Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-08-12

MS Wdlhlng nome. Ordinarily he struck
work when the furnace whistle blew.
rld1ng nome with his father behind old
Longfeliow; but on this particular
evening Kinderling, the architect, miss
ed his South Tredegar train, and Tom
spent an extra hour with him, discuss
ing further and future possibilities of
expansion. Kinderling got away on
later train, and Tom closed his Office
ana TOOK the long mile up the pike
aIoot IN the dusk of the autumn even
ing, thinking pointedly of many things
Mechanical and industrial. and never
by any chance forereachin to the
epoch marking event that was await
ing him at the Woodlawn gate.
lis hand vas upoa the latch of the
Ornamental side Wicket opening On the
home foot-path when a woman,
crouching in the shadow of the great
gate pillar, rose suddenly and stood
before him. He did not recognize her
at first; it was nearly dark, and her
head was snooded in a shawl Then
she spoke, and he saw that it was Nan
cy Bryerson-a Nan sadly and terri
bly, changed, but must much of the
wild-creature of face and form still
remaining.
You done forgot me, Toni 2" she
asked; and than, at his start of recog-
milton: Il allow I have changed some"
Surely I haven't forgotten you, Nan.
But you took me by surprise; and
can't see in the dark any better than
most people. What are you doing down
here in the valley SO late in the even
ing?" He tried to say it superiority,
paternally, as an older man might have
said it
you allow it amt fittin' for me to be
out alone after night?" she, with
hard little laugh. Il reckon it amt go
in to hurt me none; anyways, l had 20
come. Paws been red-eyed for a week,
and he's huntin' for you, Tom Jeff"
Hunting for me? Well, I'm not very
hard to find" he said, unconsciously re-
peating the answer he had made to the
horse-trader's warning.
Couldn't you make out to go off
somewheres for little spen?" she
asked, -pleadingly.
Run away. you mean? Hardly; I'm
too busy just at present. Besides, I
haven't any quarrel with your father
what's he making trouble about now?'
She put her face in her hands, and
that sobs were shaking her. Being nei-
Their more nor less than a man, her
tears made him foolish. He put his
arm around her and tried to find the
comforting word.
How Ardea and Miss Euphrasia. eo-
ing the roundabout way from one house
to the other to avoid the dew-wet era ss
Of the lawns, came fairly within arms
reach before he saw or heard them. re.
manned d thing inexplicable. But when
he looked up they were there, Miss Eu-
phrasia Strengthening herself aloof in
virtuous disapproval, and Ardea look
ing as If some one had suddenly shown
her the head of Medusa.
Tom separated himself from Nan In
hot-hearted confusion and stood az q
cuIprit taken in the act. Nan hid her
face again and turned away. 1t was
Miss Dabney the younger who found
words to break the smarting silence.
Don't mind us, Mr.. Gordon" she
said, ici1y. I'VE, were going to Wood
lawn to see If your father and mother
could come over after dinner"
Tom smote himself alive and made
haste to open the foot-path gate for
them. There was nothing more said
or to be said; but when they were
gone and he was once more alone with
Nan, he was fighting desperately with
a very manlike desire to smash some
thing; to relieve the wrathfuI pressure
by hurting somebody.
you were going to tell me about
YOUR father" he said, striving to hold
the interruption as If it had not been
and yet tingling in every nerve to he
free. did you come all the way down
the mountain to warn me?"
II had to come anyway. He run me
out, paw did"
"Heavens!" calculated Tom, prick
ling now with a new sensation. And
YOU haven't any place to stay?"
She shook her head.
mo. was alloWin' maybe your
paw'd let me sleep where you-uns keep
the hawsses-jest for a little spell till
T could make out what-all I'm goirl' to
do"
He was too rageful to be quite clear
sighted. Yet he conceived that he had
a duty laid on him. Once in the fool
ish. infatuated long-ago he had told
her he would take care of her; he re-
membered 1T; doubtless she was re-
membering it. too. But her suggestion
was not TO De COnSlOeT0u IOr mo-
ment
II can't let you go to the stables" he
objected. THE horse-boys sleep there
But I'll put a roof over you, some way.
Wait here a minute till come back"
His thought was to go to his mother
and ask her help; but halfway to the
house his courage failed him. Since
the breach in spiritual confidence he
had been better able to see the lovab1e
side of, his mothers faith; but he could
not be blind to that quality of hardness
in it which, even in such chastened
souls as Martha Gordon's. finds express
sion In womans inhumanity to woman.
Besides, Ardea and her cousin were
still In the way.
He swung on his heel undecided. On
the hillside back of the new foundry
there was a one-roomed cabin built on
the Gordon land years before by her.
nit Waterman OF the Chiawassee plant.
Tt was vacant, and Tom remembered
that the few bits of furniture had not
heen removed when the old watchman