Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-11
The Light in
the Clearing
By IRVING BACHELLER
Copyright 1917. The Bobbs-MerrIn Co.

had done. l carefully surveyed nv
clothes. They looked all right M
me. My character was certainIv
no worse than II had been. How II
preyed upon my peace and rest ana
happiness that mysterious hidden
thing!
One day Uncle Peabody came
down to see me and walked
through the village with him. We
met Mr.. Dunkelberg. who merely
nodded and hurried along. Nj
Bridges, the merchant. did not greet
him warmly and chat with him AZ
he had been wont TO do. I saw that
The Thing-as I had come % think
Of twas following him also. How
ii darkened his face, Even now T
can feel the aching Of the deep.
oloodless wounds of that day.
could bear II better alone. We were
trying to hide our pain from each
other when we said good-by. How
quickly my uncle turned away and
walked toward the sheds, He came
rarely TO the village OF Canton
after that.
was going home az noon one
day and while passing a crowd OF
boys l was showed rudely into the
fence. Turning, I saw Henry Wills
and my fist flashed 10 his face. He
fell backward and rising called me
thief and the son of a thief. He
had not finished the words when
was upon him. The others formed a
ring around US and we began a saw
age battle. One Of Wills friends
tried TO trip me. In the midst OF Il
I saw the schoolmaster Just out
side the ring. He seized a boy oy
the collar.
"There1l be no more lnterfer-
ence." said he. IT'S goin' to be a
fair fight"
| had felt another unfriendly foot
but had not seen its owner. We
noses bleeding. At last the time had
come when l was quicker and
stronger than he. Soon Henry
Wills lay on the ground before me
with no disposition TO go on with
the fight. l helped him up and he
turned away from me Some Of the
boys began TO jeer him.
He's a gentleman compared with
the rest o. you" I said HE had
courage to say what he thought.
There's not another one o. you that
would dare do it-not 3 one o.
you"
Then said the schoolmaster:
IF there's any more o. you boys
that has any such opinion o Bart
Baynes let him be man enough 10
step up an say It now. Ii he don't,
he ought 10 be man enough 10
change his mind on the spot"
A number of the boys and certain
OF the townsfolk who had gathered
about us clapped their hands For
a long time thereafter I wondered
why Henry had called me a thief. I
concluded that it was because
thief" was the meanest word hs
could think of in his anger. How
ever that might be, The Thing for
sock me. I felt no more its cold,
mysterious shadow between ma
and my school fellows II had
stepped out of my path into that OF
Henry Wills. His popularity waned
and a lucky circum stance il was for
him. From that day he began 10
take to his books and 10 improve
his standing in the school.
I observed that he did not go
about with Sally as he had done. |
hau had no word with her since tbs
night of Mr.. Jackets lecture save
the briefest greeting as we passed
each other in the street. Those
hne winter days I used 10 see her
riding a chestnut pony with long
silver name that flowed back 10 he
yellow curls in his lOpe. | loved
the look of her as she went by me
in the saddle and a longing came
into my heart that she should think
we'll of me. I made an odd resolve.
1t was this: ! would make il I'm
possible for her 10 think Ill Of me.
| went home one Saturday, haV-
ing thought much OF my aunt and
uncle since The Thing had de-
seconded upon us. / found them well
and as cheerful as ever For fear
of disturbing their peace | said
nothing of my fight with Wills or
the cause Of it. Uncle Peabody had
cut the timber for our new house
and hauled II 10 the mill I re-
turned to school IN a better mind
about them.
Continued tomorrow