Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-06-24
CHAPTER Ix-fContinued.l

tin' them berries. It looks like it might
shower some; and paw II kill me If /
Ain't home time to get his supper"
Here was an end OF the playtime, and
Tom helped industriously with the ber-
cy-picking, wondering the while why
she kept her face turned from him, and
why his brain was In such turmoil,
snd why his hands shook so If they
aaDpened to touch hers in reaching for
The piggtn.
But this new mood of hers was more
qnapproac enable than the other; and 1t
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 him soberly Of her troubles:
how she was Is and could neither feadI
lor write; how the workmen's children
IN Gordonia hooted at her and called
aer a mountain cracker when she went
5own to buy meal or to fill the molas-
ses jug; and, lastly, how, since her
mother had died, her father had work
ID little and drunk much, till at times
there was nothing to eat save the 20
tatoes she raised in the little patch
back of the cabin, and the berries she
I hain't never told anybody afore,
md you mustn't tell, Tom. But times
I'm scared paw II 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, nova
days" -
Toms heart swelled within him; and
this time it was not the heart Of the
Pharisee. There is no lure known to
the man part of the race that is half
30 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 scar.
That's where he give me one with
the skillet, a year come Christmas.
And this"-opening her frock to show
him a ck-and- blue bruise on her
breast-'it what I got only day afore
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 no
one had ever leaned on his before, and
the sense of protectorship over this
abused one budded and bloomed like a
iuggIer's rose.
Il wish I could take you home with
me, Man," he said, simply.
mo, you don't" she said, firmly.
Your nanny would call me little
heather, same as she used to; and I
reckon that's what I am hain't had
no chanst to be anything else. And
you're goin' to be a preacher, Tom"
Why did it rouse a dull anger in his
heart to be thus reminded of his own
scarce-cooled pledge made on his knees
under the shadOWing cedars? He could
not tell; but the fact remained.
You hear me, Nan; I'm going to
take care of you when I'm able No
matter what happens, I'm going to take
care Of you" was what he said and
low rumbling of thunder and a spat-
tering Of rain on the leaves punctuated
the promise
She looked away and was silent.
Then, when the rain began to come
faster: Let's run, Tom. 1 don't mind
gettin' wet; but you mustn't"
They reached the great rock shelter
Ing the handspring before the shower
broke in earnest, and Tom led the way
to the right. Halfway up it's southern
face the big boulder held a water worn
cavity, round, and deeply followed, and
carDeted with cedar needles. Tom
climbed in first and gave her a hand
from the mouth of the little cavern
When she was up and in, there was
room in the nest-like hollow, but none
N AM ms Jo
mer shower shut down upon the noun
tain side and closed the cave mouth rs
with a thick curtain.
There was no speech in that little IL
terval of cloud-Iowering and cloud
lifting. The boy tried for it, would
have taken up the condolences where
The storm coming had broken them off;
out 1t was bIankly impossible. All the
curious thrills foregone seemed to cul-
inmate now in a single burning desire
to have it rain for ever, that he might
nestle there in the hollow of the great
rock with Nan so close to him that he
could feel the warmth of her body and
the quick beating of her heart against
MS arm.
Yet the sleeping conscience did not
stir. The moment of recognition was
NlIunelu even WIlSu Tie GlOuO Curtain
began to lift and he could see the long
ashes dropped over the dark eyes, and
The flush in the brown cheek matching
his own.
Mani" he whispered, catching his
breath; "you're-you're the"
She. slipped away from him before
ne could find the word, and a moment
alter she was calling to him from be-
ow that the rain was over and she
must hurry.
He walked beside her to the door of
The miserable log shack under the sec
ond cliff, still strangely shaken, but
striving manfully to be himself again.
The needed FLIP came when the noun
taineer staggered to the threshold In |
times past, Tom would quickly have
put distance between himself and Tiks
Bryerson in the squirrel-eyed stage 81
IntoXication. But now his promise to
Nan was behind him, and the Gordon
blood was to the fore.
1T was my fault that Nan stayed so
tong," ne said, bravely; and he was
Immensely relieved when Bryerson.
making quite sure OF his identity, De-
i&o1