Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-08-20
CHAPTER ~.
The Choosing Of Jim.

And then there came ten weeks
which were like dream. and are so
now Ia look back upon. would
weary you were ! TO tell you what
passed between us. hut oh how ear
nest and fateful and nll-important. II
was at the time. Her waywardness.
her ever-varylng moods, now bright,
now dark like meadow under drift
ing clouds, her causeless angers, her
sudden repentances, each In turn fill
ing me with Joy or sorrow--these
were my life, and all the rest was but
emptiness. But ever deep down be-
hind all my other feelings was vague
disquiet-a fear that l was like the
man who set forth to lay hands upon
the rainbow, and that the real Edle
Oaider, however near she might seem,
was In truth forever beyond my
reach.
Ii was after Christmas. but the win
ter had been mild. with Just frost
enough to make II safe walking over
the peat boys. One fresh morning
Edie had been out early, and she came
back to breakfast with feck OF color
on her cheeks.
"TIas your friend, the doctors son
come home, Jnck2" says she.
Il heard that he was expected"
"Ah. then II must have been him
t3iat l met on the muir"
"Whatf You met Jim HorscroftT
II am sure II must be he. A splen-
did-looking man, hero, with curly
black hair. a short, straight nose, and
gray eyes. He was dressed In gray,
and he has grand. deep. strong
voice"
"Ho, no. you spoke TO hlmY' said l.
She colored little. as II she had
sa1d more than she meant. Il was go
ing where the ground was a little soft,
and he warned me OF It." she said.
"Ah, II must have been dear old
Jim" said I. "Why. heart alive here
L. the very man himselfl- I had seen
him through the kitchen window, and
now rushed out with my half-eaten
hammock in my hand 10 greet him. He
run forward, too, with his great hand
out and his eye shining,
-Ah. Jock I" ne cried, ats good TO
zee you again. There are no friends
like the old ones" Then suddenly he
stuck in his speech and stared. with
his mouth open, over my shoulder
turned, and there was Edie, with such
n merry, rogulsh smile, standing in the
door. How proud l felt OF her, and
81 myself too. as looked at her.
This is my cousin, Miss Edie Cal
der. jim" said !.
"Do you often take walks before
breakfast, Mr.. Horscroftr' she asked.
still with that rogulsh smile.
Yes" said he, staring at her with
all his eyes
80 do 1, and generally over yon-
DER" said she; ''but you are not very
hospltable to your friend, Jack II you
DO not do the honors / shall have 20
tnke your place for the credit of West
Inch"
Well In another minute we were in
with the old folk, and Jim had his
psate OF porridge ladled out for him,
but hardly n word would he speak. but
sat, with his spoon IN his hand ,Sstar-
ing at Cousin EdIe She shot little
twinkling glances across at him all the
time. and II seemed TO me that she was
amused at his backwardness, and that
she tried by what she said TO give him
heart.
sack was telling me that You were
studying TO be DOCTOR" said she.
But oh how hard 1t must be, and
how long II must take before one can
gather so much learning as that"
at takes me long enough" jim an
swered, ruefully, "but I'll beat 1t yet"
SLOW candid and truthful you are"
khe cried, and so they went on, she
decking him with every virtue and
twisting his words TO make him play
ne part, IN the way that / knew so