Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-02-03

IL ly urban and presented his
II 4 friend and neighbor, Mr.. En-
derby"
Enderby turned out to be the owner
of the voice with the English accent
which Lee Virginia had heard in the
hall, but he was very nice, and a mo-
ment later Mrs. Redfield entered with
Mrs. Enderby, large lady with Il
smiling face. Then a voice she knew
spoke from behind her: 81 don't need
a presentation. Miss Wetherford and
I have already met"
She turned to meet Ross Cavanagh,
the young ranger.
How did you get here?" she asked
in wonder
Il rode across the hills. It's not
far
He. too, was in evening dress, and as
she stared at him in surprise he laugh
ingly protested. please don't scruti-
nize this coat too closely. It's the only
one I've owned for ten years, and this
is the only house IN which I'd dare to
wear it,
One of the guests was State Senator
Bridges. farmerlike elderly man
wearing a badly fitting serge suit. He
was markedly western. So was his
wife. who looked rather uneasy and
hot.
Virginia and Ross. being the only
young folk at the table. were seated
together, and Enderby remarked pri-
vately, Ross. you're in luck"
II know l am" he replied heartily.
He was. as Redfeld had said, high
ly susceptible. made so by his solitary
life in the mountains, and to be seated
close beside this maid of the valley
stirred his blood to the danger point.
1t was only by an effort of the will
that he kept in touch with the conver-
sation.
81 hadn't the least thought of seeing
you here" said Virginia. How did
you happen to Gomez"
"Redfield telephoned me at the mill,
and | came at once. | haven't been
here since May, and just thought I'd
take a half day off. Luckily my IN
derstudy was with me. / left him ON
the job"
He did not tell her that she was the
principal reason for this sudden de-
scent upon Elk Lodge, and no one but
Redfield knew the killing ride he had
taken in order to be in at the begin
ming of the dinner. The girls face
and voice, especially her voice, had
been with him night and day as he
went about his solitary duties. Her
life problem had come to fill his mind
to disturbing degree, and he was
eager to know more of her and of her
struggle against the vice and vul-
garity of the Forks
How is your mother?" he asked
few minutes later.
Not at all well. Mr.. Redfield is to
take the doctor back with us tomor-
row." The ecstasy died out of her
face, and the flexible lips dropped with
troubled musing. Il am afraid she
suffers more than she will admit"
She needs rest and change She
should get away from her seat at that
cash register and return to the open
air. A touch of camp life would help
her She sticks too close to her work"
81 know she does. but she won't let
me relieve her, even for an hour. 1t
isn't because she doesn't trust me;
she says it's because she doesn't want
me sitting here-so-publicly She
doesn't oppose my housekeeping any
more
You certainly have made the old
hotel into place of miraculous neat
ness"
She flushed with pleasure. 81 have
done something, but not as I'd like to
do. l really think if mother wishes
to sell she could do so now to much
better advantage"
1--WE no doubt Of it. Really, I'm
not being funny, Miss Wetherford,
when l say you've done something
heroic. It's no easy thing to go into
a place like that and make it hab-
liable. 1t shows immense courage and
self reliance on your part. It's pre-
cisely the kind of work this whole
country needs"
His praise, sincere and generous, re-
paid her for all she had gone through.
1t was great pleasure to hear her
small self praised for courage and self
reliance by one whose daily work was
heroic. All things conspired to make