The Benson signal., 1917-02-03
greeted cheerily, with an ethereal fla
vOr nf hrOUI1o

SIcCLCU Cu0cT1ly, VIII ill 0LucIedl ud-
vOr of brogue.
But it was not so much the friendli-
ness in the old gentleman's voice that
made the young man smile, as it was
the smile that lighted up the eyes Of
the girl. Her dark hair made silken
frame about her pink cheeks and
smiling lips; her eyes-sapphire blue
and clear as the sky-~danced with a
smile of divine friendliness. And
then, too, she crinkled her eyelids all
around them. An iron image would
have responded to that laughing chal-
lenge.
The youth said "Good morning"
Bound for Corydon" inquired the
old gentleman affably. His undoubted
years were somehow discounted by
an almost elfin quickness of glance,
and his hobbling gait, his whole ap-
pearance suggested a Solomon among
cock-sparrows hopping along a pump
handle.
Bound for Corydon?"
eyes. Am on the right tracer"
"Folly the path an the towns bit
Of a mile ahead of ye-but if ye will
pity the sorrow of foolish old blath-
erskite who can't build bit of a fire
to save his sowl, yell not push ON till
we've got the tinder going" And he
thrust his flint and steel into the young
mans hands with an air of &C mical
diSmay.
"Oh, do" said the girl. "Fathe :s so
stupid"
The young man took the flint and
steel with laugh and knelt down to
obey. He rearranged the twigs with
careful hand, struck spark into the
tinder and nursed it for a breathless.
moment; then a tiny flame crer. up
the pile Of brush and the three looked
at one another in triumph.
"Not that we're needin' fire at all,
at ALL" said the little old gentleman,
''on day like this; but it's always
a comfort in the woods
'sYou build a fire like a woodsman,"
observed the girl admiringly, though
Of course you aren't one."
He flushed, for he knew that his
rags were an unusual dress for the
buckskin-clad men of the forest; and
the girl added quickly, Because you
aren't carrying a rifle"
"No. I'm no woodsman," he admit
ted, grateful for her tact, "but I've
come a long distance through the
woods and have had to learn a little
CT their ways.'
"Ye've come long way?" ask d the
old gentleman. "Thin ye'd be st be
sittin' down with us for a bit. Sure,
the town will watt
ooh, do!" added the girl impul lively.
"Tell us about the woods. Have you
seen any Indians? Father didn't want
to come out here today for fear one
would pounce on u.s." She laughed
ripple more musical than that Of the
brook, and, tucking the skirts of her
Amazon habit beneath her, settled. her
self on the ledge of limestone rock.
"Tell us about Indians" she went on
New Orleans and haven't seen a single,
real paint-and-feathers one yet. Ooh!"
she laughed in mock terror.
The fire cracked merrily up the face
of the rock and a draft of it's warmth
swept into the crevice of the stone.
The dusky thing lying within stirred
pleasantly.
'Ive seen only peaceful Indians on
the road SO far" smiled the young
man. II can't tell you any exciting
tales"
"Don't be pestering the lad, Toi
nette," chided the old man. "Tll be
bound he's too tired to talk"
The mottled rope within the crevice
felt the warmth of the fire, stirred, un-
coiled and glided noiselessly toward
the aperture, paused again.
"You live in Corydon, sir?" asked
the young man. "Pd like to find work
there-Im weaver by trade"
The old gentleman put his head on
one side in dubious reflection, "Small
chance for a weaver, my lad," he an
swered, "for every cabin has a loom
Of it's own. But yell find something
for
His words froze on his lips as
tawny mottled length flowed out
from the crevice, built itself up with
quick, sinuous twist into a coil of iv-
ing death. But, with a lightning quick
ness, the young man had seized his
oaken staff from the ground.
"Don't move, Toinette!" he cried: {:
and on the words the cudgel whirled
above his shoulders and struck the
venomous head like a thunderbolt. "A
long left arm swept down and plucked
the girl from the spot where the ugly
folds curled and fattened among the
rocks.
"Merciful heavenw cried the little
old man weakly, and buried his face in
his hands.
The girl drew a deep breath; and
the young man suddenly realized that
he was still straining her to his side.
He released her as though. she burned
L. 1-~1