, 1918-03-14
Wine ofLife
@@
BY CATHERINE HoPsoN
Copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicate.)

"Want a lift?' called out a CHEEKY
voice, as jlngling sleigh bells slowed
up.
Amy Davanant, teacher of the Pine
Grove school, stepped aside in the road
at the approach of bells, and then
turned with n slight quicker between
her smooth brows at the futility of
the question. Her need of a lift was
obvious since she was floundering
through fourteen inches of unbroken
snow. Besides, she felt piqued that
Duncan Alden, unlike the other young
people In the community, had made
no effort to get acquainted since her
coming among them.
"Oh-it's you, Miss Davanant," Al
den said when he saw who it was.
Then he jumped out to help her in the
sleigh.
81 don't wonder you didn't recognize
me, I'm so wrapped up" she laughed,
as he tucked the robe around her.
"Why in the name of common sense
didn't the Perkinses take you to school
on a day like this?" he asked, when
the Jingle of bells began again.
She laughed. ''They seldom think
it's necessary. Their daughter, Anne
liza, once taught this school when she
was a girl, and walked back and forth
every day of the term. She set an
uncomfortable precedent"
"It's hard to live up to some one
else's reputation, especially In a win
ter like this"
maybe the paragon Amelia didn't
have so much snow to wade through.
But in most ways the Perkinses are
very kind to me-" she amended, lest
she should seem to disparage the good
people with whom she boarded.
Yves? But 1t must be pretty dull for
you there-just those two old people"
he glanced eommiseratingly at the
bright-eyed girl beside him.
at isn't exactly exciting" she ac-
knowledged.
When they reached the district
schoolhouse, the unbroken snow and
smokeless chimney told them that
they were the first arrivals.
"Oh, I'm afraid Ted isn't there" she
exclaimed in dismay. 'He's the boy 1
hired to build fires for me-"
"Allow me to be Ted this morning"
laughed he. I'm a good hand at fire
building. A case of practice making
perfect, you know"
She protested, but he had his way,
and soon had a glowing fire in the
rusty stove. This done, his glance
traversed the typical country school
room back to the dainty, city-bred girl
before him.
Genuine concern was in his face.
This blizzard's made travelling
mighty bad. I doubt If any Of the pu-
pills get here this morning. Most of
them live so far away. Whatn you do
If they don't conner"
"Oh, stay out the time. I'll have
to on account of the salary you know.
The directors aren't very lenient in
the matter of lost time"
'"That's so. But it's a pretty dreary
proposition. I'll drop In at noon to
see how you're making out" With q
few last laughing words of advice, he
left; and the merry sound of bells died
away in the distance.
He was right about the pupils. No
one came. Amy put in the morning
correcting papers and finishing pieces
of work she had been obliged to neg
lect in the stress of regular routine.
All the time, though she would not
acknowledge 1t to herself, the thought
of Alden's promise to drop in at noon
was a cheering factor.
However, when twelve o'clock came
he did not appear and she was setting
out a cold lunch from her lunch box
when she heard bells again. She opened
the door. Alden stood there, fur-coat-
ed, fur-capped, his dark eyes shining.
"Tm afraid I'm a bit late, Miss
Davanant." His keen glance took in
the forlorn, empty schoolroom. 81 see
my prophecy proved true"
She l%aughingly nodded.
"Pm glad of it." he said naively.
"For 1t makes possible the wish I've
peen harboriug that you would do me
the honor of taking pot-luck dinner
with me. I'm not much of a cook, but
/ can make bully soup; and I've a
whole kettle full on the stove in my
cabin"
Her eyes frightened, but hesitancy
shone in their depths.
"Oh, / know 1t may be q bit uncon-
ventional. But surely this blizzard
might allow us some latitude in that
direction. Besides, we have Lassle,
here, for a c~haperone," he nodded at
the gentle-eyed collie at his feet.
She laughed. at does seem as II
the storm might make some conces-
sions. But can you get back by one
o'clock2 l might have some pupils
by then, you know"
He ave hearty assurance, and be.
fore she could change her mind he