The Delta independent., 1912-10-18

Jackie" vining.
eliminating bill and permit you to
depart in peace.
But for every indiscretion on your
part, you will be given a ten days
sentence under the same conditions
now governing. The court has en-
deavored to impress you with the Sc
riousness of your situation and shall
feel no regret should you. in your
heedlessness. fail to grasp its import.
Given this day and date under my
letter seal at Squirrel Inn, Dingledale
Wisconsin.
JACK VINING, Judge"
Walter Bedight, mayor and candi-
date for the legislature, frowned,
Plainly, here was .predicament. The
humor of the situation had fed. The
piqued attitude of the Judge" toward
him was plain. 1t was more than this,
it was "catty." She ran after him and
he kissed her, a perfectly natural
thing for a handsome bachelor to do
if the pursuer were pretty-and good
ness knows Jackie vining was enough
of that to give almost any inquisitive
young man palpitation of the heart!
But even male judges have a way
of their own, absolute and unrelent
ing, while a woman Judge. pretty, vi
vacious, enticing, captured in a dog
wood swamp and kissed against hel
will-Bedight shuddered at his pos
sible fate!
The fury Of a woman osculated Il
taI ha
ger of a woman scorned! And hs
was the goati
Deep in q quandary Of ways and
means, the luckless politician, mental
ly berating the fatal day of woman
suffrage, wandered into the cool, um
brageous wood.
1t was midsummer and the foresi
was a sylvan retreat where monk ant
man might lose his troubles in the
ripping of the rills and receive dt
vine unction from the nature god rul
ing with soothing zephyrs and elixir
of e1iorescence.
Bedight penetrated far into the
heart of the wood, where dryadi
romp along the sunbeamed way
through interstices in the trees. where
mother brown thrushes peep from
sheltered nests aud frisking squirrels
chatter of the hickory nuts a-ripenins
upon the scraggly trees.
And then he saw her!
Like Psyche. she stopped beside a
quiet pool, above her the spreading
branches Of a water elm. Beside her
on the brink the harebell grew and
to her ear there came from down be.
low the rhythmical cadence OF a
brooklet's song. the same song that
In crescendo or diminuendo. 1t had
sung for centuries. the ever chanted.
perpetual song OF the brook!
He stole softly forward on tip-toe
Absorbed in her mood, she gave nc
heed. The rich outline Of her figure
thrilled him and on her golden hair
the sheen OF the morning radiated like
, halo on the head Of Titan mas.
terpiece. Step by step he drew near
cautiously. Little by little he crept
forward until he stood with his hand
upon the trunk of q tree. And then
quietly. fearlessly, he stepped behind
her, his shadow falling over her
sAoulder upon the placid waters ol
The pool.
With q cry Of alarm she sprang to
her feet and faced him. He stood his
ground boldly. but in his eyes there
was an appeal,
Forgive me-" he said evenly. II
you needed the shadow OF a man tc
complete the picture"
you fiatter yourself" she replied
coldly.
He started to speak, impulsively. tc
plead for forgiveness. but she held
up her hand mandatorily
II hold no conversation with pris
pners outside Of court" she said, aus
terely.
Turning from the pool. she stood be
lore him as one in authority.
II am going. Wait here. Do no
follow me-" she admonished.
He sat down beside the pool. Al
he did 80, for a deeting moment tht
form Of lithe and graceful woman
Tell over his shoulders upon the
Irowsy waters-but the face wal
turned toward the backward trail.
Everything = even mythology - II
rwisted." he growled. 'in these par
| k,s,s dava NJ ~oma an aufgraga" I"