The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-14

Gu
 Which Stood on the Balsam Knoll. Harrigan would not let him abandon. But he had run her down when he caught sight of her, for she fled like wild thing before him. Floundering in . cedar swamp, soaked to the knees, little blue befurred suit heavy with black muck, he came up with her. She was kpeeling, shaking with terror, face hidden by her loosened hair, when he bent over her and raised her to her feet.
 ..Please," she whimpered, "oh. please"-
 Yet when he spoke her name her head leaped back, and she recognized him instantly.
 q tried to wait," she chattered wtth | all the voice she had left. T tried to sit still until some one came for me, but thought I knew the way. tried not to listen to the noises. remem- bered about the stars, and I knew shouldn't run. But I thought you were-I thought you were''- r Remembered terror choked her. Con sciousness slipped away.
 By the same trail which once had led him to the 'icity" of Morrison he car ried her now to that cabin which stood on the balsam kneI in the crook of the west branch.
 His head was spinning from fatigue and the throb of the jagged tear above his temple when the log building, streaked white with clay chinking, loomed up ahead, and yet involuntarily he stopped there moment with his burden.
 He had pictured many times a night when he should bring her there, with both of them watching the moon in the rapids and listening to the waves Hoping the banks. This was not that night. That night would never be. But the rebellion and bitterness were gone from his heart After he had removed her wet shoes and stockings and brush whipped suit and sheer black blouse and she slept the sleep of exhaustion into which she had slipped from un- consciousness without even opening her eyes he built fire and sat before it until morning came. And when 1t
 
 he was preparing breakfast he had fin ished reconstructing many things. Her eyes went from wall to wall, frightened still and questioning at first, so he merely nodded and went outside and left her to remember alone. Re turning with wood on his arm, he found recollection of much in her gaze She was looking at the thin heeled, buttoned boots before the fireplace, the stockings and furred garments cleaned of mud and dried on the backs of chairs. A cloud of color stole up from the blanket edge at her throat to the line of her hair.
 "You were wet" he explained sim ply, "and you were too spent to help yourself. could not let you sleep in them"
 'T understand" her answer faltered little. q was just thinking. knew such things happened, but thought it
 was only in books.
 Drowsily she watched him bending over frying pan and coffeepot, content herself to lie and rest. But after . time, with fuller awakening, the band | age about bis head claimed her atten- ton. To her it seemed impossible that this smoothly shaven man in clean blue | shirt could be the same one who had emerged from a struggle still sicken- l fngly brutish to her. Involuntarily she | shuddered a little without knowing 1 that he watched.
 ''I am going to the spring for fresh wnter," he told her then. There will be time for you to dress. and breakfast | will be ready when come back" ] Submissive before his tone she re- piled that she was hungry; that she would be ready too. She had donned l blouse and skir. and stockings and 1 shoes and finished braidilg her hair when he re-entcred. He showed her . tin basin outside filled with icy water for her face and hands. And then they l sat down in silence to breakfast T told you that you would find out some day." Barbara murmured finally. "I warned you you would wake sud denly and see how shallow am.'' "Waking has been no sudden thing with me. I finished with dreams . long time back, but you are what you have been always in my thoughts. It's conditions I've walked to, not your' With unwilling grunness he had sometimes spoken to her, but never | with such constraiped vehemepce. tTo Be Cnntinued.l Farmer Want Ads. One Cent a Word.