Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-01-18
CHAPTER III.
Three Quarters and Six Eighths.

kzz--A1g the week which had preceded
it. Caleb Hunter, rising from an IN
easy night, blamed his sleeplessness
upon the weather. It was fully an hour
before his usual not TOO early hour OF
rising when he slowly descended the
wide stairway, and yet he was but lit
tie surprised to find the boy already
there before him seated upon the top
step Of the yeranda when he strolled
outside
Chin in PALM elbow upon knee, Steve
was gazing fi1edly in the direction Of
Dexter AlliSOn'S StuccO and timber
summer lodge" and, although Caleb
could not have known it, there had
been no need for his. silence, for the
boys rapt preoccupatiOn was sound
proof. Caleb heard voices coming from
behind the s:Irubbery. and just as he, a
little perpleX2d, turned to follow the di-
rectiOn of that fascinated gaze Allison
himself squeezed through narrow
aperture i'll the box hedge and hailed
him joyially from the far edge of the
lawn. And Caleb Hunters brOWS drew
together in bit OF Il froWn when
slender figure in killed black velvet
and bright buckleG low shoes, hatless
and with thick. cleaning hair bobbed
Short III style strange to Morrison in
those days flashed through behind him,
for Caleb heard the short gasp which
came from the boys lips even before
the little girl had paused il her darling
advance on tiDtOe like a lowering but
terhy TO wave a slim hand at him.
Caleb heard the boys breath suck in
between tight teeth; heard it culver
unsteadily as she appeared on swift
fcet-and Caleb understood what had
been holding so closely bis attention
He understood absolutely and vet,
strange as tie mood Was. at that mo-
ment he couldn't help but feel. too,
somehow Il little sorry for the boy-he
could not help but think His eyes
went from Stoye's forward thrust
head, from the hair. shaggy and I'M
kempt for all it's fneness and thickness
and Wavy softness, across to that
dainty vision which, poised in her alb
surdly short skirt like point of flame,
was already gazing back at the boy
upon the steps in open and undisguised
amaze
All of that characteristic which had
been most pronounced in Dexter ALI
son the latter had passed down to this
slender girl who was his daughter,
Barbara. No matter how vivid Ali
sons raiment had been. Caleb remeni-
bered that even when Dexter was a
STRIPPING at school it had always seem
than just protection for his body.
Caleb had never given it a serious
thought up to that moment, but now it
came back to him with added cumula-
tive force. lie recollected that he had
often wondered at the child's uncon-
scious adaptation Of mood to the
clothes she happened to be wearing
He recalled how he had seen her de-
mure and distant in misty, pastel tint
ed party frocks or quantity, infantile-
1y dignifed in soberer Sunday morn
ing garb.
Caleb caught his first Illuminating
glimpse OF the woman she was to be
of the dainty grace and more than
usual beauty which were there in the
promise of the years. and he. who was
fond of insisting to his sister Sarah
that there was many a boy back in
those hills who, with his chance. might
some day achieve greatness, suddenly
realized how long and weary the road
would be for just such a one as the
fascinated little figure on the steps
before he could begin to approach that
level which, to society that Caleb
understood, was typified by this ex-
Quisite elfin figure. Dexter Allison's
daughter
He was no snob, Caleb Hunter, and
yet the little girls bearing at that mo-
ment doubly accented for him the
gulf which lay between her and the
hills boy, by name Steve. For, though
she did pause to stare at his whre
drill trousers and unbelievable mar
sized boots with frankly childish -
constituent, the next instant she na3
recovered herself and without another
glance preceded her father across the
grass. Quite as though Steve had not
been there at all. she passed him to
hesitate demurely at Caleb's side.
"Good morning. Uncle Cal" she
greeted him.
And then quite suddenly Caleb didn't
feel so very sorry. after all. for his lit
tie visitor. He stopped plying him.
Steve's eyes had not wavered once
from the little girls face. from the
time she appeared in the hedge gap un-
til she mounted the steps. utterly OBJ