Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-01

H.
IL and when Ivory saw the Baxter
girls coming up the shady path
that led along the river from the In
dian cellar TO the bridge it was Il mer-
~ group and a TRANSPORTED Rodman
that caught his eye. The boy, trailing
on behind with the baskets and laden
with tin Clippers and wild flowers
seemed another creature from the big
eyed, quiet little lad he saw every day
| He had chartered like a magpie, eaten
like a bear, torn his jacket getting
! wild columbines for Patty, been nicely
darned by Waitstill and was in a state
of hilarity that rendered him quite I'M
recognizable.
We've had a lovely picnic- called
/ Patty; Il wish YOU had been with usI'
You didn't ask me-" smiled Ivory.
! picking up Waitstilrs mending basket
| from the nook in the trees where she
had hidden ii for safe keeping.
we've played games, Ivory" cried
| the boy. Patty made them up her
self. First we had the Landing of
the Pilgrims and Waitstill made be-
lieve she was the figurehead of the
Mayfower. She stood on great bowl
der and sang:
The breaking waves dashed high
On a stern and rockbound coast
and, oh, she was splendid! Then Pat
" was Pocahontas. and 1 was Capn
John Smith, and look. we are all dress
ed up for the Indian weddingw
Il shall have TO run into fathers
store to put myself tidy Waitstill
said. so goodby, Rodman, We'll have
another picnic some day. Patty, you
must do the chores this afternoon. you
know, so that | can go to choir re-
hearSal."
Rodman and Patty started up the
hill gayly with their burdens. and
Ivory walked by Waitstills side as she
pulled off her birch bark crown and
twisted her braid around her head with
n heightened color at being watched.
I'll say goodby now. Ivory. but I'll
see you ut the meeting house." she
said as she ncared the store. III go
in here and brush the pine needles off.
wash my hands and rest Il little be-
fore rehearsal. That's n puZzling an
them we have for tomorrow
81 have my horse here. Let me
drive you up to the church"
Il can't. Ivory; thank you. Fathers
orders are against my driving out with
any one. you know"
Very we'll The road is free. at any
rate. I'll hitch my horse down here in
the woods somewhere, and when you |
start TO walk / shall follow and catch |
up with you. There's luckily only one |
way to reach the church from here. |
and your father can't blame us If we
both take it,
And so it fell out that Ivory and
Waitstill walked together in the cool
of the afternoon TO the meeting house
on Tory hill. Waitstill kept the beat
en- path on one side and Ivory that on
the other, so that the width of the
country road, deep in dust. was be-
tween them, yet their nearness seemed
so tangible a thing that each could feel
the heart beating in the others side.
Their talk was only that of tried
friends, talk interrupted by long.
beautiful silences-silences that come
only to man and woman whose I'M
ierstanding OF each other Is beyond
question and answer. Not sound
broke the stiffness. yet the very air. it
seemed 10 them, was shedding mean
ngs, the flowers were eXhaling a love
secret with their fragrances. the birds
were singing il boldly from the tree
ops, yet no word passed the mans
ips or the girls. Patty would have
lung out all sorts of signals and lures
o draw the truth from Ivory and |
Freak through the walls of his self
ontrol. but Waitstill, never. AID Ivory
ioynton was made OF stuff so strong |
hat he would not speak a syllable of
owe TO n woman unless he could say
II. He was only five and twenty. but I
e had been reared in rigorous school I
nd had learned in its poverty, loneli-
ess and anxiety lessons of self de- !
ial and self control that bore daily /
ruit now. He knew that Deacon Bax-
or would never allow. any engagement J l