Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-01-07


very good, but l meant no harm"
Joan, who had witnessed his pres
ence with CONSERVATION, now felt a
sudden reaction from her fears OF
course, Myers explanation made the
situation ineligible.
She bowed, and he turned to the
boy. "You can take Miss Wentworth
up" he said. "I'n find a buggy some
where"
AS there was only room for two in
the buggy, Joan did not demur to the
proposition. She stepped In. the
young man holding out his hand to
guard her dress from the wheel. Joan
glanced at the man with moment arv
interest. He had the appearance of a
gentleman, and the manners of one
There was no hint of either servilitv
or presumption, and yet there was a
sort of independence about the man
which fitted him admirably. He
f1icked the horse, and the buggy began
to crawl out of the station yard along
the single street Of a tiny village
Struggling uphill. 1t was white vii
lage, but clusters of shanties a little
back among the pines betrayed the
presence Of the black element. There
was a store or two, their fronts plas-
tered with tobacco and baking powder
advertisements, and in front of each
stood a gaunt, yellow-faced hillman
chewing and gazing after the buggy
with unanimated face.
"This is Lancaster?" asked Joan.
"Yes, Miss Wentworth"
THE people here look depressed"
There's good deal Of sickness,
Miss Wentworth. Hookworm, and
what they used to call malaria. But
there isn't any malaria here; it's bad
diet-salt pork and soda biscuits. And
there's pellagra +; it's been here for gen.
erations, but 1t wasn't till last year
that the medical commission discov-
cred it."
The coachman's knowledge might
have been ludicrouS in most men Of
his class, but there was nothing ridic-
ulous in the grave, refined face of the
young mountaineer He must have
picked up some knowledge at the in
stitute, thought Joan.
"But it's healthy up in the hills,
Miss Wentworth" he added. 'This
village is Millville. They used to grow
cotton in the valley over yonder, but
the frost killed the crops three years
ago, and the mill fell into ruin. Quite
little water power in that stream"
The buggy assembled a sleeper
grade, the horse breaking into a short
gallop near every summit, and then
resuming it's leisurely crawl.
THAT'S the institute, Miss Went
WORTH" the coachman continued,
pointing toward a struggling building
on little plateau. 1t had the appear
ance of large but rather dilapidated
farmhouse. It's three miles by the
road" he added, "but less than a mile
over the hills"
The horse had stopped to gain
breath again. Looking back, Joan
saw a white line that crept upward
over the rocky slopes almost direct
from the station to the building. Half
way up was little speck of black
that seemed to move. Joan knew
was Myers hard hat, his body beiI
hidden from view among the bushe
She shuddered slightly; the man we
very repugnant to her.
The horse went on again, the roo
winding uphill through pastures GO
with buttercups and white with lit
branched asters. 1t dipped betwet
hedgerows pink with meadOwswet
The sun had set, but its light st
gilded the hills. The scene was We
peaceful. Now the institute seem
to swing out from among the undul
lions of the mountain TANKS INN
diately In front of them.
The buggy came to a standstill
fore the long wooden building, viii
was of unshingled boards and We
much the worse for weather 1t
not been painted for years, and
windows in one wing were broken.
patch of weedy, unknown lawn extel
hedges, but were now mere tangles
underground. Nearby was a la
Enclosure in which were a few CHI
ems, picking for grains of corn,
COW at pasture turned her head a..
gazed at them placidly.
The door opened and a pleasant
looking woman came forward.
"How do you do. Miss Wentworth"
she said. 81 am the matron, Mrs.
Fraser Doctor Lancaster telegraphed
about your coming. I'll show yov
your room, and your supper will be
ready in few minutes.
Joan descended. e driver who
had leaped to the ground, held his
hand over the wheel. but did not offer
ii to her. Then he re-entered the bug
gy, and, rather to Joans surprise,
drove off along the road by which
they had assembled.
The mystery deepens, with
II Myers the secretary of the insti-
III %,,&ion lie loan in for dis TX