Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-02-11

And again:
Legitimate! My 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.
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. 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 filled with sus-
picion.
Outside il 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.
If he-dies," she gasped dryly be-
tween her parted lips, iii kill her and
go with him to hell. for he has no
God!"
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 ter land, standing
aside to watch Naomi Vend back the
ones she loved, and sometimes crying
out sharply, "Oh. Absalom! My son
my SOM" Again he laughed bitterly
and spoke of lost faith in men.
Throughout the week Poppy Ordway
stood such 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 tC
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 fol
her in the open ways Of bluff. At mid
night the owner of the Dillingwortt
suddenly opened his eyes, weak anC
tired, but sane. He saw, on the din
background of faint light from a shad
ed candle, the TRANSPORTED face o.
the watcher and with 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 hi!
face toward life and would journey
back to it. and the surge and swa!
of passionate joy rocked her soul il
a storm of emotion.
She stepped lightly and restlessl,
about. Strengthening a cloth on table
tipping the candle shade at a bette
angle, for she felt imperatively tn,
need of action. She picked I'D al
empty pitcher and in the starlit DIRK
ness went up the path to the cook
shack. still with that bounding, ligh
step of victory, and entered the porcl
where the pump stood.
: There, alone in the night, leanin
, against post Of the porch a sin
.. little figure kept also a midnight vigil
, The woman looked at her and all tn
danger that lay that way arose SUD
denly before her. rousing her hatre
swiftly. and something ugly and cal
like prompted her to strike.
She laughed. little, low. musica
laugh, and spoke in a caressng tone
Congratulate me" she said softly
the fever has left him. ri have hir
up before the first flowers bloom in tn
valleys. Dear boy-dear Walt"
SiletZ. a moment before droopins
whirled upon her like a fury. Eve
in the dusk Miss Ordway saw the hit
den fire leap up uncovered in her eye
and heard primal danger whimper /
her voice.
WALTZ" she cried, springing towar
: her and lifting hand whose slim fiji
gers threatened her throat. SAY Sal
5 dry!"
Miss Ordway in her broadclot
sprang back against the rough plank
of the cook-shack wall, her face gon
: white in the shadows and sudden. girl
\ ping, choking fear In her throat. Sh
.. put up a useless hand-a tremblin
hand. palm outward--and strove
speak-once, twice.
Then, "Sandry," she faltered like
craven. She was whipped, scared. he
power gone
But the wild thing died In SiletZ 6
it had lived, on the turn of momen
and she let out great breath an
covered her face with her hands aftt
fashion she had
No" she whispered in her palm
"he kissed me and am his woman
Oh, am unworthy! What would