Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-14
CHAPTER II tContinuedl.

S~sSN @h SAAS POA40SkAy dPR01s
ent; and that he had set her upon a
pedestal was also clear. Further, he
could see that the. giants devotion
made no appeal to her, for what
reason he could not guess. Tor there
was a fine. lovable quality 1n Wool
craft. which. together with his per-
sonal appearances (which had inn
came to the shack). might have made
a favorable impression on any woman
In her position. That Woolcraft
Imeant to marry her II he could, Adam
was sure, and felt that this would
probably be the best solution Of a dis
appointment, therefore, to see the cool
way in which she accepted the fight
out to work with a little frown Of per-
plexity puckering his handsome
brows.
For Pearl was undoubtedly becom-
ing something Of a problem. Her
health had improved greatly, yet she
was far from Nbeing we'll enough to
permit her to look for work. And
even when she should become SO, the
question of where and how she could
knew the sort Of difficulty that would
be made about her past, and the girl
had been too deeply marked by her
life Ito disguise the traces Of 1t read
lily: To turn her, loose would, have
only n result, and was therefore not
to be considered. He devoutly wished
that old Jerry might be heard from,
but that gay musician gave no sign
n Adams letters had reached him.
Neither, for that matter, did Mon
roe. Adam had written a second time,
and had paid several visits to the posi-
Office in vain. The idea Of telephon-
ing his guardian did occur to him, but
somehow the prospect Of actually
speaking with that austere gentleman
SO difficult to escape saying too much
on the telephone. The safeguard Of
writing what he wished to say without
fear of becoming confused by unex-
pected comment or. question, suited
him far better. Still, he wished that
Monroe would ahSwer him. for, in
view of his talk with Brock, the pro-
night Pearl asked II her father had
not been heard from. Her voice spoke
more of fear that he had written, than
of hope that he would.
mo-" said Adam in reply to her
question. Il have had no word. But
you must remember this is your home;
you promised to, you know. And per-
haps we shall hear before long. My
correspondents don't seem in any
hurry to answer. Il wrote to my
guardian at the same time, and he
has not replied, either. I am begin
ming to wonder if my noble cousin can
have interfered in n way"
"Breck!" said Pearl in 4 low tone.
"He went out west after college. Does
he live here all the time. now?"
EYES," Adam replied. "He works in
my guardians Office"
"Oh," said the girl. For a moment
she looked Is though sheNwere about
to ask another question, but seeing
Adam return to the newspaper he had
been reading, r%efrained, and on
tinued to work at the sock she was
darning.
For a half-an-hour longer he read,
and then. folding the paper and hand
ing it to Woolcraft, arose and stretch
ed himself luxuriously.. 1t was We
ming, and the four, had been sitting
around the lamp after supper, con-
trary to their usual custom Of oc-
cupying the veranda; for the night
was uncommonly cool, owing to a rain
and northwesterly wind that had not
watched Adam a%nxiously, as though
fearing. yet anticipating with certi-
tude what he would do next.
Think I'll go for a little walk"
said he, filling his pipe and lighting it.
His face was very sober, though he
spoke indifferentlN and the warm
lamplight showed him off to fine ad-
vantage. To Pearl he looked like a
god. and there was q world of pain
and passion in her eyes as she dumbly
watched him pick up his old brown
cap, and go out.
Old Mr.. Kipp stirred from the doze
through which he had been watching
the scene with half-an-eye, like one
! of his cats.
Reckon Adam must be a-courtin',"
said he. This makes every night this
week he's been OUT"
Pearl sat erect like a startled ami
NAL, and formed a soundless protest
with white lips. But the old man had
sunk back into his doze again, and did
not see what his words had done.
Woolcraft, however, saw with a pang.
and, speeches. through hurt, watched
as she gathered up her work with a
fierce gesture and left the room with
out so much as Good night"
When she had closed the door of
her room behind her. she stood
against it for a long moment in the
whitey-darkness, her breath coming
hard, her handful Of sewing clutched
kagainst her breast BY listening in
tently she learned that Adam had
paused on the porch. She heard him
strike a match as though his pipe had
gone out, and then stroll leisurely to-
ward the gate. Then she made q quick
note of the fact that the other two
men were still in the room beyond,
and crossing to the window, looked
out. Yes, there Adam was in the very
act Of swinging the gate open. She
against the light of the street. lamp.
Then he was gone, and a sudden reso-
luton seized her. Picking up her old
red hat, she raised. the window higher,