Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-03-20
sippi over the sycamores and winoo~

sippi over the sycamores and WINDOW
eloughs. He crossed the last giaAe to
quarry. Already through the laurel
n NAPLES and young elms a patch
of white sheer a arose. And on
this point he stopped to look down in
the valley. From the quarry bed the
road ran on winding past the fringy
But all tho %unloveliness OF their meager
homes was hidden in the shadow. and
all the beauty Of the hill beyond lay
revealed by the moon. Harlan had not
been on the back trail for more than a
year. When he came to the old ia
miliar rock jutting over the cliff he
started to climb the last step n then
paused. Some one was before him. sit
ting where he had intended to sit. look
ing as he had wished to look out over
the valley and the town.
And before he came out Of the shad-
ow he knew 1t was Aurelie. Aurelie.
who could not leave without one visit
to the home trail. She had not been to
lLlndstronl'S house. hut tonight had rid
den over from Earlville. tied the livery
mount at the Sinsinawa creek bridge,
and clambered up to where she could
4 look either way. to the village or to
her foster fathers place below the
quarry. Harlan watched her long. She
was mute. dry eyed, very still; but
when. at length. he came out and stood
before her. curiously she did not start.
h move slowly and looked up at
MIN. Her face had all that grave purity
OF outline that belied alike her temper
and her hunor.
1T just seems" h murmured. 'as
If l was to find You here"
He remembered now that she said
she was coming to the hills. "kut I
never thought of 1t. Aurelie. And yet"
He stopped and she sat forward to
Sc his face. yet you came. Oh. the
moonlight made me come, Harlan! I
was restless and-unhappy-and l re-
mempered such beautiful nights here.
this" She moved over with a little
Friendly gesture. "Sit down."
But he stood with ihs hand on the
lichened rock above her.
n did not seem to notice his re-
straint. when I was a little ragged
Riddle. 1 used to climb up here. Al
ways I loved 1t. Harlan"
"But l tell YOU" he answered quietly.
you came tonight because you remem.
oered something else. Aurelie."
Yes" she answered simply. "Our
night 1 couldn't quite forget the last
one. The night o took me to your
mothers. Harlan" She laughed brief
-. Anu SHe trlckeo me-an i ran
up that night. Harlan"
"she didn't trick you. Aurelie. Moth.
er couldn't"
"oh. well!" she smiled wisely. "1f
you could realize how I've changed!
night I was GREATNESS before ner.
n appealed to me-she wanted me to
thought 1t was fine that night-but /
tell you. I paid! I did love o Har-
lam"
He watched her face in the noon
light. Mother did something. I knew.
l wasn't sure; but that wasn't what
going on the stage-in that way. Every
thing-hurt."
ace Of mockery. "Oh. well-boy! It's
all different with o and me. I was
a weak and silly girl to hang on you
and love You. and confuse into think
ing that You loved me! And that night
saw all the girls of your set and the
dancing n the music-it all rushed
over me-the difference" She smiled
with a tender mystery she could not
deny-hew was amazed to find how inn
m~easurably older she could be in her
womanhod..I knew you'd forget If I
made you" She smiled bravely. And
I'm glad. We both ought to be glad.
My!"-she was laughing now. I'VE
were both kids. weren't we? Now I
know the world a bit-I'm a heap diff
ferent. Done growed up. Uncle Mich
and he's scared about 1t! I'm
going to be a real leading lady some-
time. and come back and play in the
tin opera house-play in a piece that
hasn't SO much shooting in it-and you
will be fat and prosperous and married
and bring your Riddles to see me. And
you'll be mighty. glad. Harlan. you new
er married that Cajun girl from down
river"
But he would not smile. In the moon.
light on the hillside she had the same
defying gypsy charm as Of old; wilful.
hooking. humble. buoyant. when she
wished It. All the inevitable vulgarian
stamp Of her upbringing was vanished;
and he felt the old pathos for her-that
what was dear and simple in her he
could lind and save and make his own.
The rest woul not matter. He could
not fathom how the invincible heritage
of his family was now shamed before
woodland freedom from all the conven-
lions of his sort. He wanted to be
as honest as she. as fearless as she.
but he did not know the way.
"Aurelie." he muttered. "be still. You
know I love YOU"
the rock was not more mute. Only hel
face was turned. evading him, q pre-
tense of ~unhearing.
II tell you so again. Aurelie. It costs
a lot. I bucked through school and
forgot you-almost. I came back here
and set my teeth together and worked.
And all the things they said about you
this town never will get over
talking. about you-all this mis-
cradle notoriety-it hurt. / said
nothing. But I knew I loved you,
for all the talk hurt-hurt! I didn't
want o to go on iii this miserable,
cheap show business. There was SO