The diamond drill., 1922-02-17
CHAPTER w.

With Wesley Bender, Ramsey was
again upon fair terms before the win
ter had run Its course; the two were
neighbors and, moreover. were drawn
together by a community OF interests
which made their reconciliation a me-
cessity. Ramsey played the guitar and
Wesley played the mandolin.
All I'll feeling between them died
with the first duet of spring. yet the
tinkling they made had no charm TO
soothe the savage breast OF Ramsey
whenever the Teachers Pet came into
his thoughts. He day-dreamed a thou
sand ways OF putting her In her place.
but was unable TO carry out any OF
them, and had but a cobwebby salts
faction In imagining discomfitures for
her which remained imaginary. Just
oncel" he said 60 Fred Mitchell That's
all i ask. Just once. Just gimme one
chance to show that girl what she
really Is. guess II / ever get the
chance she'll find out what's the mat
ter with her. for once in her life, any
way" Thus IL came to be talked about
and understood and expected In Ram
sey's circle, all male. that Dora Yo-
Gums day was coming. you'll see !"
said Ramsey. "The timell come when
that ole grill wish she'd moved out o.
this town before she ever got appointed
monitor OF our classl Just you wait I"
They waited. but conditions appeared
60 remain unfavorable indefinitely.
Perhaps the great opportunity might
have arrived III Ramsey had been able
to achieve a startling Importance la
any OF the various divergent yet
parallel lines OF school eneSSyor"-one
OF the phrases by means OF which
teachers and principal clogged the
minds OF their nnarmed auditors. But
though he was far from being the
dumb driven beast OF misfortune that
ne seemed I'm the schoolroom and, In
fact, lived a double life. exhibiting In
his out-of-school hours a remarkable
example of secondary personality
a creature fearing nothing and capable
OF laughter; blue eyed. fairly robust,
and anything but dumb-he was never
theless without endowment or attain
ment great enough TO get him dlstInc-
ton.
He "trled for" the hlgh-school
eleven. and tried for" the nine, but
the experts were not long In ellmi-
mating him from either of these COM
petitions, and he had to content him
self with cheering instead OF getting
cheered. He was by no manner OF
...u.- ..kfotIc ~ onou.h ~ anvfhlnO
else, to put Dora Yocum in her place.
and so he and the great opportunity
were stlii waiting In May. at the end
OF the second year OF high school,
when the class, now the 40 A." revert
ed to an cd fashion and decided TO
entertain itself with q woodland pic
mic.
They gathered upon the sandy banks
OF q creek In the blue shade OF big.
patchy-barked sycamores. with dane
Ing sky on top Of everything and gold
dust atwlnkle over the water Hither
the napkln-covered baskets we're
brought from the wagons and assem-
bIed In the shade, where they APP
peared as an attractive little meadow
OF Wits unVrIgs thu hhNc u'th SUI
prise and pleasure TO communities or
ants and to other original settlers OF
the neighborhood.
From this nucleus or headquarters
OF the picnic. various expeditions set
forth up and down the creek and
through the woods that bordered Il.
Two envied boy fishermen established
themselves npon n bank upstream,
with hooks and lines thoughtfuily
brought with them. and poles which
they fashioned from young saplings.
They took mussels from the shadows.
for bait, and having gone TO ali this
trouble, declined 70 share with friends
less energetic and provideot the per-
quisites and pleasures secured TO
themselves
Albert Paxton was one person
who proved his enterprise. Having Wis
Ited the spot some days before. he had
hired for his exclusive use throughout
the durntion Of the picnic an old row.
boat belonging TO a shanty squattef !:
Il was the only rowboat within mile
or two and Albert had his own uses
for II. Albert was the class lover and,
after first taking the three chaperon
teachers ".out FOR y row" an excursion