The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-10-28
en-. eating their supper. 50 Ne - aAle
to 10 ana come ,,ndafactaA

ca. eating their supper. 50 he - aAle
% 20 and come undetected.
When he drove down to the cate he
round Nan waiting where he had left
ner; but now she had bundle Ia her
arms ~ ne rot out to swing the
driveway grille. the house door opened:
hood Of light from the han lamp
banded the lawn. and there were voices
ana footsteps on the veranda- He faunx
nervous glance over his shoulder: Ar
lea and her cousin were returning
Town the foot path. Wherefore he
made haste, meaning not to be caught
again. II he could help It. But the fates
were against him. Longfellow, snatch
ed ruthlessly from his half emptied oat
box. made equine protest. yawing and
veering and earning himself Z savage
cut Of the whip before he consented to
place the buggy at the stone mounting
step.
Quick" said Tom. Ringing the reins
on the dashboard. Chuck your bun
die under the seat and climb in!.
But Nan was provokingly slow, and
when she tried to get In with the bum
die still In her arms. the buggy
hood was in the way. Tom had to help
her, was in the act Of lifting her to the
step, when the wicket latch clicked and
Ardea and Miss Euphrasia came out.
They passed on without comment, but
Tom could feel the electric shock OF
righteous scorn through the back Of his
head. That was why he drove half
way to the lower end Of the pike before
he turned on Nan to say:
What's In that bundle you're 30
careful Of? Why don't you put it un-
der the seat?"
Il reckon you wouldn't want me -
do that, Tom-Jeff." she answered. sim
ply. Hits my baby-my little Tom"
He was struck dumb. It often hap
pens that in the fiercest storm Of gos-
sip the one most nearly concerned goes
his way without so much as suspect
ing that the sun Is hidden. But Tom
had not been exposed to the violence
Of the storm. Mans shame was old,
and the gossip tongues had wagged
themselves weary two years before,
when the child was born. SO Tom was
quite free to think only Of his compan-
lon. A great anger rose and swelled
In his heart. What scoundrel had
taken advantage Of an ignorance SO
profound as to be the blood sister Of
innocence? He would have given much
q manly soul made him hold his peace.
Thus 1t befell that they drove In si-
lence to the deserted cabin on the hill
side; and Tom went down to the foun-
dry ONCE and brought lamp for light
The cabin was mere shelter: but
when he would have made excuses,
Nan stopped him.
Hits a. good a. I been usen to, a.
you know mighty we'll Tom-Je6. on'y
wisht-"
He was on his knees at the hearth,
kindling q IRE. and ne looked up to
see why she did not finish She was
sitting on the edge Of the old watch
mans rude bed bowed low over the
sleeping child. and again sobs were
shaking her like an ague at There
was something heartrending In this 81
lent. wordless anguish: but there was
nothing to be said. and Tom went IN
making the IRE. After little she sat
M and continued monotonously:
HE was liken to me thataway. too;
the Man at heard your Uncle silas
tellin' about one night when I sot On
the doorstep at Little Zoar-Hs hadn't
no place to lay His'n head: not 90
much as the red foxes r the birds
and hain't"
The blaze was racing up the chin
ney now with q cheerful roar. and Tom
rose to his feet. every good emotion in
him stirring to it, awakening.
such az It II, Nan. this place ID
yours. for as long as you want to stay
he said, soberly. And then: You
straighten things around here to suit
you. and I'll be back in little WHILE
He was gone less than half an hour,
but In that shore interval he lighted
another fire: q blaze Of curiosity and
comment to tingle the ears and loosen
the tongues Of the circle Of loungers In
Hargis' store In Gordonia. He ignored
the stove hugging contingent pointedly
while he was giving his curt orders to
the storekeeper: and the contingent
avenged itself when he was out OF
hearing.
.-Te-hee!" chuckled Simeon Cantrell
the elder, pursuing his lips around the
stem of his corn-cot pipe: ''looks like
Tom-Jeff was goin' to house keepin'
RICH. late In the evenin'."
"By gol. / wonder what's doin'?" sad
another. Reckon he's done TUX up
with Nan Bryerson. afte' all's been said
an done7"
fTo no continual