Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-03-17
en-. eating their supper, SO he vas able

en-, eating their supper SO he wNs able
to go and come undecided.
When he drove down to the gate he
found Nan waiting where he had left
her; but now she had bundle In her
arms. AS he got out to swing the
driveway grille, the house door opened;
flood of light from the hall lamp
banded the lawn. and there were voices
and footsteps on the veranda He flung
nervous glance over his shoulder; Ar
dea and her cousin were returning
down the foot-path. Wherefore he
made haste, meaning not to be caught
again, If he could help 1t. But the fates
were against him. Longfellow, snatch
ed ruthlessly from his half emptied oat
box, made equine protest. yawing and
veering and earning himself a savage
cut of the whip before he consented to
place the buggy at the stone mounting
step.
Quick" said Tom, fiinging the reins
on the dashboard. Chuck your bum
die under the seat and climb in!"
But Nan was provokingly slow, and
when she tried to get in with the bun
die still in her arms, the buggy
hood was in the way. Tom had to help
her, was in the act of lifting her to the
step, when the wicket latch clicked and
Ardea and Miss Euphrasia came out.
| They passed on without comment, but
| Tom could feel the electric shock of
| righteous scorn through the back of his
head. That was why he drove half
yyo RI tho ne a r,ilra hafnro
| he turned on Nan to say:
Whats in that bundle you're so
careful of? Why don't you put 1t I'M
der the seat?"
Il reckon you wouldn't want me TO
| do that, Tom jeff" she answered. SIM
ply. Hits my baby-my little Tom"
He was struck dumb. It often hap
pens that in the fiercest storm of gos-
| sip the one most nearly concerned goes
! his way without so much as suspect
| ing that the sun is hidden. But Tom
| had not been exposed to the violence
| of the storm. Mans shame was old,
| and the gossip tongues had wagged
| themselves weary two years before.
| when the child was born. So Tom was
quite free to think only of his compan-
| ion. A great anger rose and swelled
1 Ala Ills ucdIl w lldt 5COuuQISl udu
| taken advantage of an ignorance so
| profound as to be the blood sister of
| innocence? He would have given much
| to know; and yet the true delicacy of
| a manly soul made him hold his peace.
Thus 1t befell that they drove In ST.
| lence to the deserted cabin on the hill
side; and Tom went down to the foun-
dry office and brought a lamp for light.
The cabin was a mere shelter; but
| when he would have made excuses,
Nan stopped him.
Hits as good as been usen to, as
you know mighty well, Tom-Jeff. only
| wisht-"
| He was on his knees at the hearth.
| kindling a fire, and he looked up to
see why she did not finish She was
| sitting on the edge of the old watch
| mans rude bed bowed low over the
| sleeping child, aAd again sobs were
| shaking her like an ague fit There
| was something heartrending in this 81
| lent, wordless anguish; but there was
nothing to be said, and Tom went IN
| making the fire. After little she sat
up and continued monotonously:
"He was liken to me thataway, too:
| the Man at I heard your Uncle Silas
/ LGllln ABOUT OIlc night WIcH / sol on
| the doorstep at Little Zoar-He hadn't
no place to lay His'n head; not SO
| much as the red foxes r the birds
and hain't."
The blaze was racing up the Chin
| ney now with a cheerful roar and Tom
rose to his feet, every good emotion in
| him stirring to its awakening.
| such as 1t Is, Nan. this place Is
| yours, for as long as you want to stay
| he said, soberly. And then: you
straighten things around here to suit
you, and I'll be back in a little WHILE
He was gone less than half an horr,
| but in that shore interval he lighted
| another fire: a blaze of curiosity and
comment to tingle the ears and loosen
| the tongues of the circle of loungers in
| Hargis' store In Gordonia. He ignored
| the stove hugging contingent pointedly
while he was giving his curt orders to
| the storekeeper; and the contingent
avenged itself when he was out OF
| hearing
| "Te-heel" chuckled Simeon Cantrell
| the elder, pursuing his lips around the
| stem of his corn-cob pipe; looks like
| Tom-Jeff was goin' to house-keepin
RICH. late in the evenin'."
by gol wonder what's doin'?" said
| another. Reckon he's done TUX up
| with Nan Bryerson. afte' alrs been said
| an done?"