The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1920-01-01
CHAPTER ~.

Doctor Hardy recovered from MS IN
juries as rapidly as could be expected
and. while he chafed somewhat over
spending his holidays under such cir
cumstances, the time passed not I'M
happily.
A considerable acquaintanceship had
sprung up between him ard the senior
Eden. The rancher had come from the
East forty years before, but In turning
over their memories the two men
found many links Of association: third
persons known to them both; places,
even streets and houses. common to
their feet In early manhood; events of
local history which each could recall,
although from different angles. And
Elden's grizzled head and STOPPING
frame carried more experiences than
would ill q dozen well-rounded city
lives, and he had the story-teller's art
which scorns to spoil dramatic effect
by too strict adherence to fact. But
no ray OF conversation would he admit
into the more personal affairs Of his
heart, or of the woman who had been
his wife, and even when the talk
turned on the boy he quickly withdrew
it to another topic, as though the sub
ject were dangerous or distasteful. But
once. after long silence following such
diversion, had he betrayed himself
into a whispered remark, an outburst
OF feeling rather than a communica-
ton.
I've been alone so much" he said.
ut seems 1 have never been anything
but alone. And-sooner or later-it
gets you-it gets you"
"You have the boy" ventured the
doctor.
"No," he answered, almost f1ercely.
"That would be different. could
stand II then. But / haven't got him.
and I can't get him. He despises me
because-because / take too much at
times" He paused as though wonder
Ing whether to proceed with this I'M
wonted confidence. but the ache in his
heart insisted on Its right to human
sympathy. mo, II amt that" he con-
tinued. HE despises me because he
thinks wasn't fair to his mother. He
can't understand. wanted TO be good
to her, to be close to her. Then took
the brandin'-iron roars to drown his
hurt. But the boy don't understand.
He despises me-" Then, after a long
silence: "No matter. 1 despise my
self"
The doctor placed q hand on his
shoulder. But Eden was himself
again. The curtains OF his life, which
he had drawn apart for a moment, he
whipped together again rudely, almost
viciously, and covered his confusion by
pIunging into tale Of how he had led
n breed suspected Of cattle-rustling on
little canter Of ten miles with a rope
about his neck and the other end tied
to the saddle. "He ran WELL" said the
old man. chuckling still at the reminls-
cence. "And IL was lucky he did. 1t
was a strong rope"
The morning after Dave had brought
In the borrowed saddle Irene appeared
In a sort OF bloomer suit, somewhat
wonderfully contrived from a spare
skirt, and announced q willingness 70
risk life and limb on any horse that
Dave might select for that purpose. He
provided her with a dependable mount
and their first journey, taken somewhat
gingerly along the principal trail, was
accomplished without incident. II was
the forerunner Of many others, plung-
ing deeper and deeper into the fast
nesses OF the foothills and even into
the passes Of the very mountains them
selves. His patience was infinite and,