The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-11-08
CHAPTER XIV. (consirued)

hermit fails in love with Enid.
CHAPTER XIV. (construed).
Having little else to do. she studied
the man, and she studied him with a
warm desire and an enthusiastic pre-
disposition to find the best in him.
She would not have been a human
Girl If she had not been thrilled to
the very heart of her By what the
man had done for her. She recognized
that whether he asserted It or not, he
had established an everlasting and
indisputable claim upoI: her.
The circumstances Of their first
meeting, y:i.ich as the days passed
did no. seem quite SO horrible to her.
and yet a thought of which would
bring the blood to her cheek still on
the instant, had in some way turned
her over h him, His consideration
of her, his gracious tenderness to-
ward her, his absolute abneSation, his
evident overwhelming desire to please
her, to make the anomalous situation
In which they stood to each other
bearable in spite OF their lonely and
unobserved intimacy, b. an absolute
lack of presumption on his part-all
those things touched her profoundly
Although she did not recognize the
fact then perhaps. she loved him from
the moment her eyes had opened in
the mist and rain. after that awful
hatr!e in the torrent to see him bend
tng over her.
No sight that had ever met Enid
Maitland's eyes was 50 glorious, so
awe inspiring, so uplifting and mag
rifcent as the view from the verge
Of the cliff in the sunlight of some
bright winter morning Few women
had ever enjoyed such privileges as
hers. She did not know whether she
liked the winter crowned range best
that way, or whether she preferred
the snowy world, glittering cold in the
moonlight; or even whether It was
more attractive when II was dark and
the peaks and drifts were only light
ed by the stars which shone never so
brightly as just above her head.
When he allowed her she loved to
stand sometimes in the full! fury Of
the gale with the wind shsieking anc
sobb!ng like lost souls In some icy
inferno through the hills and over the
pines, the snow beating upon her. the
sleet cutting her face II she dared to
turn toward the storm Generally he
left her alone In the qaleter moments,
but In the tempest he stood watchful,
on guard by her side, addressing her.
protecting her. sheltering her. Indeed
his presence then was necessary.
without him she could scarce have
maintained a footing The force of
the wind might have hurled her down
the mountain but for his strong arm.
When the cold grew Too great he led
her back carefully TO the hut and the
warm fire. NJ
All, YES, life and the world were
both beautiful to her then, in night,
in day. by sunlight, by moonlight. in
calm and storm. Yet 1t made no diff.
ference what was spread before the
woman's eyes. what glorious picture
was exhibited to her gaze. she could
not look at It more than moment
without thinking Of the man. With
the most fascinating panorama tina,
the earths surface could spread be,
fore human vision to engage her at.
tentioa. she looked iutc her OWE
heart and saw there this man.!
Oh, che had fought against it al
frat, but lately she had Iuxuriated
in Il She loved him. she loved him!
And why not! What is 1t that won
en- love IN men. Strength Of body
Size could remember yet how he had
carried her ever the mountains in the
midst OF the storm. how she had beer
so bravely npborne by his arms to his
heart. She ssa,;red lster 'wha: sasa
that had heen. what a feat of strength
The uprooting Of thsi sapling and the
overturning OF that huge Grizzly were
child's play to the long portage uI
The alm,s, impossible canon ant
mourtai.i side which had brought hel
10 this .!ssr haven, a,sts .ss.t,,
Nas |: strength Of character sh,
sought. = scsatiOn. determinations
Chic M, ~ deliberately withdraw