The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-11-20
CHAPTER Nv
m THE WAY OF LOVERS

Presently they went along the back
ward path. on one side the stubble and
oak groves silvered by the moon, and
on the other the Abysmal valley be-
yond the sumacs on the cliffs edge.
His arm was about her, and at times
she stopped him TO look up into his
grave face. TO brush back the curls
from his temples and tell her story.
She moved him with this trust; all
their secret nights together this amaz-
ing ummer she had been q thing OF
wild woods ligntness, GAGE and gaiety,
q defying little Cinderella, proud OF her
beauty, eccentric In her dress and pos
Ing. He had not stopped TO think
where It would all end. His cool blood
of the east had never reckoned on
such passion as had, summer long,
famed In her; he could not guess that
she was thanking God for his strength
which held her purely, even while the
call OF youth to youth was in her eyes.
Summer night and young night have
no morality, and either lust or virtue
is an easy thing, costing nothing Of
the price the years bring.
81 wondered" she whispered. TT
you'd come tonight! After the trial
and your father sent Papa John to
Jail. / hate himI / wanted TO hate
you'll" She shivered In the moonlight;
then kissed him. "Pll never come again
and meet you here-oh boy / won't go
on loving you" She stood with closed
eyes. the black hair falling straight
from it's parting down over her ears
giving her face the fixity of 4 peni-
tent. But In her hair she had put, as
always, q flower. He drew her to him
and kissed the blossom, and she
struggled murmuring, IT'S not right
You know how weak I am : " and then,
me-"
WIND bird" he whispered. with HIS
grave smile. while it's tonisht, let's
not think OF that" And at her quick
surrender In hts arms, the curious re-
morseful rapture that had stung him
all this summer OF his vacation, meet
ing her here alone, came to him. BY
days he thought OF It with cool reas-
sertion Of his blood and tradition--he
really could not love her, he reasoned;
yet by night he met her there and
laughing W. up to 1t and TO her. He
tried to tell himself that Ii was all a
summer trysting, that she would for
get with the cooling days and he away.
But h had seemed stupefied by this
miracle Of loving him, the complete
ness Of yielding. Her days she went
about In a dream, lying blithely for his
sake, protecting his name, living only
for the hour she could steal to the hills
and await him.
It's monstrous," she cried, putting
him In Jail. What did the lawyers say
we'd win for? It's bad enough to be
crippled, but to lose and be tmprfs-
oned. It's just d~evilish--your father
He muttered some patient phrase OF
his culture and understanding. f.
Dear heart, it's rough. But you
wouldn't understand. His w negIi-
geRse was part Of the accident-that's
how the law holds II. And the law,
my dearIthe judge interprets that as
What did Lafe Mason say we'd
win for?"
He smiled ct the courage in her
tone. It's a way they have. Maybe
Mason thought he could win"
Nobody could win against Tanner
aAureiier' He shook her sternly. II
she had damned his paternity II would
not have hurt more MY father Ia the
judge, o must remember"
And he sent Papa John to 1ail-for
nothing. For swearing? Why, I can
swear, too.
He smiled his patience. 'Iinstrom
committed the worst OF contempt"
Contempt. Who cares for thatT
Suppose you had l~ost-suppose the
case meant everything to you? Your
family at home, Watting--hungry, Har-
Ian? Really hungry, and you saw you
were crippled and cheated and done
[forf There's times when Knnte and
I have gone to school with no break
fast, and for lunch we dug wet butt
ternuts from under the leaves. And
I'd 30 to school with q flower In my
hair and laugh and nobodysd know.
Just proud wouldn't even tell you"
"Aurelie-not hungry" There was
horror In his tone. Not to have enough
to eat-to his class and breeding
was disreputable.
She smiled up through her tears.
Mon dieu. yes--but what OF THAR
Many times we've been hungry"
He was more shocked than she could
guess. Hunger was q luxurious state
OF mind Incident to picnfcs and ath-
letics. One neyerf really met people
hungry from having nothing to eat