The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-08-19


tive was. purely wicked. In all the
range of sentient creatures there il
none 20 innately and barbarously cruel
as the human boy-child; and this was
the first time Thomas Jefferson had
ever had helplessly pliable subject.
The better she kept up. the more de-
termined he became to break her
down; but at tn very last, when she
stumbled and fell in an old leaf bed
and cried for sheer WEAKNESS, he re-
Tented enough to say: Il reckon you'll
know better than to go projectin' round
in the woods the next time. Come on
were most there, now"
But Ardea's troubles were not yet at
an end. She stopped crying and got
up to follow him blindly over more
hills and through other brier tangles;
and when they finally emerged in the
cleared lands, they were still on the
wrong side Of the creek.
It's only about up to your chin;
reckon you can wade it," asked Thorn
as Jefferson. in a sudden access Of
heart-hardening. But it softened him
a little to see her gather her torn frock
and stumble down to the waters edge
without word. and he added: Hold
on; maybe we can find log, some
where"
There was foot log just around the
next bend above, as he very well knew,
and thither he led the way The dog
made the crossing first. and stood wag-
ging his tail encouragingly on the bank
OF safety. Then Thomas Jefferson
passed his trembling victim out on the
log.
You go first" he directed: 80 t
can catch you II you slip"
"Oh. you please 90 first, 30 won't
have to look down at the water!"
mo; I'm coming behind-then can
catch you IL you get dizzy and go to
fall" he said. stubbornly.
will you walk right up close, 50
can know you are there?"
Thomas Jefferson's smile was cruelty
misleading, as were his words "Ail
you'll have to do will be to reach your
hand back and grab me-" he assured
her; and thereupon she began in inch
her way out over the swirling pool.
When he saw that she could by no
possibility turn to look back, Thomas
Jefferson deliberately sat down on the
bank to watch her. There had never
been anything in his life 30 tigerishly
delightful a. this game Of playing on
the feelings and fears OF the girl whose
coming had spoiled the solitudes.
For the first few feet Ardea went
steadily forward, keeping her eyes fixed
on the Great Dane sitting motionless
at the farther end OF the bridge Of peril.
Then. suddenly the dog grew impatient
and began to leap and bark like fool
ish puppy. 1t was too much for Ardea
to have her eye-anchor thus trans
formed into a dizzying whirlwind of
gray monsters. She reached backward
for the reassuring hand; it was not
there, and the next instant the hungry
pool rose up to engulf her.
In all his years Thomas Jefferson
had never had such stab as that
which an instantly awakened con-
science gave him when she slipped and
fell. Now he was her murderer. be-
yong any hope Of future mercies. For
a moment the horror Of 1t held him
vise-like. Then the sight Of the great
Dane plunging to the rescue freed him.
Good dog!" he screamed, diving
headlong from his own side Of the
pool; and between them Ardea was
dragged ashore, a limp little heap Of
saturation, conscious. but with her
teeth chattering and great, dark cir
cles around the big blue eyes.
I'm awfully sorry!" he stammered
IF you can't make out to forgive me,
I'm going to have a miserble time Of it
after get home"
.It will serve you quite right Now
you'd better get me home as quick as
ever you can. expect I'll be sick
again, after this"
He held his peace and walked her as
fast az he could across the fields and
out ON the pike. But at the Dabney
gates he paused. It was not in human
courage to face the Major under exist
ing conditions
II reckon youth 60 and tell your
9ran'paw on me-" he said. hopelessly.
.sWhy should not tell him? And
never want to see you or hear OF you
again, you cruel. hateful boy!"
Thomas Jefferson hung about the
rate while she went stumbling up the
driveway, leaving heavily on the great
dog. When she had safely reached the
house he went slowly homeward. wad-
ing in trouble even a. he waded in the
white dust Of the pike. For when one
drinks TOO deeply OF tine cup Ok lyTdu-
ny the lees are apt to be like the little
book the RevelatOr ate--sweet a. honey
In the mouth and bitter in the belly.
| That evening at the supper-table he
had one nsrve-racking fear dispelled
and another confirmed by his mothers
reply to = question put by his father.
Yes: the Major sent for me again
this afternoon. That child II back In
bed again with . high fever. It seems
she was out playing with that great
dog OF hers and fell into the creek. I
wanted to tell the Major he is just
tempting Providence, the way he makes
over her and INDUCES her, but / didn't
dare To-
And Thomas Jefferson knew that hA
was the one who had tempted Provi-
| denco.
CHAPTER VII.
From the grave and thoughtful van
tage- ground Of Is, Thomas Jefferson
could look back on the second illness OF
Ardea Dabney as the closing incident
i OF hfn chfldhOOd The ixd,,afrso /