The diamond drill., 1922-02-17

head. and experimental with his neck
70 see II II would "work." The sun
shine was strong and hot: In half an
hour he and his clothes were dry-or
at least dry enough" as he said. and
except for some soreness OF head and
neck. and the general crnmpledness Of
hls apparel. he seemed 10 be In all
ways much as usual. when shouts and
whistlings summoned all the party 10
luncheon AT the rendezvous The
change that made him different was
invisible.
Yet something rlyst have been seem
for everyone appeared 10 take II for
granted that he was 60 sit next 10
Mslla at the pastoral meal. She her
se.< understood II. evidently. for she
drew In Aer puckered skirts and with
out any words made a place for him
beside her as he driftIngly approached
her. affecting TO whistle and keeping
hts eyes on the foliage overhead. He
still looked upward. even In the act OF
sitting down.
Squirrel or something" he said
feebly. as II In explanation.
~Wherel Milla asked.
up there on a branch" He ac-
cepted a plate from her (she had pro-
yided herself with an extra one), but
he did not look at II or at her He
continued TO keep his eyes aloft be-
cause he imagined that all OF the class
were looking at him and Milla. and
ha ali
II was 10 him as II the whole United
States had been scandalized TO atten-
tion by this act OF his ia going to sit
beside Milla he gazed upward so long
that his eye-balls became sensitive un-
der the strain. He began TO blink. II
can't make out whether It's a squirrel
or just some leaves that kind o. got
! fixed like one" he said. II can't make
| out yet which IL is, but I guess when
there's breeze. II It's a squirrel he'll
probly hop around some then. II he's
alive or anything"
II had begun TO seem that his eyes
must remain fixed In that upward
stare forever: he wanted to bring them
down. hut could not face the glare OF
the world But finally the brightness
: OF the sky between the leaves settled
I matters for him: he sneezed. wept. and
for little moment again faced his
! fellowmen. No one was looking ~
him. everybody except Mllla had oihr'
things 10 do.
Having sneezed involuntariiy.
added a spell Of coughing for which
there was no necessity. II guess
must been wrong he muttered thickly
"Whst about. Ramseyr'
About It's ben' squirrel" With
infinite timidity he turned his heaC
and encountered gaze so soft. so hal
lowed, that II Disconnected him, and
i he dropped "drumstlckr OF frieC
chicken, well dotted with ants. from
his plate. Scarlet he picked Il up, bu
did not eat It. For the first time II
his life he felt that eating fried chick
en- held In the fingers was not 10 b'
thought Of He replaced the "drum
\ stick" upon his plate and allowed 4
10 remain there untouched. In spite o.
great hunger for II.
Having looked down. he now foun,
difficulty In looking up, but gaze,
steadily az his plate, and into this
limited circle OF vision came Mnlai
delicate aud rosy fingers. bearing /
gift. "There" she said In motherl!
little voice ''It's tomato mayonnais'
sandwich and / made II myself.
want you 10 eat II, Ramsey"
His own fingers approached tremu
lousness as he accepted the thick sand
wich from her and conveyed II to his
mouth. A moment later his soul file,
with horror. for a spurt OF mayonnais'
dressing had caused a catastrophe th'
scene OF which occupied no inconsider
able area OF his right cheek. which
was the cheek toward Milla. III
groped wretchedly for his handker
chief hut could not find IL he had los
II. Sudden death would have been re
lief: he was sure that after such gro
tesQuerie Mnla could never bear I,
have anything more TO do with him
he was ruined.
In his anguish he felt n paper nap
kin pressed gently into his hand I
soft voice said In his ear. wipe IL Of
with this, Ramsey. Nobody's motto
ing"
So this Incredibly charitable creature
was still able 10 be his friend, ever
after seeing hin, mayonnaised Hum
hy mnrvelIng he did as she told him
hut avoided all further risks. He att
nothing more.
He sighed his first sigh OF lnexpress
lbleness. had chill or so along th'
spine. and at Intervals his brow wal
bedewed.
Within his nyerted eyes there dwell
not the Mllla Rust who sat beside him
but an iridescent. fragile creature wh'
had become angelic.
He spent the rest OF the day daw
ding helplessly about her; whereve
she went he was near. as near as pos
slble, but Of no deliberate volition o
mis- own. Something seemed to tie hin
20 her. and MiIls was nothing 10th
He seldom looked az her directly. o