The Yale expositor., 1920-09-09

she cried, and so they went on, she
decking him with every virtue and
] twisting his words 10 make him play
the part, in the way that / knew so
well. Before she was done / could
see that his head was buzzing with her
beauty and her kindly words. !
thrilled with pride TO think he should
think so well of my kin.
Isn't she fine, Jim?" / could not
help saying when we stood alone out
side the door, he lighting his pipe be
fore he set off home.
Fine" he cried. 81 never saw her
match"
Were going to be married." said I.
The pipe fell out of his mouth, and
he stood staring at me. Then ne
picked 1t up and walked of without a
word. I thought that he would likely
come back, but he never did, and
saw him far of walking up the brae
with his chin on his chest.
But ! was not to forget MIN, for
Cousin Edie had a hundred questions
to ask me about his bOyhood. about
his strength, about the women tina
he was likely to know; there was no
satisfying her And then again, later
in the day, l heard of him, but in a
less pleasant fashion.
1t was my father who came home
in the evening with his mouth full of
poor Jim. He had been deadly drunk
since midday, had been down TO West
house Links to fight the gypsy cham
pion. and it was not certain that the
man would live through the night. Ny
father had net Jim on the highroad,
dour as thunder cloud, and with an
insult in his eye for every man that
passed him. "Guid sakes!" said the
old man. Hell make fine practice
for himself If breaking bones will do
it," Cousin Ede laughed at all this,
and i laughed because she did, but /
was not SO sure that 1t was funny.
On the third day afterward / was
going up Corriemuir by the sheep
track, when who should see striding
down but Jim himself. But he was
another man from the big, kindly fell
low who had supped his porridge with
us the other morning. He had no col
lar nor tie, his vest was open, his hair
matted, and his face notified like
man who has drunk heavily overnight.
He carried an oak stick, and he
slashed at the whin bushes on either
side of the path.
"Why, Jim :" said /.
But he looked at me In the way that
I ho xxh ha
devil was strong in him, and when he
knew that he was in the wrong, and
yet set his will to brazen IL out. Not
word did he say. but he brushed past
me on the narrow path, and swag-
gered on, still brandishing his stick
and cutting at the bushes.
All well, was not angry with him.
was sorry, very sorry, and that was
all. OF course / was not so blind but
that could see how the matter stood.
He was in love with Edie, and he could
not bear 10 think that l should have
her. Poor devil how could he help itf
Maybe / should have been the same.
There was a time when l should have
wondered that girl could have turned
strong mans head like that, but
knew more about it now.
For a fortnight l saw nothing OF
Jim Horscroft, and then came the
Thursday which was to change the
whole current of my life.
had woke early that day, and, with
little thrill of joy, which is a rare
thing to feel when a man first opens
his eyes. Edle had been kinder than
usual the night before. and had fallen
asleep with the thought that maybe at
last l had caught the rainbow, and
that, without any imaginings or make
believes, she was learning to love plain
Jack Calder of West Inch. 1t was this
thought, still at my heart, which had
given me that little morning chirrup of
joy. And then / remembered that II
I FASTENED I might be In time for her.
for 1t was her custom to go out with
the sunrise.
But i was too late. When / came
to her door II was half open and the
room empty. Well, thought i, at least
l may meet her and have the home
ward walk with her. / zigzagged up
the steep pathway, breathing in the
thin, keen morning air, and humming
Tilt as / went, until came out, little
short of breath, among the whins
upon the top. Looking down the long
slope of the farther side, l saw Cousin
Edie as had expected, and / saw jim
Horscroft walking by her side.