Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-12-05
CHAPTER II.
The path of Youth

The Path of Youth.
Had Richard Courtney thought to
look back to his own adolescence, he
might have understood his failure.
Mark, whose life, the preacher sup
posed. was to be made over by many
books and sermons on purpose. unself-
ishness and clean living, was in fact
seeing miracle of quite another sort
unfold within him.
Companionship, once sought, had
suddenly become distasteful. He was
happy only when wandering alone in
the woods, idle gun on shoulder, or
drifting lazily in his canoe.
After a peribd, during which his
body shot up to its full height, whole
some toll and study busted his
thoughts and Richard Courtney began
to nurture vain hopes, occurred an
event of no small Importance to many
young gentlemen of Bethel. Unity
Martin, proud possessor of diploma
declaring to those who cared to pc
ruse that she had mastered certain
arts, came home to exhibit in all its
perfection the product of education.
He was returning late from an aft
ernoon's hunt in the woods behind
the Martin farm, when he unexpected
ly came upon her one autumn day.
She was standing on little knob, gaz-
ing absently into the fading sky. His
ever-ready imagination was touched.
In the dusk, the pale glow of the dying
day upon her, her pensiveness and ap-
parent frailty gave her a seeming of
soulfulness that abashed him, moved
him strangely. He thought he beheld
one far finer and purer than any of
T. l. T.
touched. She saw him and smiled
family. That smile put him in an
agony of confusion and awkwardness.
Because he did not know how to de-
part, he found himself walking home
with her, and when she praised the
pheasants s1ung over his shoulder, on
a sudden glad impulse he gave to
her and she quite naturally accepted
the trophy of his hunt This was a
prophecy, but he was no seer.
1t was long before he lost that i'm
preston of her, the frail spirit-like
girl of the dusk, even though ripper
acquaintance might have taught him
that she was indeed a dweller upon
the earth. He whispered her name to
himself, thinking it finest poetry. His
desire to do something" became
burning Impotence to do large and
splendid deeds that would prove his
mettle. He was, in a word, boy who
thought himself in love.
Came a night, still winters night
when moonlight cleaned on the snow
and the chimes of sleighbells added
to the enchantment, when he kissed
her, with sense of sacrilege-and she
did not resist.
No wonder, then, Richard Courtney
preached purpose in vaini His pupils
horizon. was filed with a purpose not
his own. Even the preachers incom-
prehensible outburst was forgotten, as
the boy went to his tryst that Sabbath
afternoon.
For a mile he drove carefully and
then, letting out the mare, with a
flourish of speed drew up before the
house of Squire Martin 1t was the
most pretentious in the valley.
Soon Unity appeared, fresh and
dainty in her white dress and pink
hat, followed by her sister Susan
bearing heavy pasteboard box While
Mark iawkwardly helAed his lady into
the buggy, Susan slipped the box I'M
der the seat Mark got in and the
brown mare, needing no command.
started away.
after them. Don't forget to eat iti"
And so,' breathed Unity. you're
really going away-at last. How did
you happen to decide to go just now?"
Il don't know. 1t just came to me
the other day that couldn't stay here
any longer. Somehow, ever since we
began to talk of the city, this place
has seemed SO small and shut in-unul
this morning
Until this morning." in some
alarm
Then it seemed kind o. coy and
and protected / hate to leave it I
hate to leave you, Unity"
And I'll hate to have you 60 But,
of course, you must And then, be-
fore very long. you'll come back-and
take me away with you"
For a while In silence they gave
this prospect the consideration 1t de-
served Then.