The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-08-05
CHAPTER ~.
The Choosing Of Jim.

And then there came ten weeks
which were like dream, and are so
now to look back upon. would
weary you were to tell you what
passed between us, but oh how ear
nest and fateful and all-important It
was at the time. Her waywardness,
her ever-varying moods. now bright,
now dark like a 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 Edie
Calder, however near she might seem,
was in truth forever beyond my
reach.
1t was after Christmas. but the win
ter had been mild, with Just frost
enough to make 1t safe walking over
the peat bogs. One fresh morning
Edie had been out early, and she came
back to breakfast with fleck of color
on her cheeks.
HAS your friend, the doctors son
come home, Jack?" says she.
II heard that he was expected"
"Ah, then 1t must have been him
that I met on the muir"
"What? You met Jim Horscroft ?"
II am sure 1t must be he. A splen-
did-looking man, a 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 him?" said I.
She colored little, as If she had
said more than she meant II was GO
ing where the ground was little soft,
and he warned me of It" she said.
"Ah. it must have been dear old
jim" said 1. "Why. heart alive! here
is the very man HIMSELF" had seen
him through the kitchen window. and
now l rushed out with my half-eaten
hammock in my hand to greet him. He
ran forward. too. with his great hand
out and his eve shining.
"Ah, Jockw he cried, "it's good to
see 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. I
turned. and there was Edie. with such
a merry, roguish smile, standing in the
door. How. proud felt of her. and
of myself too, as looked at her.
"This is my cousin, Miss Edie CAL
der. Jim." said 1.
"Do you often take walks before
breakfast, Mr. Horscroft?" ?" she asked
still with that roguish smile.
"Yes." said he, staring at her with
all his eyes.
$50 do I. and generally over yon-
der" said she; but you are not very
hospitable to your friend. Jack. If you
do not do the honors l shall have to
take your place for the credit of West
Inch"
Well, in another minute we were in
with the old folk, and Jim had his
plate of porridge ladled out for him,
but hardly a word would he speak, but
sat, with his spoon In his hand, star
ing at Cousin Edie. She shot little
twinkling glances across at him all the
time. and 1t seemed to me that she was
amused at his backwardness, and that
she tried by what she said to give him
heart
Jack was telling me that you were
studying to be a DOCTOR" said she.
"But OH how hard 1t must be, and
how long It 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"
How candid and truthfuI you are 7"
she cried. and so they went on. she
decking him with every virtue and
twisting his words to make him play