The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-05-17

conditions. Und II ISIS largely because
Off Ignorance. We know not vot We can
do-und We shrink vrom der unknown.
Here iss acres by der dousand Vree
to der man vot can on II make use
ind dousands vot liffs und dies und
neffer hass home. Here ISIS goot,
CLEAN air-und In der shmoke und
shmells und dirty streets ISIS a ravage
Of tuberculosis. Der balance ISIS not
true. Und In der own way der rich
iss full Off drouble-drunk nit eggcite-
ment, weary NIT pleasures. Ach, der
woods und mountains und streams,
blenty OF food, und a kindly neIghbor
ISIS not dot enough? Only der alb
normal wants more as dot. Und dlnk
der drouble ISIS largely dot der modern,
hlgh-bressure Utilization makes for der
abnormal, vedder a man ISIS a million
alre or works In der brewery, content
ment iss state on der mlnd-und II
der mind works NIT logic It will content
find In der simple dings."
1t sounded like announcement Of
Bits. But Lauer did not often grow
serious. Mostly he was jov1ally cheer.
full, and his wife likewise. The North
had emancipated them, and they were
loyal to the source Of their deliver
ance. And Hazel understood, because
she herself had found the wild land
benefactor, kindly In its silence. rest
full in its forested peace, cure for
sickness Of soul. Twice now 1t had
rescued her from herself.
November and December went their
appointed way-and still no word of
Bill. If now and then her pillow was
wet she struggled nightly against de-
preston. She was not lonely In the
dire significance Of the word-but she
longed passlonately for him. And
she held fast to her faith that he
would come.
The last of the old year she went
little abroad, ventured seldom beyond
the clearing. And on New Years eve
Jake Lauer's wife came to the cabin
to stay.
Hazel sat up, wide awake, on the In
slant. There was not the slightest
sound. She had been deep In sleep.
Nevertheless she felt, rather than
knew, that some one was In the living
room. Perhaps the sound of the door
opening had filtered through her slum-
Der. She hesltated an instant, not
through fear, because in the months of
living alone fear had utterly forsaken
her; but hope had leaped so often.
only to fall sickeningly, that she was
half persuaded it must be dream.
Still the impression strengthened. She
slipped out Of bed. The door Of the
bedroom stood slightly ajar.
Bill stood before the fireplace. his
shaggy fur cap pushed far back on his
head, his gauntlets swinging from the
cord about his neck. She had left a
great bed of Goals on the hearth, and
the glow shone redly on his frost-scab-
bed face. But the marks Of bitter trail
bucking, the marks of frostblte, the
stubby beard, the tiny icicles that still
clustered on his eyebrows; while these
traces Of hardship tugged at her heart
they were forgotten when she saw the
expression that overshadowed his face.
Wonder and unbelief and longing were
all mirrored there. She took a shy
step forward to see what riveted his
gaze. And despite the choking SEN
sation In her throat she smiled-for
she had taken of her little, beaded
moccasins and left them lying on the
bearskin before the fire. and he was
staring down at them like man fresh
wakened from dream, unbelieving
and bewildered.
With that she opened the door and
ran to him. He started, as II she had
been a ghost. Then he opened his arms
and drew her close to him
"Bill, Bill, what made you so longf
she whispered. 81 guess 1t served me
right. but 1t seemed a never-ending
time"
"What made me 50 long" he
echoed. bending his rough cheek down
against the warm smoothness of hers.
Lord. I didn't know you wanted me.
I amt no telepathlst, hon. You never
peeped one little word since / left.
How long you been herer
"Since last September" She smiled
up at him Didn't Courvoiseur's man
deliver q message from me to the
minef Didn't you come In answer to
my noteT'
"Great Caesars ghost-since Sep
tember-alonel You poor little grill"
he murmured- mo. II you sent word
to me through Courvoiseur never got
It Maybe something happened to his
man. ! left the Klappan with the first
snow. Went poking aimlessly over
around the Finlay river with a couple
Of trappers. Couldn't settle down.
Never heard a word from you. I'd
given you up. Just blew In this way
by sheer accident. Girl. girl, you don't
know how good It is to see you again,
to have this warm body Of yours cud-
died up to me again. And you came
right here and planted yourself to wait
till turned upV'
"Surel" She laughed happily. But
l sent you word, even II you never got |
It. On. well, II doesn't matter. Moth
ing matters now. You're here and