Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1910-10-21

Gaining ana was mluucO " prCAh AWAY
and be a skilled craftsman, like his
father. Now he was aghast to think
that he had ever been 80 near the brink
of apostasy. With the river Of the
Water of Life springing crystal clear
at his feet. should he turn away and
drink from the bitter pools in the will
derness of this world? With prophet
ic eve he saw himself as another Boan-
erges, lifting, with all the Inspiring
eloquence Of the son OF thunder, the
Baptist's soul shaking cry, Repent we:
for the kingdom of heaven Is at hand!
The thought thrilled him, and the
| fierce glow Of enthusiasm became an
intoxicating ecstasy. The tinkling drip
of falling water broke into the MONDAY
| silence of the forest like the low-voiced
| call of a sacred bell. For the first time
| since leaving the mountain top he took
note of his surroundings. He was
standing beside the great. cubical boul-
der under the cedars-the high altar in
natures mountain tabernacle.
Thomas Jefferson had the deep peace
Of the fully committed when he rose
from his knees and went to drink at
the spoutins rock lip. II was decided
now, his thing he had been holding
half-heartedly in allegiance. There
would be no more dallying with temp
tation. no more rebellion, no more IT.
reverent stumblings In the dark valley
of doubtful questions. More especially,
he would be yigilant to guard against
those backslidings that came so swiftly
on the heels Of each spiritual quicken
ing. His heart was fixed, so
bly,, SO surely, that he could almost
wish that Satan would try him there
and then. But the enemy OF soul was
nowhere to be seen in the leafy arches
of the wood, and Tom bent again TO
take a second draft at the spouting
rock lip.
He was bending over the sunken bar
rel A shadow, not his own, blurred the
water mirror. He looked up quickly.
Mani" he cried.
She was standing on the opposite
side of the barrel basin, looking down
on him with good-natured mockery In
the dark eyes.
Il lowed maybe you wouldn't have
t such a back load of religion after you'd
; been of to the school a SPELL" she said,
pointedly. And then: Does 1t always
make you right dry an thirsty to say
5 your prayers, Tommy-Jeffy."
= Tom sat back on his heels and re-
garded her thoughtfully. His first I'M
pulse was out of the natural heart,
rageful, wounded vanity squirting 1t on
4 1t was like her heathenism imperti-
. nence to look on at such a time, and
then to taunt him about it afterward
I But slowly as he looked a curious
. change came over him. She was thu
same Nan Bryerson, bareheaded, bare
o legged, with the same tousled mat o.
9 dark hair, Ind the same childish In
: difference to a whole frock. And We
she was not the same. The subtle diff
v ference, whatever 1t was, made him ge
up and offer to shake hands with her
: and he thought 1t was the newly mad
vows constraining him, and took cred
1t therefor.
= You can revile me as much as yol
u like now, Man," he said, with pridefu
h humility. "You can't make me ma,
It any more, like you used to. I'm olde
e now. and-and better. 1 hope. I shal
70 never forget that you have a preciou
soul to save"
It Her response to this was a scoffin
a laugh, shrill and challenging. Yet h
IL could not help thinking that it mad
e her look prettier than before.
J. You can laugh as much as you war
10 to; but / mean It," he insisted. AN
y besides, Nan-of all the things tina
l. I've been wanting to come back Il
= you're the only one that isn't changed.
II And again he thought 1t was righteou
10 guile that was making him kind to he
re Dye reckon you shorely mean tina
he Tom Gordon? 2" she said; and the Liz
re which lent themselves SO easily I
scorn were tremulous. She was ju:
y his age, n w~omanhood was only
Of step across the threshold for her.
ID "Of course I do. Let me carry you
W bucket for you"
Se She had hung the little wooden pie
W gin under the drip of the spring an
y, it was full and running over. BIZ
Id when he had lifted 1t out for her, 81
m rinsed and emptied 1t.
on II Just set it there to COO some," 81
So explained. I'm goin' up to Sunda
SIX Rock afte' huckleberries. Come ar
go long with me-, Tom."
He assented with a willingness {
ea eager as it was unaccountable. If 81
r. had asked him to do a much less re;
no sonable thing, he was not sure that
e. could have refused.
And as they went together throut
the wood, spicy with the June FRI
" grances, questions like those of Il
NJ boyhood time thronged on him, and
welcomed them as a return of at lea
one of the vanished thrills-and w
grateful to her.
no. When they were fairly under 4
H. o%verhanging cliff face of Sunday Roc
no she darted away, laughing at him ov
Try her snouioer' anu uaiLhs nm, " i oo
fly her afohg d olNAy Shei hail,way
an the cras' haiio" 'euse' peihouS !
he a mountain goat.
he This, as he remembered later, W
the turning point in her mood. In ir
ant aginAtion he saw her try 1t and ia
,.s saw her 1.-the, shapely beauty lyi