Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-04-13
Copyright BY The Century Company

anu lucEC akV uiSuty tSw pcopic "aS
know ii. The Hilrs battles have never
entered the field of gossip. Seven
years before you were born my ia
ther--your grandfather--turned me
out. 1t was from this room. He said
/ had started the name OF Wayne on
the road to shame and that could so
with 1t. He gave me Eve hundred dol
lars. l took it and went. sank low
with the name, but in the end |
brought it back, and today 1t stands
high on both sides of the water. I'm
not happy man, as you know, for all
that. You see, though l brought the
name back in the end, l never saw
your grandfather again and he never
knew.
Here are i've hundred dollars. It's
the last money you'll ever have from
| me, but whatever you do, whatever
happens, remember this: Red Hill does
| not belong to q Lansing nor to q
Wayne nor to an Elton. 1t Is the eter.
| nal mother Of us all. Broken or mend.
ed. Lansings and Waynes have come
back to the Hill through generations
City OF refuge or harbor of peace, iti
all one to the Hill. Remember that.
He laid the crisp notes on the desk
Alan half turned toward the door but
stepped back again. His eyes and face
were dull once more. He picked uI
the bills and slowly counted them. 81
shall return the money, sir" he sale
and walked out.
He went to the stables and ordered
the pony and cart for the Afternoon
train. As he came out he saw Nance
the children and the captain COMING
slowly up Long lane from the farm
He lodged back into the barn through
the orchard and across the lawn. Mrs
J. Y. stood in the garden directing tn,
relaying OF flower beds. Alan made .
circuit. AS he stepped into the roat
swift steps came toward him. I'll
wheeled and faced Glenn coming a
full run. He turned his back on he
and started away. The swift step
stopped so suddenly that he looke'
around. Glenn was standing stock still
one awkward, lanky leg half crooket
as though 1t were still running. He
skirts were absurdly short. Her littl
fists, brown and scratched, pressed he
sides. Her dark hair hung In a tan
gled mat over a thin, pointed face. He
eyes were large and shadowy. Tw
tears had started from them and wer
quivering all over like a woman struck
Alan swung around and strobe u
to her. He put one arm about he
thin form and drew her to him. Don
cry, Glenn" he said, don't cry.
didn't mean to hurt you"
For one moment she chung to hin
and buried her face against his coat
Then she looked up and smiles
through wet eyes. ALAN. I'm SO gla
you've Gomez
Alan caught her hand. and togethe
they walked down the road to the oil
church. The great door was locked
Alan loosened the fastening Of shu,
ter, sprang In through the window ant
drew Glenn after him. They climbe'
to the belfry. From the belfry on
saw the whole world with Red Hill a
its center. Alan was disappointed
The hill was still half naked-almos
bleak Maple house and Elm hous
trees. They looked as If they hat
crawled closer to the road during tn
winter. The FRS, with its black boz
der of last years foliage. looked fune
real. Alan turned from the scene, bu
Clem's little hand drew him back.
Clematis McAlpin had happened be
tween generations. Alan. Nance, Gerr,
Lansing and their friends had been to-
old for her and Nance's children wer
too young. There were Elton childrel
Of about her age. but for years the.
had been abroad. Consequently Glen
had grown to fifteen In sort OF lone
Illness not uncommon with single CHI
dren who can just remember the goo'
times the half generation before then
used to have by reason OF their mum
bers. This loneliness had given he
in certain ways a precocious develop
ment while it left her subdued and sh
even when among her familiars. Blu
she was shy without fear and her shy
ness itself had a fiowerlike sweetness
that made bold appeal.
isn't it wonderful, AlanT she said
Yesterday it was cold and 1t raine
and the Hill was black. black, like tn
FRS. Today all the trees are fuzz
with green and it's warm. Yesterda
was so lonely and today you are here.
Alan looked down at the child wit
glowing eyes.
And, do you know. this sUmme