Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-10-11
BOOK ONE
Chapter /

Myrtle stood upon the crazy veran-
da, her eyes shaded BY her hand, gaz-
Ing down the straight, narrow foot.
path, sunderlng line across the
freshly plowed field, which led to the
village In the hollow below The mol
derIng white stone cottage from which
she had issued was set in a cleft of
the riue-covered hills: II seemed TO
struggle against it's Unborn ugiiness
and TO succeed only because OF the
beauty of It's setting-ln the fore
ground the brown earth, with It's neat.
~ trained vines ana It's quarter Of an
ncre OF fragrant violets; the orchard.
pink ana white with masses of cherry
blossom; beyond, level stretch OF
freshly turned brown earth. soon 10 be-
come delicate carpet Of tender green.
and, by the time the vines should
sprout. a sea Of deep gold. II was the
typical homestead of the small French
peasant proprietor
Myrtiie's hand dropped to her side
The three figures were plainly visible
now. She remained Qulescent. watch
ing them with mute tragedy in her
face which, 10 any one ignorant Of the
inner significance of this approaching
procession. must have seemed little
puzzing For there was nothing
tragic about Jean Sargot-mldaIe
aged, typical peasant of the district.
with conrsened face and weather
beaten skin-or about the companion
who hung on his urm-a plump. dark
woman with black hair and eyes, vo.
ciferous and fluent of gesture. with n
hlgh-pltched voice aud apparently
much TO say. The third person, who
walked In the rear. see ed even less
likely TO incite apprehension. He was
more Corpulent than his neighbor. Jean
sargot, and his whole appearance was
one Of discomfort Yet tile girls eyes,
as they rested upon him. were filled
with terror.
They were near enough now for
speech, and her steptather waving his
hand, called out 70 her.
It is the Widow Dumay. llttfe one.
and our friend and neighbor Pierre
Leschamps who come To drink glass
Of wine with us. Hurry with the table
ana some chairs and bring oue-two
bottles of hast years yinuge."
They sank into the chairs which
MYRTLE had already placed upon the
Veranda Pierre LeSchaups laying his
hat upon handkerchief in a safe cor.
ner. He kept the little cafe In the VII
age and the strip of land which went
vita IL he let to others. His Dale
cheeks and nabhy limbs told their own
story Jean Sarg0t looked about him
with the pride Of the proprietor.
"Not SO bad. this little dwelling
eh2' he exclaimed. Pour rooms Nh
well-furnished a bed such rs one sci.
dom sees, and a wardrobe made hv INV
own grandfather. Jacques Sar.at. me
carpenter. Ii pleases thre. Alarjeg"
The widow looked around her with a
little sniff.
1T might be worse" she conceded
"but there are the children"
Three only" Sargot replied. "apd
in year or so they will ul be in the
fields, Think what that may mean
We can sell the timber from the strin
behind and plant more vines. Children
are not so bad when they are strong
"The little ones are well enough
Madam Dumay admitted but thy cid.
est-Myrt.i,-she has not the air Of
health"
They all looked IN at the girl, who
was approaching them at this moment
with wine and glasses. She was of
medium height and slim. Her com
plexion was creaUily pale; even the
skin about her neck and arms had Mt
tie Of the peasants brown. Her neat
IL brRtgssG hair was Of the darkest