The Delta independent., 1912-11-08
CHAPTER VII.

There is the mound" advised Har-
riet Brooks on Wednesday morning.
! pointing to a rounded heap of earth
just beyond the shade of a burr-oak
a half mile inland from Sylvan Lake
on Glen Isle.
Mayor Bedight took OF his coat rue
fully. Being prisoner to a prematurely
gray-haired young lady with clear,
rosy complexion and a sweet, win
some manner was not SO bad-but
to be told to dig like a terrier in the
rough soil was horse of another col
or. But the mayor was game.
Grasping spade, he set to work
diligently. 1t was a warm morning
and the perspiration began to ooze
from his heated body.
Come and sit in the shade WHILE"
invited the girl. thoughtfully. I'VE
have all day to ourselves-and the
skeletons will not run away"
Bedight obeyed gratefully. throwing
himself at the woman's feet in the
cool shadows of the oak.
I'm awfully interested in ancient
and medieval things" she explained.
smiling down at him over her book
Once when I was in Iowa met a
man who was engaged in collecting
curios-and he found a real mound
builder skeleton along the Cedar river
while l was there. What IL this
should turn out to be something like
that?' hopefully.
Pardon me-" said the mayor,
boldly, but nice girl like yourself
should not be SO interested in dead
ones-especially when the woods
are full OF live ones"
The girls face flushed. the red
against her white hair making her
very attractive in the eyes OF the man
on the sand.
THE dead Ones" she said slowly.
never stay out late nights. never
tyrannize, never take everything for
granted. never get a crouch, never"
The mayor interrupted her, his face
serious as he said:
There were Darby and Joan"
But these are the days of divorce
courts" she answered. 'and-gen-
iuses-" coloring.
Il am old-fashioned," he parried.
'I like to dream of home with the
woman in it."
Il fear it is going to rain." evaded
Miss Brooks, looking anxiously at
the cloud-filled west. do you mind
digging bit, Mr.. Bedight?"
"As the wife said to her husband
when she wanted a sealskin," he
taunted, returning to the mound.
She came and stood over him as
be worked.
His spade struck something-and
her excitement grew.
"Oh. do hope it's a mound builder!"
she cried excitedly.
The mayor grinned and kept dig
ging. A clap OF thunder pealed in
the distance. As she turned appre-
hensively. the digger's spade pried
up a long. ropy object.
Here Is your mound builder" he
said soberly. raising the object upon
his spade.
She gasped.
The man smiled.
"Oh!" from the woman.
81 am afraid" he breathed. softly.
"it is exactly what It looks like-the
tail of a cow!"
As she stood frowning at him. great
drops OF rain began to fall. He look
ed about hurriedly for shelter under
tree.
Come on" he cried. starting for tho
boat upon the beach. We'll have to
camp out"
She followed him blindly.
He pulled the dory high and dry and
tipped it keel up.
Crawl under" he said as the rain
began to fall In torrents
why, Mr.. Bedight, / can't do that
L"
The man took her gently by the
arm.
You have no other choice-and be-
sides, I'm not a cannibal!"
She stopped and sat down upon the
sand under the shelter. He followed.
sitting close to her, OF necessity. The
fury Of the storm broke. The day
became as dusk. lighted only by the