, 1922-12-21

Browse" he insisted-"uniess. per
haps. 0; be that Scotch girl at Caush-
nawaEas whom all .he re- coats buzz
around Ike SAP nies around "A pan.
And who may this Scotch lassie
beT- I asked with a smile, and busy
now un~saddlinG.
II mean tho new ssrran to Old
Douw Fonda"
u have not noticed her"
You have not seer the Caughna-
Vaga g5ri7"
no. I remain Injurious concern
Ing SERVANTS said I dryly.
Is Il so7" he laughed. Well. then,
the say youth OF Johnstown. yes.
and % Schenectady. too. have not
remained indifferent TO the Scotch
girl OF DOW Fonda. Penelope Grant"
I shrugged and iiftet my Eaddie.
Nick laughed again. when she
reads the old man TO sleep md takes
her knitting 20 the porch. you should
see the ring OF gaiianis every aft
'o-noon acquiring her.-and their
torses tied % every tree around the
house as at "a quilting"
Go court her" Esid I. laughing;
and led ny mtre into her warm stall
You'll court her yourself. ons
dayr' he shouted after me. as he
gathered bride. "And II you do. Cod
hsip o John Orogue. for they say
she's 4 born disturber OF quiet mems
minds. and mistress OF a very mis-
chicvous and deadly srtr'
What arr" I laughed.
.4The art OF lover he bawied as he
rode off. Shaping ts thighs n set
ting the mooniit woods all ~a-rinEinE
with his laughter.
This Block House Bell.
IT was the first sunny May day Of
the year, with bees. and
Ia sweet. MI smell from woods and
cleared lnnGs.
I was standing IN my glebe Just
after sunrise. gazing across my great
cleared field mad bu. n then. all
else being woodland I was thinking
about my crops.
I remember. low. that ! presently
fen 10 whistIinE the Oil Of The Little
Red Foot" when. OF a sudden,
through the May woods there grew
upon the air a trembling sound. dis
tant and sad. Now It sounded loud
ler ss .he breeze stirred; now fainter
when Z shifted. 50 that q mouruful
echo only throbbeo IN my ears.
II was the sound OF the iron bell
ringing on the new Block House at
Mayfield-
The carelessly whistled tune died
upon my lips; my heart almost ceased
for a moment, then violently beat the
alarm.
I ran 20 a hemloeis stump in the
field. where my loaded rifle rested.
and took It Up and looked at the prim-
ing powder. finding It dry and bright
Then I turned n went swiftly 70
my house, snatched blanket from bod.
spread = on the luncheon floor. laid
upon II a sack OF new bullets. a new
canister of powder. a heap OF buck
SIX scraps for wadding. a bag OF
calf. another OF parched corn. a
dozen strips Of smoked v~enison.
Then I pulIel my district militia
r~egiurentals. which same was q hunt
ing shirt Of tow cloth. spatter dashes
OF the same. and a felt nat. cooked.
4 Across the breast; of my tow cloth
hunting shir. ! slung a bullet pouch,
Ia powder horn and a leather haver-
sack; seized my light hatchet and
hung II to my belt, ho.sted the blan-
ket pack to my shoulders and strap
pea II tneres anu llcEAiHB Up fAie
and hunting knife. I passed swiftly
out of the house. fastening the heavy
oalSen door behind me and wondering
whether I should ever return to open
Il again.
The trodden forest trail. wide
enough for a team to pass, lay
straight before me due west. though
heavy woods. to Andrew Bowman's
farm.
When I came into the cleared lAnd
I raw Mrs Bowman washing clothing
IN a spring near tho door OF her log
house. When shs saw me she called
to me across the clearing:
Have you news for me. John
Drosue?"
None" said I. 'ryvhere is your
man. Martha7"
Gone away to stoner's with pack
and rifle. He is but Just departed.
Is 1. only n drill call. Or T the In
dams out at the Lower Castler7"
al know nothing" said I. Are
you alone In the house7"
"A young kinswomsn. Penelope
Grant, servant 70 old Douw Fonda.
arrived late last night with my man
from Ca1Ehnawasa. and Is still asleep
In the lort.
As she spoke a girl clothed only in
her shift. came TO Abe open door of the
log house. Her naked feet were snow
white; her hair. yellow as October.
corn. seemed very thick and tangled.
She STOOD blinking as though das-
nled. the glory OF the rising sun in her
face.
what IS that soundT" she ex.
claimed. staring about her; and 1 had
never seer a woman's eyes so brown
under such yellow hair.
She stepped into the fresh
grass and stood in the dew listening,
now gazing at the woods. now at
Martha Bowman. and now upon me.
! Speech came 10 me with an odd
sort of anger. I said TO Mrs Bowman,
who stood gaping in h sunshine:
7'where are your wits? Take that
child into tho house and bar your
shutters and Draw water for your
tubs. And keep your door bolted un.
Ill some of the militia can return
from Stoner's."
At that. h girl. Penelope turned
- =