The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1916-02-24


Legitimate! My God. It's done lie
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
IN 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. II 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 or
set down the broth and turned away
her whole kindly heart filed with sus-
picion.
Outside in the darkness Siletz stood
a 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.
"lf he-dies." she gasped dryly be-
tween her parted lips, "Tll kill her and
go with him to hall. for he has no
God!"
But Sandry did not die. For a week
he travelled on strange paths of men,
DRY. calling on Ruth to come out OF
the cleaning OF a far land. standing
aside TO watch Naomi send back the
ones she loved, and sometimes crying
out sharply. "Oh. Absaloml 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 a 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 TRANSPORTED 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 better
angle. for she felt imperatively the
need OF action She picked up an
empty pitcher and in the starIit 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. slim
little figure kept also 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 &c strike.
She laughed, a little. low. musica
laugh. and spoke in caressing tone
Congratulate me-" she said softly
the fever has left him. I'll have hin
up before the first towers bloom in the
valleys. Dear boy-desr Waltz"
Siletz. a moment before dropping
whirled upon her like a fury. Ever
i'm the dusk Miss Ordway saw the hid
den fire leap up uncovered in her eyes
and heard primal danger whimper in
her voice.
Walt" she cried, springing towarc
her and lifting a hand whose slim fin
gers threatened her throat. SAY San
dryi"
Miss Ordway in her broadcloti
sprang back against the rough planki
of the cook-shack wall. her face gone
white in the shadows and sudden. grip
ping. choking fear in her throat. Sh'
put up a useless hand-a trembling
hand, palm outWard-and strove L
speak-once. twice.
Then, "Sandry." she faltered like {
craven. She was whipped. scared. he
power gone
But the wild thing died in Siletz al
il had lived. on the turn Of moment
and she let out a great breath ant
covered her face with her hands afte
fashion she had.
NO" she whispered in her palms
"he kissed me and | am his woman
Oh, am unworthyl What would
have done?" And she shuddered. as
in fear.
So the camp went forward. Johl
"a IA, ettant orau pttt otpa dflv inf,