Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-07-24

more. He wants to dot out all dl6-
%tinctions of class. He can't do that.
but he viii pass the bill"
Barbara would not accept your
sacrince no. would any of US, and it
is only fair that l should warn, you
that some day. II you should change
your mind, andsI were no longer liv-
ing. you might be too late" n
Please don't. Uncle Harry. 1t is
done-done. OF course. 1t wasn't fair
for me to consider Barbara alone, but
she will be fair and o understand.
l wish you would regard the whole
matter as though L didn't exist"
Il can't do that. my boy. I am
your steward, and when you want
anything you have only to- let me
know" Erskine shook his. head.
Il don't want anything need
very 0oA and when I'm in the woods.
a. expect to be most Of time,
1 NEED Dothing at ALL" olonel Dale
rose. 4.
Il wish you would 90 to college At
better fit yourself-in case"
I'D like to go-to learn to fence"
smiled the boy, and the COLONEL smiled
too.
you'll certainly need to know that.
IL you are going to be as reckless as
you ere today" Erskine's eyes
darkened.
Uncle Harry. you may thing me
foolish. but I don't like or trust Grey.
traders out in the northwest3The
was not buying furs. It's absurd.
Why was he hand in glove with Lord
e.
Lord Dunmore had a daughter"
was the dry reply, and Erskine huns
out a gesture that made words UNI
necessary. Colonel Dale crossed the
porch and put his hand on the lads
shoulders. - :
"Erskine," he said. don't worry
and-don't give up hope. Be patient,
wait, come back to us. Go to William
and Mary. Fit yourself to be n OF
US in all ways. Then everything may
yet come out in the only way that
would be fitting and right" The boy
blushed, and the colonel went on
earnestly:
II can thing Of nothing in the world
that would make me quite so hap
py."
IT'S no USE" the boy said trem-
you have just said as long as I live,
and, no matter what becomes Of me.
I'll love Barbara as long as I live.
But even If things were otherwise.
I'd never risk making her unhappy
even by trying. I'm not fit for her
nor for this life. I can't get over my
life in the woods and among the In
dams. I can't explain, but I get chok-
ed and I can't breathe-such a long
ing for the woods over me.
and I can't help me. I must go
and nothing can hold me"
. Your father was that way" said
Colonel Dale sadly. You may get
over it, but he never did. And it
must be harder for you because of
your early associations. Good night.
n God bless you" And the kind
ly gentleman was gone.
Erskine sat where he was. The
house was still and there were no
noises from the horses and. cattle in
the barn-none from roosting pea
cock. turkey and hen. From the
merry, mellow notes of a fiddle, and
farther still the song of some counting
negro returning home. A drowsy bird
twittered in an ancient elm at the
corner of the house. The flowers
dropped in the moonlight which
bathed the great path, streamed
across the great river. n on up to
its source in the great yellow disk
floating in majestic serenity high in
the cloudless sky. And that path,
those flowers. that house. the barn,
the cattle, sheep and hogs, those
grain-fields and grassy acres, even
those singing black folk, were all
all his II he but said the words. The
thought was no temptation-it was a
mighty wonder that such a thing
could be. And that was all it was
a wonder-to him. but to them it
was the world. Without it all. what
would they do? Perhaps Mr.. Jener-l
might soon solve the problem for.
him. Perhaps he might not return
from that wild campaign against the
British and the Indians-he might
get killed. And then a thought
gripped him and held him fast-he
need. not come back. That mighty
wilderness beyond the mountains was
ms real home-out there was his real
life. He need not come back, and
they would never know. Then a
thought that almost made him groan.
There was a light step in the hall,
and Barbara came swiftly out and
her chin in both hands. Almost at
once she seemed to feel his presence.
Tor she turned her head quickly.
"Erskine!" AS quickly he rose, en-
oarrassed beyond speech.
Come here! Why. you look guilty
what have you been thinking" He
was startled by her intuition, but he
recovered himself swiftly.
Il suppose I will always feel guilty.
II have made you unhappy"
You haven't made me unhappy.
don't know what you have made me.
You saw how I felt If you had killed
MIN, but you don't know how I would
have felt il he had killed Won. T
don't myself"
She began patting her hands gently
n h~elplessly together, and again She
dropped her chin into them with her
lifted to the moon.
II shall be very unhappy when vou
are gone. I wish you were not going.
but I know that you are-yo can'f
help it, Again he was startled.
Whenever you look at that moon
e In the dark wilderness. I wish
you would please think of your little
cousin-will you?" She turned eager.
~, and he was too moved to speak-
he only bowed his head as for a
prayer or a benediction.
You don't know how often orr
thoughts will cross. n thai vii, he
a great comfort to me. Sometimes T
am afraid. There is a will strain IN
my mothers side, and it is in me-
Papa knows it, and he is wise-.C
wise-I am afraid I may sometime
do something very foolish. ana Il,
won't be me at all. It will be some.
b0dv That htAds Low o-~