Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-08-10

hand to steady her over the slippery
stones, and when we were across, the
mood and memories of the place had
their way with US, and our hands did
not unclasp. We walked on so to-
gether to the spot where we first had
met and where first the thrush had
sounded for Us his eIfin clarion. There
we stopped and listened. but there was
no sound save the whisper of the pines.
THE pines sound like soft midnight
surf on the shore" she whispered.
81 want the thrush" I whispered
back. Il want the thrush!'
Yes" she said, raising her eyes to
mine, ''oh, yes!'
And then, as we waited. our eyes
meeting, suddenly he sang, far off
across the tamaracks, one perfect call.
and silence again. Her face was a
glimmering radiance in the dusk Her
hand was warm in mine Slowly my
face sank toward hers, and our lips
met-met for an instant When We We're
not masters of ourselves, when the
Bird song and the whispering pines
wrought their pagan spell upon US.
Another instant, and she stood away
from me, one hand over her mouth, one
hand on her painting breast, and fright
in her eyes. Then, as suddenly, she
laughed. It was hardly a nervous
laugh. 1t welled up with the familiar
gurg1e from her throat.
"John Upton" she said, you are a
bad man. That wasn't what the thrush
said at ALL"
81 misunderstood" said I, recover
ing more slowly, and astcunded by her
mood.
"I'l not reproach you, since I, a
phtlologist. misunderstood for a second
myself" she responded. "Hark."
There was a sudden sound of steps
and cracking twigs in the grove be-
hind us, and Buster emerged up the
path, hot on our scent He made
dab with his tongue at my hand, and
then fell upon Miss Goodwin. She sank
to her knees and began to caress him,
very quickly, so that I could not see
her face.
"Stella," said I, Buster has made
friend of you. That's always a great
compliment from a dog"
She kept her face buried in his neck
an instant longer, and then her eyes
lifted to mine. ''Yes-John," she said.
"And now 1 must go home to pack my
trunk"
LET me drive you to the station in
the morning" said I, as we emerged
from the grove, in this sudden strange,
calm intimacy, when no word had been
spoken, and 1, at least, was quite in the
dark as to her feelings.
She shook her head. "No, go too
early for you. You-you mustn't try to
see me-"
For just a second her voice wavered.
She stopped for last look at Twin
Fires. Mice house, nice garden, nice
brook" she said, and added, with a
little smile, mice rose trellis." Then
we walked up the road, and at Bert's
door she put out her hand.
"Good-by," she said.
"Good-by," | answered.
Her eyes looked frankly into mine.
There was nothing there but smiling
friendship. The fingers did not trem-
bic in my grasp.
Il shall write" said I, controlling my
voice with difficulty, land send you
pictures of the garden"
Yes, do"
She was gone. 1 walked slowly back
to my dwelling. had kept my resolu-
ton. Yet how strangely I had kept it!
What did it mean? Had I been strong?
No. Had she made me keep it? Who
could say? All had been so sudden
the kiss, her springing away, her alb
rupt, astonishing laughter. But she
had not reproached me, she had not
been righteously angry, nor, still less,
absurd. She had thought it, perhaps,
but the mood of the place and hour,
and understood. That was f1ne gen
erOus! Few women, l thought, would
be capable of it. Stella! How pleas
ant 1t had been to say the name! Then
the memory of her kiss came over me
like wave, and my supper stood neg
lected, and all that evening 1 sat star
ing idly at my manuscripts and strOk-
ing Busters head
Yes, I had kept my resoIuion-and
felt like fool, happy, hopeless fool!