The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-01-31

One hand stole across the covers
and hunted his; the long lashes
dropped over the languid eyes and she
slipped away to sleep. The others tin
toed from the room.
what she needs above everything
muttered the doctor, softly closing the
Slept will do her more good
right now than all the medicine in the
world"
And there Jack crouched-himself
bruised and worn-afraid to move
with her hands in his, lest she start
awake and so lose one moment of the
rest just then precious beyond calcula-
ton. Only a man of his superb ply
steal powers could have held the
cramped, uncomfortable pose so long.
Several times one of the women
and once the doctor, softly opened the
door and peeped in, but they as often
closed it again and left the man to his
silent vigil.
BY the next day she was so much
better that the doctor declared her
out of danger-time alone being all
that was necessary to bring her well.
In the serene evening the sun peeped
under the porch roof for one last look
before reluctantly passing on to less
interesting cen beyond the gates of
the west; fell in at the open parlor
window; crossed the floor and just
missed the big old-fashioned sofa, soft
and coy with blankets, where the
xvAAJc~,4@ III - -s- H. 1I-l L. Ls-
great arms, the wonderful landscape
of lawn and bottoms and winding
river spreading before her.
The woodsman himself sat on a low
footstool at her side. The room had
settled still.
From the kitchen came the low
drone of voices where Mrs. Curry and
Aunt Liza sat by the cook stove. A
tall old clock in a corner of the parlor
taller than the woodsman himself,
with a peasant man and maid on the
face raking hay-punctuated the ST.
lence into a sort Of drowsy rhythm.
The girl was so still that he thought
she slept. CHANGING around at her, he
was amazed to see her eyes full Of
tears.
"W'y-what's the matter-?'
"Nothing-!"
Her lips quivered she turned her
face away and cried silently. He
picked up her hand attempted a COM
forting word. The sprawled dead fig
ure in the old cabin crossed his mind
the brother in whom she still be-
lieved whose death she still mourDed;
of whose degradation and deep dis
honor she was haply spared from ever
knowing-and the attempt failed.
She turned back to him after a time,
brushed away the tears and a brave
suggestion of the smile that made her
eyes so wonderful frightened them.
"Ain't it jist terrible FIR me t. cry
like this, when y'u're all s. good to
mel"
He hitched the footstool closer to
the sofa. 1t surprised him to feel a
queer weakness in his breast and a
tightness in his throat when he tried
to speak.
do y'u think y'u're strong enough
t. talk-some?"
"W'y, I could git up-a'most."
A sudden thoughtfulness displaced
the smile.
do y'u remember that letter y'u
give me from Pap Simons las Sat
urd'y?"
The girl raised her eyes,.
'"T' be opened the day you're TWEEN
ty-one-I've wondered and wondered
what was in it,"
He looked down at the floor; looked
up again.
"This is the day."
"No!" /
I'm twenty-one t'day-and"-free, '
he was about to say, but didn't. |
SIS it possible it's only ben six days
sence-"
six days." was his slow comment.
Don't seem like s. much could hap
pen in six days-hardly-"
He fumbled in his blouse; took out
the letter in it's formidable envelope;
held it toward her.
She took it and, glancing over 1t,
handed it back. He tore it open and :
drew out its contents.
Wide-eyed, they read it through ,
a title deed in fee simple to the War
hope homestead, together with all 9
and b%etterments and growing
crops thereon, duly conveyed and exc :
to Jack Warlope; and, folded :
inside the deed, a bank draft in his
for ten thousand dollars. :
The man stared at the girl; the girl :
stared at the man.
"I'm b1ievin' Pap Simon meant t. j..
DO this all along" he unused at last. =
Il can see it now, as l look back. =
That's why he was s. good to me. Meb- :,
1e"-he hesitated, that's why he had :
ne-bound-' !.
pore father 1.-THE girls eyes "
away to where the silver con- :
our of the river trimmed the bottoms y,
it was his-way." =
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