Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-06-02

~ AVIAN ANAA NAAShA
uncle. Not more Than a dozen words
were uttered I'm conversation during the
meal. MIR. Blagden, a shade grayer in
the face than yesterday. 1t seemed to
Eric. read the morning paper while he
drank his coffee in sharp, jerky little
sips. Mary, In a covert glance, made
the discovery toward the end of the
meal that her uncle was staring blank
ly at the print before him, without
reading a word. She watched hinr for a
minute or more; his eyes did not nov
1t was q circumstance worth mention
Ing to Eric. but she quite forgot 1t
when her brother announced that he
was going over To Joan's.
Moreover, just as they were leaving
the table, Martha came in to say that
Judge Bright was waiting to speak
with MI. Blagden at the telephone.
when he Went into that room to an
| sWer the call.
Erlc's reception by his shy, unprac-
tced sweetheart. swept away all doubts
and misgivings. and restored him in
large measure to the state Of bliss he
had developed h day before. His re-
lief was SO great that he quite forgot
his FEARS.
Still, when he left her after an hour
in the garden, he was to experience a
decidedly unpleasant shock on finding
Judge Bright and Adam Carr seated
together on the front porch. AS he
passed them, they greeted him cheerily,
their gaze followed him as long as he
was in sight. So vivid vas this Inn
preston that In order to Escape the
scrutiny he turned into a side street
when but a block from the house.
He carried a message from Joan to
Mary. His sister was to go out for a
long drive with Joan In the Brights'
phaetOn that afternoon. when the two
OF them were to talk over the Sinnox
school project. There was additional
consolation for him in Joan's news that
her father had called up Mr.. Blagden
during the morning to inquire when he
could see him on a matter Of import
ance. She was sure that 1t had to do
with the school project, for he had
promised her at breakfast that he
would take it up with Mr.. Blagden at
n first opportunity. Her father was
to call al the bank on the following
day. Mr.. Blagden setting the time. So,
she was sure. it would be all right.
She did not see Chetwynd when he
called the evening before.
That afternoon Eric, more or less at
peace with himself. IL not with the
world. took his books and sought the
quiet solitude Of Buds Rock, q shady.
obscure spot overlooking Stone wall,
and not far removed from the unfre-
quented outer road which skirted the
coast. The main travelled highway was
farther inland by a mile or more. But
few travellers used the narrow, aban-
doned road along the cliff.
Buds Rock itself was in the heart OF
a miniature wilderness. It lay black
and dank, moss covered and dripping,
at the edge of the woodland, almost
completely hidden by the thick under
brush and trees that surrounded 1t.
Here 1t was always cool md shady. At
tho hncn rf thu h,ep> I-.rll>. Aln-.-r---~
a tiny plaza OF wildly green grass,
smooth and soft. and sweet with the
smell OF earth. Through the trees
ahead, one had q clear view OF the sea
beyond the rugged. broken line of the
cliffs, on which no vegetation appeared.
"a quarter OF mile away, the surf
drummed notstly against the obstinate
wall OF rock, while down upon the bleak
intervening space the sun sent his rays
with such scOrching intensity that if
one crossed h rocks at midday 1t was
at the risk Of blistering the soles OF his
shoe clad feet.
Years before Eric had come upon this
tiny plaza, Ind It always had been q
favorite idling place for him. He went
there to read, or to dream. or to think.
Times there were when his thoughts
and dreams were unpleasant 0nos, full
OF bitterness mi resentment tOward
those who badgered him, but more oft
Een than nor he found soiace at tho foot
Of BUDS Rock. Nd one disturbed him
[tnatht1 lonely nook. Il was quite al if
~ were q domain Of his own.
y little to the left OF the rock, a
deep. thin ravine slaphed through the
rocks and ~,descended ~ tortuons wrtg-
down there at low tide. ana It was
like going Into q tomb. At high tide it
would have been "a tomb for anyone
who ventured.