Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-12
CHAPTER XIII.
(Continued.)

May had returned-a warm,
bright May. The roads were dry.
The maple leaves were bigger than
a squirrels foot, which meant as
we'll, I knew, that the trout were
jumping. The robins had returned.
I had entered my seventeenth year
and the work of the term was I'm
ished.
Having nothing to do one after
noon, l walked out on the roao
toward Ogdenburg for a look at the
woods and fields. Soon | thought
that l heard the sound of galloping
hoofs behind me. Turning, l saw
nothing. but imagined Sally coming
and pulling up at my side. won
deIed what I should say X she were
really to come.
Sally" 1 exclaimed. 81 have
been looking at the violets and the
green fields and back there l saw
a thorn tree turning white, but l
have never seen no fairer thing
than you"
They surprised me little-those
fine words that came so easily.
What a school of talk was the house
l lived in those days.
II guess I'm getting Mr.. Hacket s
gift o. CAB" / said to myself.
Again | heard the sound Of gal
Looping hoofs and as looked back
I saw Sally rounding the turn by
the river and coming toward me at
full speed, the name of her pony
flying back to her face. She pulled
up beside me just as I had mag
ined she would do.
Bart, 1 hate somebody terribly"
said she
Whom?
"a man who is coming to our
house on the stage today. Granny
Barnes is trying to get up match
between us. Father says he is rich
and hopes he will want to marry
me. I got mad about it. He is four
years older than I am. Isn't that
awful? l am going to be just as
mean and hateful to him as I can"
Il guess they're only fooling you, y
I said.
no, they mean it. I have heard
them talking it over"
He San not marry you"
'Why?"
II seemed to me that the time had
come for me to speak out, and with
burning cheeks | said:
Because | think that God has
married you to me already. Do
you remember when we kissed each
other by the Wheat-field one day
last summer"
Eyes" She was looking down at
the name of her pony and her
cheeks were red and her voice re-
minded me of the echoes that fill
the cavern of violin when a string
is touched.
Seems to me we were married
that day. Seems so. every time |
think of 1T, God asked me all the
questions an I answered yes to
EN- Do We remember after we had
kissed each ether how that little
bird sang?"
Yes"
We had faced about and were
walking back toward Canton, l
close by 'the pony's side.
May l kiss you again.
She stopped the pony and leaned
toward me and our lips met in
kiss the thought of which makes me
lay down my pen-and bow my head
a moment while I think with rev.
erence of that pure. sweet spring
of memory in whose waters l love
to wash my spirit.
We walked on and a song spar
row followed us perching on the
fence-rails and blessing US with his
song.
Il guess God has married us
again." I declared.
4 knew that you were walking
on this road and l had to see you"
said she. People have been say
ing such terrible things"
WHAT"
They say your uncle found the
pocketbook that was lost and kept
the money. They say he was the
first man that went up the road aft
er it was lost"
Now The Thing stood uncovered
before me in all its ugliness-The
Thing born not OF hat but of the
mere love of excitement in people