The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1920-06-17

realised that however stern her aaass
Of Punishment had been, she was
nevertheless not Indifferent to him.
/, ne climax had been reached--and
passed: and the result had been far
from the disaster he had painted In
his minds eye ever since the knowh
edge had come to him that he was
doomed to battle to a Knockout with
Colonel Pennington, and that one OF
the earliest fruits of hostillties would
ner's priced friendship. Wen. he had
lost her friendship. but still small
voice whispered to him that the loss
was not reparable-whereat he
swung his axe as bandmaster swings
his baton; he was glad that he had
started the war and was now free to
fight II out unhampered.
Up hill and down dale he went,
Within two hours his long. tireless
stride brought him out into a clearing
in the valley where his own logging.
camp stood. He went directly TO the
log-landlng, where in listless and
Lalf-hearted manner the loading crew
wee pilIng logs on Pennington's log
ging trucks.
Bryce looked at his watch. II was
two O'Clock: at two Fifteen Penning-
toms locomotive would appear, to back
in and couple to the long line OF
trucks. And the train was only half
loaded.
where's McTavish?" Bryce de-
manded of the donkey-driver.
The man mouthed his quid. rat
copiously, wiped his mouth with the
back OF his hand, and pointed. up
at his shanty." he made answer, and
grinned at Bryce knowingly.
Up through the camps single short
street, fianked on each side with the
woodsmen's shanties. Bryce went. AZ
the most pretentious shanty on the
street Bryce turned In. He had never
seen II before. but he knew 1t TO be
the woods-boss's home, for unlike its
neighbors the house was painted with
the coarse red paint that 10 used on
box-cars, while fence. made OF fancy
pointed pickets painted white, inclosed
a tiny garden in front OF the house.
Az Bryce came through the gate. q
young girl rose from where she kneli
In bed OF freshly transpiantsd
pansies.
Bryce lifted his hat us Mr.. Nc
lavish at homer" he asked.
She nodded. 'IIe cannot zee any.
body" she FASTENED to add. He's
sick"
Il think he'll see me- And wonder
II you're MORA Mc'ravlsh.-
yes, I'm MORA :
4 I'm Bryce Cardigan"
A look of fright crept into the giri'f
eyes. "Are you Bryce Cardlganf
she faltered, and looked at him more
closely. "Yes. you're Mr. Bryce. You've
changed--but then It., ak years eince
we saw you last, mir. Bryce"
He came toward her with outstretch-
ed hand. "And you were a little girl
when saw you last. Now-youre a
woman" She grasped his hand with
the frank heartiness of man.
I'm twenty years old" she informed
him.
"Stand right where you are until
have looked at you" he commanded.
and backed off few feet, the better
to contemplate her
He saw girl slightly above medium
height, tanned, robust. simply gowned
In gingham dress. Her hands were
soiled from her recent labors In the
pansy-bed, and her shoes were heavy
and coarse; set neither hands nor feet
were large or ungrace1al. Her head
was we'll formed: her hair, jet black
and of unusual lustre and abundance,
was parted in the middle and held in
an old-fashioned coil at the nhpe Of
neck the beauty OF which was re-
vealed by the low cut of her simple
frock. Her nose was patrician, her
face oval; her lips. full and red. were
slightly parted in the adorable Cupid's
bow which Is the inevitable heritage g.
a short upper lip; her teeth were
white as Parian marble; and her full
breast was rising and falling swiftly,
as IL she labored under suppressed az
element.
SO delightful a picture did Mo,ra
McTavish make that Bryce forgot all
| his troubles In her sweet presence.
by the gods. MORA" he declaI ed
earnestly. you're a peachi WheE I
saw yousaast. you were awkward snC
leggy, like colt. I'm sure you weren't
bit good looking. And now you re
the most ravishing young lady in sAv-
enteen counties. BY lingo. Moira
you're a sumner and no MISTAKE. Are
you married?"
She shook her head. blushinz pleas
urably al his unpublished but sincav
compliments.
"What? Not married. why. what
the deuce can be the matter with the
eligible young fellows hereabouthT'
There aren't any eligible young fsl
lows hereabOuts, Mr.. Bryce. And TNx
lived In these woods all my life"
"Are you lonely. MaiEaf'