Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-03-23


lie thought 1t little singular at the
time that Japheth gave him a curious
iooh ana mounted and rode away with
OUT answering his question. But the
puliulng activities were clamoring for
'iine and attention, and his father was
waning TO consult him about a run of
IRON lnat was not quite up to the pipe
making test requirements So he for
sol 1apheths half-accusing glance at
parting and the implied warning that
iau preceded it, until an incident at
the days end reminded him of both.
Inc incident turned on the fact of
MS walking home. Ordinarily he struck
work when the furnace whistle blew,
riding home with his father behind old
Longfellow; but on this particular
evening Kinderling, the architect. MISS
ed MS South Tredegar train, and Tom
spent an extra hour with him. discuss
Ing further and future possibilities of
expansion. Kinderling got away on a
later train, and Tom closed his office
and took the long mile up the pike
afoot in the dusk of the autumn even
ing, thinking pointedly of many things
mechanical and Industrial. and never
by any chance forereaching to tho
epoch marking event that was await
Ing him at the Woodlawn gate
His hand was upon the latch of the
ornamental side wicket opening on the
nome foot-path when a woman.
crouching in the shadow of the great
gate pillar, rose suddenly and stood
before him. He did not recognize her
at first; 1t was nearly dark, and her
head was snooded In a shawl Then
she spoke, and he saw that 1t was Nam
cy Bryerson-a Nan sadly and terri
bly, changed, but must much of the
wild-creature of face and form still
remaining.
You done forgot me, Tom Jeff" she
asked; and than. at his start of recog-
milton: Il allow have changed some"
Surely haven't forgotten YOU Nan.
But you took me by SURPRISE; and 1
can't see in the dark any better than
most people, What are you doing down
here In the valley so late in the even
ing?" He tried to say it superiority,
paternally, as an older man might have
said 1t
You allow 1t amt fittin' for me to be
out alone after night?" she, with a
hard little laugh. II reckon it amt 60
In to hurt me none; anyways, l had 10
q
and he's huntin for you, Tom-Jefr."
Hunting for me? Well, I'm not very
hard to find" he said. unconsciously re-
peating the answer he had made to the
horse-t traders warning.
Couldn't you make out to GO off |
somewheres for a little spell?" she |
asked, -pleadingly.
Run away, you mean? Hardly; I'm
ct of
haven't any quarrel with your father |
whats ne making trouble about now?"
She put her face in her hands and |
though she was silent. he could see
that sobs were shaking her. Being mol !
.her more nor less than man, her
tears made him foolish. He put bis
arm around her and tried to find the
comforting word.
How Ardea and Miss Euphrasia -
Ing the roundabout way from one house
to the other to avoid the dew-wet prass
or the lawns, came fairly within arms
reach before he saw or heard them. re
NAMED thing inexplicable. But when
ne looked up they were there, Miss En-
phrasia strengthening herself aloof in
virtuous disapproval and Ardea loolr
ing as IL some one had suddenly shown
Tom separated himself from Nan =
Moderated confusion and stood as
culprit taken in the act Nan HID -
face again and turned away. II u'aa
Miss Dabney the younger who found
words to break the smarting silence
Don't mind us, Mr.. Gordon" che
said, icily. we were going to Wood
lawn to see If your father and motbar
could come over after dinner"
Tom smote himself alive and mada
haste to open the foot-path gate for
them There was nothing more sai1
or to be said; but when thew wara
gone and he was once more alone WITH
Nan, he was fighting desperately with
very manlike desire to smash some
thing; to relieve the wrathful pressure
by hurting somebody.
you were going to tell me abo,.
your father" he said, striving to boId
the interruption as If it had not heen
and yet tingling in every nerve 10 he
free. Did you come all the way down
the mountain to warn me?"
Il had to come anyway. He run mo
out, paw did"
"Heavens!" calculated Tom. priclx-
ing now with a new sensation. ANA
you haven't any place to stay?"
She shook her head.
mo- l was allowln' maybe your
oaw'd let me sleep where you-uns keen
he hawsses-jest for little spell iii
could make out what-all I'm goin' TO
TO-"
He was too rageful to be quite clear
sighted. Yet he conceived that he had
l duty laid on him. Once in the fool
sh, infatuated long-ago he had told
her he would take care of her; he re-
nembered it,; doubtless she was re-