Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-05-22

Ken HOPKINS met me up the rOHu
and told me he was sick on the boat.
I didn't know Hopkins-then."
ST did--and knowed Brickbat al
ley. That's why rode after y'u the
minute got y'ur note. Hopkins was
bad man, but we've already talked
about him, and what boone of him.
All that money he stoPd Tuck away
from i'm at the parsonage the evening
of the-funeral, and drove i'm out O.
Flatwoods. That's why he went, and
all that stuff he told y'u about-Ken
was jist lies. I've got all that money
hid, and we'll put it back in the safe
as soon as you're able t. open it."
The eyes came back from the distant
point where Alpine island split the sill
yer rim of the bottoms
ST know now that what he said was
all lies, but / didn't then. AS soon as
/ got on the boat I saw-Ken wasn't
there, but Hopkins locked the door and
wouldn't let me off. And such cabin
as that house-boat had-tight as jail.
He made all the apologies man could
FIR raisin' false hopes about-Ken, and
told me he'd done it all FIR my own
good Then he told me there was two
men plannin' to rob the safe that night
me out O. danger"
She paused; looked at the man;
went on.
'He said he was goin' t. git. you t.
hep i'm and you'd both watch the
house, and after the danger was over
you'd come and bring me home. He
said one O. the robbers would be Slim
Finger Doolin, the most dangerous pis-
toll fighter in the world. / asked i'm
how e found it all out-not KNOWN
then that he 'imself was Slim Finger
Doolin-but he said he'd rather tell
me all about it next day. From that
minute / was afear'd of him, though he
was as polite and respectful to me as
e could be, short Of lettin' me go"
She felt the eyes of the woodsman
upon her. He looked away and she
went on.
"From that minute l mistrusted he
was one o. the robbers, though I EeYer
let on, and as soon as he was gone I
tried all / could t. git out. / was
/ afear'd"-she looked down at the blan-
ket; crumpled a corner Of it hard in
her fingers-"you might chance t.
hear 'em, and knowed if y'u did you'd
fight, and I was half wild FIR fear
they'd kill y'u. Oh, If I'd only knowed
it was you that moved the boat!-
Jack why didn't y'u let me out"
The man stared at the floor and
twisted his great hands till the
knuckles turned white.
Cdr he groaned-"if 1 only had!
But I thought you'd be safest there. 1t
was the worst mistake I ever made in
my life-that and lettin' Hopkins
preach Pap Simon's-funeral, but
didn't have no good proof on i'm
then"
The girl glanced at his bowed form.
The tick of the tall old clock in the
corner throbbed loud on the silence !;
through the open window came the call
Of crows flying home.
ct was away in the night" the girl
went on at last, thoughtful and slow.
"b'fore / fin'ly got out by beatin' hole
/ in the roof with stove leg, swum
ashore and run home as fast as could.
I'd jist got in the yard when saw you
a-standin' there by the winder. Then
come that shot and thought Slim Fin
ger Doolin had-killed y'u. I don't
know what happened after-that-"
after that" the man echoed, his
voice low and broken, we've all ben
tryin' to coax the bravest and most
wonderful girl in the world back to
life"
'Life!" she murmured, as If the
word came new and strange to her
after being so fearfully close to death.
rOh, want so much t. have it all back
ag'in-"
"And y'u shall have 1t backi" the
man cried, catching the appeal in her
voice. you've got it now. Every
breath brings the woods and hills, the
sunshine and flowers, jist that much
nearer-w'y, you're as good as well
this very minute"
The smile in her eyes came alive
again, SLOl0 Out OVC1 ASE Lace duu
brought back a heartening suggestion
of the dimples.
By some intangible bridge all unseen
Of human eyes, the smile found it's
way across to the mans grave and seri-
Gus face; kindled it-like the CLINT Of
morning upon the front of Black rock.
! He picked up her hand; touched the
faded orchid in her palm.
81 low y'u amt f'rgot the day we
found it"
He felt the twitch of her fingers.
II tried t. ask y'u t'-promise me
that day-Pm askin' y'u t'-promise
mellow"
1t was the biggest word he had ever
said in his life. Much like man who
had committed crime and awaited
his sentence, he raised his head; ven.
tured glance at the girl.
Something very wonderful had come
to her face-like the birth of morning !:
and her eyes like star trails "a mar
velous TRANSPORTATION that only one
thing in the world can bring.
He slipped from the footstool and
knelt down by her side; her arm came
up off the blanket and hunted Its way
across his massive shoulders.
The peasant man and maid on the
face Of the old clock in the corner
smiled, raking hay.