Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-25
CHAPTER II.
(COntinued.)

She rose and smiled as she look
ed into my face. / saw kind, gen
tie glow in her eyes that treasured
me. She clapped her hands witt
| Joy. She examined by palm anC
grew serious and stood looking
thoughtfully at the setting sun.
l see, now, her dark figure stand
ing against the sunlight as 1t stood
that day with Amos in its shadow
What a singular eloquence in her
pose and gesture and in her 81
lence. remember how it bound
our tongues-that silence of hers.
She covered her eyes with her left
hand as she turned away from US.
Slowly her right hand arose above
her head with its index finger ex-
tended and slowly came down TO
her side. 1t rose again with two
fingers showing and descended as
before. She repeated this gesture
until her four bony fingers had
been spread in the air above her.
How it thrilled me, Something
jumped to life in my soul at the
call of her moving hand. I passed
a new gate of my imagination,
fancy, and il I have a way Of my
own in telling things it began that
moment.
The woman turned with a kindly
smile and sat down in the grass
again and took the sheet of paper
and resting it on a yellow-coVered
book began to write these words:
II see the longing of the helper
One, two, three, four great perils
shall strike at him. He Shall not
be afraid. God shall I'LL his heart
with laughter. 1 hear guns, hear
voices. His name is in them. He
shall be strong. The powers of
darkness shall fear him, he shall
be a laWmaker and the friend of
God and of many people, and great
MEN shall bow to his judgment and
lie shall"
She began shaking her head
thOughtfully and did not finish the
sentence, and by and by the notion
came to me that some unpleasant
vision must have halted her pen
ell
Aunt Deel brought some lunch
con wrapped in paper and the old
woman took it and went away. My
aunt folded the sheets and put them
in her trunk and we thought no
more of hem until-but we shall
know soon what reminded us of the
prophet woman.
The autumn passed swiftly. 1
went to the village one Saturday
with Uncle Peabody in high hope of
seeing the Dunkelbergs, but at
their door we learned that they
had gone up the river on a picnic.
What blow it was to me! Tears
flowed down my cheeks as I chung
to my uncle's hand and walked
back to the main street of the vii
lage. A squad of small boys jeered
and stuck out their tongues at me.
1t was pity for my sorrow, no
doubt, that led Uncle Peabody to
take me to the tavern for dinner,
where they were assuaged by cakes
and jellies and chicken pie.
When we came out of the tavern
we saw Benjamin Grimshaw and
his son Amos sitting on the we'll /
curb. Each had a half-eaten dough- |
nut in one hand and an apple in /
ne other. / remember that Mr. |
Irimshaw said in a scolding man !
ler which made me dislike him:
"Baynes, I'm glad to see you so |
prosperous. Only the rich can af- |
ord to eat in taverns. Our dinner |
las cost us just three cents, an / |
wouldn't wonder if / was worth |
lbout as much as you are"
My uncle made no reply and we /
PASSED on to a store nearly oppos-
tie the well, where I became deep
y interestd in a man who had tap
BED me in the stomach with his
orefinger while he made a sound
ike the squealing of a rat. Then
ie said to Uncle Peabody:
Look at that man over there by
he Well He's the richest man in
his section o country. He owns
ialf of this village. I wouldn't
vonder If he was worthy fifty thou
and dollars at least. What do you
upppcge he spent for his dfnner?''
Three cents said my uncle.
Guess again-it was a cent and
half. He came in here and asked
ow much were the doughnuts. I
old him they were a cent apiece.
lie offered me three cents for four