Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-18
ruIs REGINs THE STORY

3o'k, ,,,a;mation a Of the mystery Nth
sn mnm::It "a later surrounded. Ho has
~A'cn ny !" oroup of men ioith orders
cso,Vs be alloped to approach
nof novob bv nioht or day. IL is
M nVuS6b ,bot Mcclure is desperately
eg'oen' somebodp. One of the men,
etrd" ~ ~ oTs seems to be Uerv fond
Shde cameron and is inclined to
.lv Dl ,sith Peter as a consequence;
9esmV ignores his sullenncss and
fe,;o,s feS; him concerning pans
ssmorlv follo,oed for, protection.
IoIm''w ,waount a high sand dune, from
as.ch assyh thev can see O pide stretch
St country. ,.s
,u1s dune was at the end OF the first
s,r,s ..cruise' and Shad had risen
srotorv to returning toward Black
ear when they both heard a. sound
.r - Of TO their right, borne down to
.,.m clearly on the breeze-the voice OF
.sp.,b" said shad with kindling
And then carelessly spat, to con-
zeal his emotlohs'
~ "wh.t on earth can she be doing In
l.re?" asked Peter.
mnn,v half mic from the road. It's
=. short cut from Gaskill's.'
"I see," from Peter.
"Do YOU reckc. you can find your
go, hack alone, Nichols?" said shad,
vpitting again.
pster grinncd. II reckon I can try, "
he said. =
chad pointed With his long arm in
,he general direction Of Heaven. THAT
vayv - he muttercd and went into the
scrub oak with indecent haste.
peter sat looking with undisguised
,,,srest Mt the spot where he had dis
.roeored, tracing him for a while
tbroush the moving foliage, listening to
N. cracking of the underbrush, as the
sounds receded.
II was time to be turning homeward,
hut the hour was still inviting, the
breeze balmy, the sun not too warm, so
Peter lay back among the grasses in the
sand smoking fresh cigarette. Far
overhead buzzards were wheeling. They
recalled those other birds of prey that
hs Ind often watched, ready to swoop
down along the lines of the almost de-
fenseless Russians. Here all was SO
ouiet. The world was very beautiful
mace II men would only leave it so.
| The voice of the girl was silent now.
shad had probably Joined her. Some
how, Peter hadn't been able to think
OF any relationship, other than the
cousiniv one. between Shad Wells and
Beth. He had only known the girl for
. half an hour, but as Aunt Tillie Bergen
had said, her niece seemed different from
the other natives that Peter had met.
. Her teeth were sound and white, sug-
costing habits Of personal cleanliness
her conversation, though careless,
showed at the very least grammar
school training. And Shad - well
Shad was nothing but "Piney.'
Pity-with a voice like that-she
ought to have had opportunities-this
scornful little Beth. Peter closed his
eyes and dozed. He expected to have
no difficulty in finding his way home,
for he had n pocket compass and the
road could not be far distant. He liked
this place. He would build tower
| here, a hundred foot tower, Of timbers.
and here a man should be stationed all
day-to watch for wisps of smoke dur
Ing the hunting season. Smoke
Tower In moment he snored
gently.
"Halloo!' came voice in his dream.
"Halloo! Halloo!"
Peter started rubbing his eyes, aware
Of the smoking cigarette in the grasses
beside him.
Stupid, that! To do the very thing
he had been warning Shad Wells
against. He smeared the smoking stub
out in the sand and sat up yawning
and stretching his arms.
"Halloo!' said the voice in his
dream, almost at his ear. '"Tryin' to
set the woods afre?'
The question had the curious drop
ping intonation at its end. But the
purport annoyed him.
Nothing that she could have said could
have provoked him morel Behind her
he saw the dark face Of Shad Wells
break into grin.
II fell asleep" said Peter, getting
to his feet.
Beth laughed. "Lucky you weren't
burned to death. Then how would the
trees get alongE'
Peters toe burrowed after the de-
funct cigarette.
II know what I'm about" he NUT
tered, aware Of further loss of dig
nifty.
"0h, do you? Then which way were
you thinkin Of goin' home?"
Peter glanced around, pointed vaguely,
and Beth Cameron laughed.
i guess you'd land in Egg Harbor,
or thereabouts."
Her laugh was infectious and Peter
at last echoed it.
=, You d better be goin' along with US.
snad asked me to come and get you,
didn't you, Shad"
:, Peter glanced Mt the woodsman's
ehck scowl and grinned, recalling his
into the bushes.
I'm sure, I'm very much obliged
WWyou both" said Peter automatically.
bnt | think ! can find my way in"
4, Not If You start for Hammonton or
AoSecon, you can't. I've known peo-
PIE to spend the night In the woods a
suarter OF a mile from home"
al, shouldn't mind that"
But Shad would. He'd feel a great
ttssponsibility If you didn't turn up
Ehad?' ''''
,,ad slad wagged his head indetermi-
sn,'ay, s,S'sy, and spat. Come on, he said
ou. oout.eniy, and turned, leading the way
wit VII 10 the northward, followed by Beth
S%sn an inviting smile. She still wore
tNa s Denim oyeralls which were much
Soo,Il lohs Tor her and her dusty brown
m"n vas seemed like child's. Between
PtehtS OF avoiding roots and branches,
AZ f ~ watched her strong young figure
| loll0Wed their lender. YeSterdny.