The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-01-31
PeriWinkle House

down into the swamp.
1t was long way to his canoe nenl
the Muscadlne Isle, and then a Ions
pull to Perlwinkle house, but there
was time enough. Stepho would moi
go away till Thursday. All. he would
20 away no more. for now on Tuesday
he must settle with the spirit Of Alfred
BRACE.
| Mists lowered about. but the island
was In blaze of light. Silently the
canoe slit the satin water. Silently
he landed. Determined vengeance may
pick its way as softly as eager love {;
and In the cane, sharper Of whisper
now that the weather was cool. he
made not q sound. Out into the open
he peered. No one within sight. On
the bark Of the live oak were the dead
flowers Of yesterday. There in the
shade was the bcx that had served as
table, once so prettily strewn with
| violets.
In spite Of his vow Of vengeance and
his hatred of Stepho. these things
caught at Braces heart, shook his
fixed purpose of action. For many
minutes he waited-no sign of Stepho.
| Of anyone. And then his blood leaped;
| for soft hands suddenly blinded him
| from behind, soft laughter dubbed
over at his establishment. And dark
thoughts and dark purposes fed on
the wind as he caught Nadine and
Rugged her close.
"Now for your punishment" And
he kissed her.
"Oh, you must not again
Virgil, cannot like you when you are
rude. You must not! !"
81 don't want you just to like me-"
"You do not? Then will try not to.
Come and sit down, Virgil
You worked so hard for your kisses
you must be tired. How did
yon guess?"
Guess what7" he asked as she led
him to the sofa snc he sat gazing en-
tranced MS she captu ed and impris-
oned her guerrilla bondV o. hair
"That Father an, Tony had gone
hunting today. But tn-y may be back
at any time, Virgil. You must not
stay"
"But I must stay; you hold me pris-
oner. I must stay until you love me |
as madly as do YOU"
"As nmdIy as, You do me? That |
might not be so much mad, Virgil.
Dut why should love you?"
because you are to be my wife. We
are engaged"
"Are we? I did not know that
Why you not tell me soOner?"
81 did, and now you must know It,"
"But did not. Then I must be
stupid, yes?"
1.-THE whole universe is stupid II II
denies it. The angels are stupid II
they fail to see it."
oh. you must not talk like that. II
is worse than swearing the big oath.
And am TO be your wife, Mrs.
Virgil? Then what do we do? Go
about and sing with the fiddler"
mo. we go to the beautiful places
on earth and look upon them-togeth-
err. We"
"No, no. you must not think like
That. You take my father by the wrist
and he hate you. And I do so
wrong to see you. I am the sinner hut
| believe that the Blessed One, she
lsk for my forgiveness. No.
Virgil. we can only play together and
hen 1t will live In the mind.
,ur childhood here. My fn-
her is not well all the time now. and
must he good to him. Only ,
must see you, sometimes. That is
he only wrong do him.
"FOr IL love. you. did not ,
want to tell you, but I cannot keep 1t !
III the time down in my heart.
dream of you all of the night. and 7 7
neel down and pray that you always 1
owe me. There. have told r
ou so much. And kiss you. too.
Now-you may stay for little 7
Ime, and then you must CO."
Boy and girl they played. not from n
he book but from loves ever-varying II
EXT. In his canoe they padded afar O
# where the iily-pads paved the sur S
nee of the pond. They landed on s.
noll where was spread over persln-
ION saplngs nm arbOr of muscadine: n
ere an adventurous catbird had her d
est of young She cried and fiut- p
,red about in great alarm. hut when tt
ne saw that they were not her en- n
mics. that they caught grasshoppers d
feed her brood, she sat high among =,
lie vines. calling her mate. the musi- d.
an, and here he came. scared at first. fl
ut when she had explained to him he m
ing his medley, ending with the cat w
III whence comes his unpoetic name
The sun had been speeding. and went nj
hind cloud. Fear seized Nadine
nd taking Virgl's hand, she urged IN
m toward the boat. 81
"My dear one. we must go now. The W
IN was Jealous that we so happy and Ill
i'll go into the dark to pout. re
will show you the near way for you III
come again, the way came when 10
ere was the fire. You can leave e.