The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-07-29

Of talk; her proud whisk Of the dress
and toss Of the head, which made one
feel like the ground beneath her feet ;
and then the quick challenge in her
eye and the kindly word that brought
one up to her level again.
The more loved her the more
frightened I was at her; and she could
see the fright long before she knew
the love. 1 was uneasy to be away
from her; and yet, when I was with
her, was in shiver all the time for
fear my stumbling talk might weary
her OF give her offense. Had known
more Of the ways of women might
have taken less pains.
We found our level after time.
when she saw that she had just to do
what she liked and how she liked, and
that l was as much at her beck and
call as old Rob was at mine. You'll
think that l was fool to have had
my head so turned. and maybe l was !;
but, then, you must think how little
was used to women, and how much
we were thrown together. Besides,
she was a woman In a million, and
can tell you that 1t was a strong head
that would not be turned by her.
Why, there was Major Elliott, man
that had buried three wives. and had
twelve pitched battles to his name.
Edie could have turned him round her
finger like damp rag-she, only new
from the boarding school. I met him
hobbling from West Inch, the first
time after she came. with pink In his
cheeks and shine in his eye that
took ten years from him. He was
cooking up his gray mustaches at Ell
ther end, and curling them into his
eyes and strutting out with his sound
leg as proud as a piper. What she
had said to him the Lord knows, but
it was like old wine in his veins.
/ saw the corner of newspaper
thrusting out of his pocket, and ]
knew that he had come over, as was
his way. to give me sor1e news, for
we heard little enough at West Inch.
"What is fresh, major?" l asked.
He pulled the paper out with -four
ish. "The allies have won great
battle, my lad," says he. 81 don't
think Nap can stand up long against
over, and he's been badly beat at
Leipzig. Wellington is past the Pyr-
enees and Graham's folk will be at
Bayonne before long"
l chucked up my hat. "Then the
war will come to an end at last"
cried.
ave. and time. too" said he, shak-
ing his head gravely. ''It's been a
bloody business. But 1t is hardly
worth while for me to say now what
was In my mind about you"
"What was that?"
"well. laddie, you are doing nc
good here and now that my knee is
getting more timber / was hoping that
/ might get on active service again.
wondered whether. maybe, you might
like to do little soldering under me- y
My heart jumped at the thought
"Aye, would IT. cried.
But it'll be clear six months before
I'll be fit to pass board, and it's long
odds that Boney will be under lock
and key before that"
"And there's my mother" said 1.
'I doubt she'd never let me CO."
"Ah, well, she'll never be asked to
now" he answered, and hobbled on
upon his way.
l sat down among the heather, with
my chin ON my hand, turning the thing
over in mind and watching him in his
old brown clothes, with the end Of a
gray plaid Tapping over his shoulder
as he picked his way up the swell of
the hill. 1t was a poor life this at
West Inch. waiting TO fill my fathers
shoes, with the same heath and the
same gray house forever before me.
But over there-Over the blue sea-
ah. there was life fit for man.
For two days l turned it over in my
mind and on the third there came
something which first brought my res
olutions to a head and then blew them
all to nothing, like puff Of smoke
in the wind.
had strolled out in the afternoon
with Cousin Edle and Rob, until we
found ourselves on the brow of the
slope which dips away down to the
beach. pulled an armful of bracken
| to make couch for Edie, and there
she lay in her listless fashion, happy
and contented, for Of all folk that I
have ever met she had the most JOY
from warmth and light
There was a ship coming up with
the wind-a black, sedate old mer-
chantman-bound for Leith as likely
as not. Her yards were square and
she was running with all sail set. On
the other tack, coming from the north
east, were two great. ugly, lugger-like
craft with one high mast each, and a
big. square, brown sail. prettier
sight one would not wish than to see
the three craft dipping along upon so
fair day, but of sudden there came
a squirt of flame and whirl of blue