Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-01-06

| and across and across the creek, doub-
ling and circling until the easy mile
was spun out into three uncommonly
| difficult ones. But at bottom the mo-
| tive was purely wicked In all the
range of sentient creatures there is
| none so 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-
| termlned 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. Como on
we're 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
merchandising. But it softened him
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 a log, some
where"
There was foot log just around the
next bend above, as he very we'll 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 so first" he directed; so t
can catch you If you slip"
oh, you please go first so I won't
j have to LOOK down at the water!"
mo; Pm coming behind-then I can
catch you If you get dizzy and go to
fall he said, stubbornly.
viii you walk right up close, SO
can know you are there?"
Thomas Jefferson's smile was cruelty
misleading, as were his words. "All
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 so tigerishly
delightful as 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 a 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; 1t 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 a 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 plunEins 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 missr' BILE time of II
| after I get home"
1T will serve you quite right Now
you'd better get me home as quick as
| ever you can. I expect I'll be sick
again, after this"
He held his peace and walked her as
fast as he could across the fields and
out on the pike. But at the Dabney
gates he paused. 1t was not In human
| courage to face the Major under exist
ing conditions.
II reckon you'll 60 and tell your
gran'paw on me-" he said, hopelessly.
why should 1 not tell him? And I
never want to see you or hear of you
again. you cruel. hateful boy!"
Thomas Jefferson hung about the
gate 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 as he waded in the
| white dust OF the pike. For when one
drinks too deeply of the cup OF tyran-
ny the lees are apt to be like the little
book the Revelator ate-sweet as honey
in the mouth and bitter in the belly
That evening at the supper-table he
had one nsrvs-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 10 back In
bed again with a high fever. 1t seems
she was out playing with that great
dog Of hers and fell into the creek.
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 he
was the one who had tempted Provi-
dencs.
CHAPTER VII
From the grave and thoughtful van