Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1910-10-28
FRANCIS LYNDE
CHAPTER IX.-(Continued.)

shower some; and paw IL kill me If l
amt home time to get his supper"
Here was an end of the playtime, and
Tom helped industriously with the ber-
ry-picking, wondering the while why
she kept her face turned from him, and
why his brain was in such a turmoil,
and why his hands shook so If they
happened to touch hers in reaching for
the piggin.
But this new mood of hers was more
u~napproachable than the other; and it
was not until the piggin was filled, and
they had begun to retrace their steps
together through the fragrant wood,
that she let him see her eyes again.
and told hin soberly of her troubles:
how she was Is and could neither read
nor write; how the workmen's children
in Gordonia hooted at her and called
her a mountain cracker when she went
down 10 buy meal or TO fl the molas-
ses jug; and, lastly, how, since her
mother had died, her father had work.
ed little and drunk much, till at times
there was nothing to eat save the po-
tatoes she raised in the little patch
back of the cabin, and the berries she
picked on the mountain side.
Il hain't never told anybody afore.
and you mustn't tell, Tom. But times
I'm scared paw IL up and kill me when
when he amt feelin' just right. He's
some good to me when he amt red
eyed; but that amt very often,
days."
Toms heart swelled within him; and
this time 1t was not the heart of the
Pharisee. There is no lure known to
the man part of the race that is half
so potent as the tale of a woman in
trouble.
"Does-does he beat you, Nan?" he
asked; and there was wrathful horror
in his voice.
For answer she bent her head and
parted the thick black locks over a
long seal.
That's where he give me one with
the skillet, a year come Christmas
And t~his"-opening her frock to show
him a black-and-blue bruise on hel
breast-'it what l got only day aforf
yesterday"
Tom was burning with Indignant
compassion, and bursting because he
could think of no adequate way of ex'
pressing it. In all his fifteen years M
one had ever leaned on his before, anc
the sense of protectorship over thi!
abused one budded and bloomed like {
juggler's rose.
Il wish 1 could take you home will
me-, Man," he said, simply.
mo, you don't" she said, firmly
your nanny would call me a littl,
heather, same as she used to; and
reckon that's what 1 AMI hain't hat
no chanst to be anything else. Ant
you're goin' to be a preacher, Tom"
Why did it rouse a dull anger in hi
heart to be thus reminded of his owl
scarce-cooled pledge made on his knee
under the shadowing cedars? He coul,
not tell; but the fac remained.
You hear ME, Nan; I'm going t
take care of you when I'm able. v
matter what happens, I'm going to TAX
care of you," was what he said; an
a low rumbling of thunder and a spat
tering of rain or the leaves punctuate
the promise.
She looked away and was silen'
Then, when the rain began to com
faster: Lets run, Tom. l don't min
gettin' wet; but you mustn't"
They reached the great rock shelter
ing the barrel spring before the Shove
broke in earnest, and Tom led the wa
to the right. Halfway up its souther
face the big boulder held a water-wor
cavity, round, and deeply followed, an
carpeted with cedar needles. ToI
climbed in first n " her a han
from the mouth of the little cavern
When she was up and in, there wa
room in the nest-like hollow, but nor
to spare. And on the instant the sun
mer shower shut down upon the mour
tain side and closed the a mouth a
with a thick curtain.
There was no speech in that little IL
terval of cloud Lowering and CLOUD
lifting. The boy tried for it, woul
have taken up the condolences whel
the storm coming had broken them of
but it was blankly impossible. All IL
curious thrills foregone seemed to Gu
inmate now in a single burning desir,
to have it rain for ever, that he migl
nestle there in the hollow of the grei
rock with Nan so close to him that J
could feel the warmth of her body ar
the quick beating Of her heart again
his arm.
Yet the sleeping conscience did n
stir. The moment of recognition w;
WltnnelQ even WHeH lHe ciouu Curtd
began to lift and he could see the lor
lashes dropped over the dark eyes, al
the flush in the brown cheek matchir
his own.
mani" he whispered, catching h
breath; "you're-you're the"
She slipped away from him befo
he could find the word, and a nome
later she was calling to him from b
low that the rain was over and 81
must hurry.
He walked beside her to the door
the miserable log shack under the Sc
ond, cliff, still strangely shaken, b
striving manfully to be himself agai
The ,naadsd nllip came when the mou