Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-02-25

and hnd not come flying around this
amber eyed. flute voiced Sybilla.
SO she sang to him. and he quoted
to himself. "And thou beside me sing
ing In the wilderness.n She read to
him, and he fitted other words to the
melody of her voice. words he hoped
some time to hear from her lips. She
talked blithely or thoughtfully, as her
mood might be, and he answered In
like spirit, watching with lovers
eyes each changing expression.
The doctors had pronounced him
well, but he was loath to 20 into the
world again. He had n feeling that
in Its clang and clamor Sybilla Long
would prove to be what she had been
before he knew her--a dream too beau
teous TO come true.
There came day when the breath
of summer was hot over the red soil
and whitening manzanita blooms. The
watercress laden stream was too Ian
guild for laughter, but Fenton's heart
beat high with hope. He was wonder
ing how he should say Il, the world old
tale. for shy II he must within the
hour. Looking Mt her penslve face.
his mind, and his clear tenor broke
softly into the stiffness of the pine for
est. Sybilla looked up surprised. for
she had never heard him sing.
IT think OF you all the day long.
You run through the hours like n song.
Sometimes think II the world could SEQ
My golden dreams II would envy me.
Dearie. my dearie. nothings worth while
but dreams OF you,
And you can make every dream come
true.
Dearie, my dearie--
evil you, my dearie. make every
her eagerly, but she shrank away
from him. covering her face with
trembling hands. A tear splashed out
between her fingers.
His face clouded. "Why, little grill
he began, with troubled concern.
She uncovered her face and looked
at him wanly. He started at her ex-
preston.
"Did you ever hear Of Martha GIL.
len?" she asked.
His look was uncomprehending
Martha Gillen was the woman his
mother had for FIVE years been lmpor-
tuning him to marry.
YES" he said duly. "Why?"
"Fof many reasons l love her 40 I
would sister. One day she told me
that your mother wanted you to marry
her. but that you wouldn't even meet
her for fear you might be inveigled
into it. She laughed about 1t, but /
thought It an affront to her beauty and
goodness and wisdom. and prayed
for the chance to avenge her. 1t came
sooner than l expected learned
about your illness and where you
were. Dr. Jensen is my cousin, SO 1t
was easy enough to pose as a nurse,
and that's what I've been doing. Now
you despise me''
Fenton noted the quivering Of her
lips and said gently: 81 don't under
stand. You have been goodness itself
to me. You have
"Oh, don't you see the baseness of
me! / did 1t to make you love me-"
Sybilla's white face was crimson now.
II wanted you to love me and tell
me SO and ask me to marry you, and
then l was going to spurn you to the
ground, and so should Martha Gillen
be avenged" st
Fenton smiled. "How old are you,
little knight Grant. avenger of another
woman's wrongs? Not quite twenty2
thought so. Years ago l was not
quite twenty. and often did busy my
self turning gopher hill into a vesu-
vius splitting forth fire, smoke and
lava. sybilla. dear. why don't you
spurn mer
He held out his arms, and into them
crept fearful, very rosy, very win
some knight Grant. happily worsted
in her first combat.