Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-07-08
CHAPTER XII.-(Continued.)

the mountain. His mother was sitting
ND. 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 his
charge in South Tredegar. With no
particular destination in view, it was
only natural that his feet should find
the 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 it,
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,
for reasons which he would have found
it 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 barrel-spring 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-tr tropical growth hav-
ing had two full seasons in which to
change the natural aspect Of things
he was half beWildered with the I'M
Wonted look of the place. But there
was no doubt about it; it was Nan i'll
the flesh, a little fuller in the figure,
something less childish in the face,
but with all the fascinating, wild-crea-
ture beauty of the child-t time promise
to dazzle the eye and breed riot in the
brain Of the boy-man.
Did you know l was coming? Were
you waiting for me, Man," he dubbed,
gazing into the great black eyes as ca
gerly as a 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,
meaningly Il came home-for good
nearly three weeks ago. My mother
has been sick. Didn't you hear of it ?"
She shook her head gravely.
Say, Nan; l hope you haven't got to
hurry home" he interposed, when she
stopped to lift the overlooking bucket.
Il 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 a good deal of the time. 1 be-
Iieve l could muddy Sim Cantrelrs back
for him now, at arm-holts."
Where's your preachers coat, Tom
Jeff? | 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 1 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 fiat
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-
ousIy on a 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 footing in the new order.
"They-all up yonder in that school
where you was at haint got much
sense, it looks like to me-" was her
comment. You're a 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 graduation. That's what
/ like in you. You asked me a little
while back if I was a man or a boy; l
believe you could make a man of me,
Nan, if you'd try"
If you'd said that two year ago."
she began, in half-whisper that melt
ed the marrow in his bones. But you
was On'y boy then; and now reckon
It's too late"
"Yeu mean that you don't care for
ME any more, Nan? 1 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 a woodpecker mingled with q
Eustling of some small animal scurry-
ing back and forth over the dead
leaves. The girl leaned forward, lis
tening intently. Then three men ap-
peared in the farther crooking of the
spring path. and at the first glimpse
Of them she slipped from the fiat stone
10 cover behind Tom, trembling, shak-
ing with terror.
Hide me, Tom-Jeff! oh, hide me.
quick" she painted. "Lookee there!"
He looked and saw the three men
walking slowly up the pipeline which
Grained the thanksgiving. They were
too far away to be recognizable to him,
and since they were stopping ,momen-
'arlly to examine the pipe, there was
good hope of an escape unseen.
Tom waited GREATNESS for the pro-
ptious instant when the tapping of the
Fpe-men's hammers should drown the
noise of a dash for effacenent. When
i came, he flung himself backward,
whipped Nan over his head and out of
the line OF sight as If she had been
jeather-hght, and rolled swiftly after
her. Before she could rise he had pick
eG her up and was dragging her to the
EE,mhInN he lin Of the