The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1921-03-02
CHAPTER x.

A careful analysis of Shirley's feel
ings toward Bryce Cardigan immedi-
ately following the incident In Pen
nington's woods, had showed her that
under more propitious circumstances
she might have fallen In love with that
tempestuous young man in sheer rec
ognition of the many lOvable and man.
ly qualities she had discerned in him.
AS an Offset to the credit side OF
Bryce's account with her, however,
there appeared certain debts in the
consideration of which Shirley always
lost her temper and was Immediately
quite certain she loathed the unfor-
tunate man.
He had been an honored and (for
aught Shirley knew to the contrary
welcome guest in the Pennington home
one night, and the following day had
assaulted his host, committed great
bodily injuries upon the latter's en-
ployees for little or no reason save the
satisfaction of an abominable temper,
made threats of further violence, de-
clared his unfaltering enmity to her
nearest and bestowed relative, and In
the next breath had had the insOlence
to pirate of his respect and admiration
for her.
However, all of these grave crimes
and misdemeanors were really insig-
nfficant compared with his GROWING
offense. What had Infatuated Shirley
was the fact that she had been at some
pains to inform Bryce Cardigan that
she loathed him-whereat he had
looked her over coolly, grinned little,
and declined to believe her! Then.
seemingly as If fate had decreed that
her futility should be impressed upon
her still further, Bryce Cardigan had
been granted an opportunity to save,
in strikingly calm heroic and pain
full manner, her and her uncle from
certain and horrible death, thus plac-
ing upon Shirley an obligation that
was as irritating to acknowledge as 1t
was futile to attempt to reciprocate.
That was where the shoe pinched.
Before that day was over she had
been forced to do one Of two things
acknowledge in no uncertain terms her
Indebtedness to him, or remain silent
and to be convicted of having been, In
plain language, rotter. So she had
telephoned him and purposely left
ajar the door to their former friendly
relations.
Monstrousi He had seen the open
door and deliberately slammed 1t in
her face. Luckily for them both she
had heard, all unsuspected by him as
he slowly hung the receiver on the
hook, the soliloquy wherein he gave
her a pointed hint of the distress with
which he abdicated-whieh knowledge
was all that deferred her from despis-
ing him with the fervor of woman
scorned.
The fascination which a lighted
candle holds fora moth is too well
known to require further elucfdatiOn
here. In yielding one day to desire
to visit the Valley Of the Giants, Shir-
ley told herself that she was going
there to gather wild blackberries. She
had been thinking of a certain black
berry pie, which thought naturally in
duced reflection on Bryce Cardigan
and reminded Shirley of her first visit
| TO the Giants under the escort of boy
in knickerbockers.
Her meeting with MORA McTavisf
that day, and the subsequent friend
ship formed with the woods-boss
daughter, renewed all her appFehen
sions. On the assumption that Shir
ley and Bryce were practically
strangers to each other Gan assump
ton which Shirley, for obvious rea
sons, did not attempt to dissipate)
i MORA did not hesitate to mention
Bryce very frequently. To her he wa
the one human being in the worlt
utterly worth while, and it Is nat
ural for women to discuss, fire
quently and at great length, tn
subject nearest their hearts. Moir'
described Bryce in minute detail an
related to her eager auditor little III
conscious daily acts of kindnes
thoughtfulness or humor performed b
Bryce-his devotion to his father, h
idealistic attitude toward the Card
gan employees, HIS ability, his indus
try. And presently, little by little
Sh1rley's resentment against hin
faded, and in her heart was born
great wistfulness bred of the hope tina
some day she would meet Bryce Cardi
gan on the street and that he woul'
pause, lift his hat. smile at her nj
, compelling smile and forthwith Pre-
coed to bully her into being friendl
: and forgiving -browbeat her into &C
/ hitting her change of heart and glory
/, ing in 1t.
t To this remarkable state Of min
had Shirley Sumner attained at tn
I time John Cardigan leading his las