulder under the cedars. He
had not visited the rock of the spring
since the summer day when he and
Nan Bryerson had taken refuge from
the shower in the hollow heart of 1t.
nor had he seen Nan since their part
ing at the door of her fathers cabin
under the cliff. Rumor in Gordonia
had it that like Bryerson had been
hunted out by the revenue officers; and,
lor reasons which he would have found
1T difficult to declare in words, Tom
had been shy about making inquiries.
For this cause an apparition could
scarcely have startled him more than
did the sight of Nan filling her bucket
at the trickling barrelspring under the
cliff face of the great rock. He came
on her suddenly at the end of the long
climb up the wooded slopes at a mo-
ment when-semi-tropi growth hav-
ing had two full seasons in which to
change the natural aspect of things
he was half bewildered with the un-
wonted look of the place. But there
was no doubt about it; it was Nan i'll
the flesh, little fuller in the figure,
something less childish in the face,
but with all the fascinating, wild-crea-
fure beauty of the child-tim promise
TO dazzle the eye and breed riot in the
brain of the boy-man.
did you know was coming? Were
you waiting for me. Nan?" he dubbed,
gazing into the great black eyes as ca
gerly as freed dog plunges into the
first pool that offers.
How could 1 be KNOWN to it?" she
asked, taking him seriously, or appear
ing to. Il new knowed school let out
this time O. year."
It's let out for me, Man." he said,
Il came home-for good
three weeks ago. My mother
has been sick. Didn't you hear of it 2"
She shook her head graveIy.
Say. Nan; hope you haven't got to
hurry home" he interposed, when she
stopped to lift the overlooking bucket.
It want to talk to you-to tell you
something"
Air you man now, Tom-Jeff, or
.on'y boy like you used to be?" she
asked.
I'm big enough to be in my own
way good deal of the time. I be-
aieve 1 could muddy Sim CantreIl's back
for him now, at arm-holts"
Where's your preachers coat, Tom
JEFF? I was allowin you'd be wearin'
it mex time we met up"
Il reckon there isn't going to be any
preachers coat for me, Nan; that's
one of the things I want to talk to you
about. Let's go over yonder and sit
down in the SUM-"
The place he chose for her was a fat
stone half embedded in the up climb
ing slope beyond the great boulder.
She sat facing the path and the spring,
listening, while Tom, stretched luxuri-
ously on bed of dry leaves at her
feet, told her what had befallen; how
he had been turned out of Beersheba,
and what for; how, all the former
things having passed away, he was
torn and distracted in the struggle to
find a footing in the new order
They-all up yonder in that school
where you was at hain't got much
sense, it looks like to me-" was her
comment. you're man growed now.
Tom-Jeff, and if you want to play
cards or drink whisky, what-all bust
ness is 1t O. their'n?"
You stand by your friends right or
wrong, don't you, girl?" he said. in
sheerest self graduation That's what
i like in you. You asked me a little
while back If was man or a boy: I
believe you could make a man of me.
Nan. if you'd try"
IF you'd said that two year ago"
she began. in a half whisper that melt
ed the marrow in his bones. "But YOU
was on'y boy then; and now l reckon
ats too late"
you mean that you don't care for
me any more, Nan? know better
than that. You'd back me If I had
come up here to tell you that I'd killed
somebody. Wouldn't you, now?"
He waited overlong for his answer
There were sounds in the air: metal
lie tapping like the intermittent drum
ming OF woodpecker mingled with
rustling OF some small animal scurry-
ing back and forth over the dead
leaves. The girl leaned forward lis
fening intently. Then three men an
peared in the farther crooking OF the
spring path, and at the first elimnse
OF them she slipped from the fat stone
70 COVER behind Tom. trembling. shak-
ing with terror.
Hide me. Tom-Jen. oh. hide me
quick" she painted. 'Lookee there,.
He looked and saw the three men
walking slowly up the pipeline which
drained the barrel-spring. They were
too far away to be recognizable to him,
and since they were, stopping momen-
tarily to examine the pipe. there was
good hope OF an escape unseen.
Tom waited GREATNESS for the pro-
pitious instant when the tapping Of the
s pipe-men's hammers should drown the
noise OF q dash for eftacement When
II came. he flung himself backward,
NJ -