Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-02-25
The Tpuaaat Soul

Win nOthlng 10 win, Joan-noth-
ing. When l leave here no hui
man being viii miss or regret me-"
There is your work at Avonmouth.
There is the hospital which you have
made famous throughout the United
States. Your work is there, not in
some obscure place where it would be
or less use to the world and no ex-
ample. Besides, consider that if you
become famous again, as you must,
you will be discovered. And one can
never leave his past behind him. That
follows everywhere"
Yes, that is true" muttered Lam
caster, staring out over the darkening
hills. well. l leave it to you, my
dear, but to go back to fight out a
futile battle seems to me now some
thing uncomfortable"
you must go hack to the institute,
and then to Avonmouth, and meet your
enemies, John" she said. Il shall be
at your side Nothing will make me
afraid. or weaken my love for you"
His face twitched. mot if tell you
things which prove me worthless of
your love?" he asked. Not if you find
l am an Outcast man who has de-
served his misf0rtunesT"
She only smiled at him. 81 shall
not judge you by your words" she
said, NOR yet by other mems opinions
but my knowledge of you"
"Then | shall tell you everything"
he answered, drawing Joan's hand into
his. Everything, but not here. Eere
l shall keep the peace of the hills
within my heart, and you"
So they strolled back toward the
cabin, and Joan's drab-colOred life
was Transmitted in this, her first love,
to gold She lived in her lover, she
trusted wholly in him who had
brought love to her, not like a con-
making it the unfolding of her own
loving nature. She gave her youth, her
innocence as loves price, and thought
the exchange her profit. There was
never such peacefulness in any place
as there that evening, and in JOan's
heart was Astounding peace likewise.
When they reached the cabin the
patient was better. Lancaster spent
the evening giving detailed instruc-
tons to the mans wife.
81 shall do my best to come again II
I am needed" he said. "But l can't
mouth at any moment. Keep him
quiet. for heavens sake keep him alb
Solutely mOtionless for a week, and
then let him sit up if he wants to. And
nothing to eat but the schedule I am
making out for you"
Afterward Joan told Lancaster that
she wished to stay for few days to
take care of the man. But Lancaster
would not hear of it.
"These hill people never die" he
said. Hell be up and about before
the week is over"
"But the diet?'
"They'Il feed him on soda biscuits
as. soon as he's we'll enough to eat any
thing. Fortunately he won't be able
to eat for a week, so he won't come
to any harm. l shall send Jenkins
over two or three times to report
progress"
Joan's room was a tiny place under
the caves. She spent a sleeplesS,
happy night there, thinking over the
happiness that had come to her. 1t
was strange and wonderful to lie
awake under the same roof that shell
tered Lancaster, and to reflect how
soon their lives would flow together,
calmly, in their own country. She
could not have wished any happier
fate in life.
With her limited experience, it
seemed ideal that, after the years of
stress in AvOnmouth, she should be
returning, almost to her own home, a
wife. She had puzzled sometimes over
Lancasters long residences in the
place that bore his name. But she
dreamvu of the time WHOM he would
give up his work at Avonmouth and
retire to a new institute, a spacious
home where they could fill their wards
with the country people, where her
life's vocation and her life's happi,
ness would be united
At last she fell asleep, and, when
she awoke, Lancaster was tapping at
her door.
"Time to get up, Joan?' he called
cheerfully.
She sprang out of bed. "How Is the
patient?" she asked.
Doing finely and wants to go to
work." said Lancaster, laughing.
Joan dressed in a hurry and ran
downstairs. Lancaster was waiting on
the porch. She raised her face for his
kiss, already natural to her, already
the happy fulfllment of her innocent
dreams of love. Then, arm in arm,
they strolled out into the sunlight.
The glorious light lay on every Hill.
In that light all the shadows of the
past seemed to shrivel away.
I'VE are going back to the institute
this morning, JOAN" said Lancaster.
(To BE CONTINUED