The Mena weekly star., 1921-05-19

- again was his cheery answer. uAnd mother, you never saw such q view as you get from up there. And YOU can drink right out Of the spring"
 Something eame to the face of the lron-Gray Woman that had long been stranger there Not smile--a rip- pie, like the swath chance hreeze rufiies across still water.
 'But you can't carry everything"
 'Fvewthing And the nrst load shnll he you"
 'Nfeir
 "lt would set you coughing to climb the slope"
 The woman dropped her eyes. After all, 'weakness Is not Q pleasant fact to fnce. The loss of power. the inability to do accustomed things always comes as Q shock Life had brought 70 the lr0n-Gray Woman little enough
 pltlfuly little enough. But though life be ever so bare nnd gray. no one likes 10 sit helpless and watch 1t 20.
 Haply the young man sensed noth ing Of this but was already busy gathering together surh of fhelr meager stock of household goods as fl would he absolutely necessary to carry up 20 the cabin under the cnf If the coming night was TO he spent ashore
 Nothing remained but fhe actual going ashore. His mother came first as he had said While packing, he had planned to help her un the hin to the spring and leave her there while he swept the old cabin, aired 1t out, put ID the cook stove. and otherwise made the place ns sweet and inviting as possible for her occupancy.
 Just before passing through the rumpled curtain of the hoHseboaf she stopped and gazed over the tiny cabin.
 "Just one look before I go" she said.
 Be was astenished ai the s5stful- ness in her tones.
 Why, mother, you can come back any minute"
 "It has been my home for twenty years" she said as she turned away. her tone more the Voicine of a refec- ton than the statement of a fact
 Across the gangplsnk and ID the slope among the trees he led her carried her-with aii the tenderness due from man to his mother; for tho Iron-Gray- Woman had the maD- ners and speech of 21ady of high degree 5" and she had taught him all she knew. He had brought along cushion. which he spread for her upon a uloSs-u upholstered rock With the spray of the waterfall In the air with the cup in her hand, the cool spring within reach. he left her and hurried back to the househoat
 The sun was dipping low toward the distant bend in the river when the last of the moving was done. A purple twilight had given place to dark before he had the cabin put to rights his mother in her easy chair. and supper on the table bass. taken from the nets only that morning fruit from the woods; baked pota- toes; toast, crisp and brown; and tea, which she had left her chair long enough to draw.
 In the contented silence that orten falls after the evening meal, the man sat covertly studying her face The fever had gone. It was face almost serene. She appeared as he watched her. to be listening to the sound or the waterfall floating in through the open window upon the pulse of the night. The move had done her good. i He thought how beautiful she must have been-how beautiful still.
 Her words that afternoon came hack to him--the only word that had ever come to him out of the past. Tbe des,re to learn more grew In him and vet he dreaded to speak. The Iron Woman was not one to invite condolences. And yet man ought to know something of the manner or ms coming into the world.
 The cabin had settled to deep quiet ,ha ian of the waterfall had sweled to fuII strength upon the silence when inc cahin door banged open and man sformed in. The PearhunteF whtrled up out of his chair and faeed i him.
 The intruder was a man or for'Y. possibly more. lacking somewnal !" the PearIhunter's height and massive build. yet still what would be called Q big man-tight and well set up smooth shaven. except for an aggres- slve mustaehe faintly shot with gray.