Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-20
BY GRACE I. H. LUTZ,

pounded so that she felt quite com
scious. az II she we're going to steal
asSbarn and carry,it1 home in her coat
pocket. SIS
she; managed to signal the car to
stop quite quietly. however, and stery
ped down to>the. pavement as fit
were her regular stopping-place. she
was aware Of the curious gaze Of both
motorman and conductor, but she
held. her head up, and walked q few
'steps up Allister Avenue until the car
had whirred on out Of sight, Then
she turned anxiously, looking down
stone gable Of the great barn high on
its knoll in the distance.
CHAPTER n. !.
Shirley walked down the dusty
eiation and excitement in her breast.
What an adventure!. To be walking
alone in this strange, beautiful spring
country, and nobody to interfere! It
was her Fathers beautiful out-of-
doors, and she had paid her extra
nickel to have a right to it for a little
while. Perhaps her mother would
have been worried at. her being alone
In the country, but Shirley had no
xC0k0 L VuA6 PCORlo SOAAOAAA AA~vS
fears. She walked down the road with
q free step and q bright light in her
eyes. She had to see that barn some
how; she just had to-!
She was almost breathless when
she reached the bottom of the hill at
last. NJ stood in front Of the great
barn. The up a passed her just as
she got there. and the people looked
out at her alphabetically as they would
~ a NV o@yvrtpy OWL Cha ckNAA nf}11 q
minute, and watched the car. up the
hill and out Of sight, then picked her
way across the track and entered the
field where the fence was broken
down, walking up the long grassy
slope to the front Of the barn and
standing still at the top in front Of
the big double doors, so grim and for
bidding.
The barn was bigger than 1t looked
yet, her soul rejoiced in its bigness.
Oh. to have plenty Of room for once!
She put her nose close to the big
doors, and tried to find a crack to
look through: but the doors were
tight and fitted we'll. There was, no
use trying to see in from there. She
turned and ran down the long grassy
slope, trying to pretend it was a
palatial stairway, then around the
oA0O " (AAO 00SA W ~ OokIs VA
there at last she found a door part
way ajar, opening into what must
have been the cow-stables. and she
slipped joyously in. Some good angel
must have been protecting her in her
ignorance and innocence, for that
dark basement of the barn would
have been an excellent hiding place
for a whole regiment of tramps: but
she trod safely on her way. and found
rAthf~O hut q AA11.vsanssao IN A{avpStn
her entrance; and 1t scurried hastily
under the foundation, and disap-
peared.f
The cow-stables evidently had not
been occupied for q number Of years,
for the place was clean and Uttered
with dry straw. rs II it had fallen and
sifted from the door above. The
stalls were all, empty now. and old
farm implements, several ploughs.
dusty, cobwebby spaces beyond the
stalls. There were several openings,
rude doorways and crude windows;
and the place vas no. unpleasant, for
the back Of, it opened directly upon q
sloping hill which dropped away to
the running brook below, and a little
stone spring-house, it's NOISY roof
half hidden by a tangle Of Willows.
Shirley stood in doorway and gazed
with delight, then turned back in her
investigation. This lower place would
not do for human habitation. Of
course; it was too low and damp, and
the floor was only mud. She must
penetrate If possible to the floor
above.
Presently she found a rough ladder,
cleAts nailed to uprights against the
wall; and up this she crept cautiously
to the opening above, and presently
am arOod inf4 tho - UyiAn A0nr ~ thA
real barn.,
There were several small windows,
left, open. and the sweet spring. air
swept gently in; and there were little
patches Of pale sunshine in the misty
recesses Of the great dim room. Gentle
notes loated in the sharp lances Of
sunshine that stole through . the
cracks; another ladder rose in J the
midst Of the great floor to the loft
and cobwebs hung dustily down from
the opening above. After Shirley had
skipped about the big floor and inves-
tigated every corner Of It, imagining
how grand 1t would be to set the table
in one end Of the room and put
mothers bed behind a screen in the
other end. with the old piano some-
where in the center and the big parlor
chair, mended, near by, the old couch
covered with a portiere standing on
the other side, she turned her atten-
ton to the loft. and, gathering cour-
age, climbed up there.
There were two great openings that
let in the light; but they seemed like
tiny mouse -holes iii the great place,
and the hay lay sweet and dim, thinly
scattered over the whole big floor. In
one corner there was quite q, luxurious
lot of It. and Shirley cast herself
down upon it for q blessed minute,
and looked UP to the dark rafters. ut
through fanstastic cracks here and
there, and wondered how the boys
would enjoy. sleeping up here, though
there vas plenty Of room downstairs
for, q dozen sleeping-rooms for the
matter Of that. -
Foolish, Of course. and utterly Inn
toasible; Is all, day-dreams always
had been; but somehow It seemed 10
raal and beautiful ,thAt. she could
scarcely, bring herself to ablndon; It.
Neyeftheless, her i~nyestisation had
lat to .go down and eat her lunch
under the, biz tree out in the sunshine;
for II Mas. dark and stufty' inside, Al
though one could realize, how be4uti-
;fulait would be- with those two great
Doors flung wide. and light and air
The day, was perfect, and shirley
found q beautiful place to- nit, hiKh
and2sheltered, where she. would not
be doticed when the trolley.carS. tped
III; end, IS she ate her sandwiches,
ttflls piasxal where the grAssy rice
came up to the front Of the barn, ana
nav In thought her. mother sittinR
nth the children X thA door HnW