Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-02-02

VAS in twofold danger-from Sandry's
death anu from Siletz.
Therefore she began to watch Siletz
with catlike glances from under her
lashes. and to think with all her bril-
liant brain of some way to eliminate
her from the question. of some bond
stronger than her work with Hamp-
den to bind herself into Sandry's life.
should he recover.
As for Sandry himself. he was far
on that road which has no turning.
For day or two he had lain in tor
por, to rouse at last. as a high fever
set in. to delirium. He began to talk.
first in a rambling, reminiscent whis-
per of his early life. He was a charm
ing, eager. high-souled boy again. and
the woman beside him saw clearly into
the clean depths of his life.
But on the second day of his de-
lirium something seemed to fall upon
him from the past that drew line Of
trouble around his lips and set some
great. hard question in the hot, blue
eyes. For long intervals he lay silent,
as If the tired mind were turning and
returning some important thing. to
break out suddenly in excited speech.
mol" he cried out suddenly; mo.
by heaven! Not while I'm alive to
right it,"
And again:
Legitimate! NY God. it's done le-
gitimately!"
This was as the sun, soft, golden.
benign sun of early spring. dropped
over the western ridge, sending long,
blue shadows across the narrow val
ley. AS the shadows darkened into
twilight Ma Daily, bearing some
Strengthening brew, doomed hugely in
the office door.
I'll take watch now" she said.
you ben on guard long while. Bet
ter go get some rest"
But Poppy Ordway. who was bend
ing closely over the cot, sprang sud
denly erect. Her cheeks were flushed.
and in her face was a strange excite
ment. NO" she said firmly, Il shall
stay the night out. He is delirious
still and cannot leave him"
Ma Daily, that shrewd old general
Of men and meals, took keen note of
every small thing in the hushed room,
set down the broth and turned away,
her whole kindly heart filed with sus-
picion.
Outside in the darkness Siletz stood
little later and looked through the
open window at the figure on the
white cot, and the watcher beside it.
Her hands were clasped tightly to-
gether and her dark eyes were heavy
with unshed tears.
IF he-dies," she gasped dryly be-
tween her parted lips, I'm kill her and
go with him to hell, for he has no
Godl"
But Sandry did not die. For a week
he Travelled on strange paths of mem
DRY. calling on Ruth to come out of
the cleaning Of far land, standing
aside to watch Naomi send back the
ones she loved, and sometimes crying
out sharply, "Oh. Absalom! My son,
my son!" Again he laughed bitterly
and spoke of lost faith in men.
Throughout the week Poppy Ordway
stood such a vigil as only a woman
who loves, be she good or bad. can
stand. With clever jealousy she kept
everything under her own capable
hands. only giving grudging place to
Ma Daily when she could no longer
command her overtaxed strength.
One night she refused to leave San
dry at all, firmly dismissing Ma. who
ragged inwardly but was no match for
her in the open ways of bluff At mid
night the owner of the Dillingworth
suddenly opened his eyes, weak and
tired, but sane. He saw. on the dim
background of faint light from a shad
ed candle, the transit cured face OF
the watcher, and with a feeble smile
of utter content dropped back to OBJ
livion-this time the oblivion of heal
ing sleep.
With that look, that weak smile, the
woman knew that he had turned his
face toward life and would journey
back to it. and the surge and sway
of passionate Joy rocked her soul In
storm of emotion.
She stepped lightly and restlessly
about. Strengthening a cloth on a table
tipping the candle shade at a better
angle, for she felt imperatively the
need of action. She picked up an
empty pitcher and in the starlit dark
ness went up the path to the cook
shack, still with that bounding. light
step of victory, and entered the porch
where the pump stood.
There, alone in the night, leaning
against a post Of the porch, a slim
little figure kept also a midnight vigil
The woman looked at her and all the
danger that lay that way arose sud
denly before her, rousing her hatred
swiftly. and something ugly and cat
like prompted her to strike.
She laughed, a little, low, musical
laugh, ard spoke in a caressirg tone
Congratulate me-" she said softly
"the fever has left him. I'll have him
up before the first flowers bloom in the
valleys. Dear boy-dear Waltz"
Siletz, a moment before dropping
whirled upon her like a fury. Ever
in the dusk Miss Ordway saw the hid
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