Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-04-28
CHAPTER XIX
The Youngest Scholar

If Amos was not happy after Lydia's
concession, at least she never had seen
him so interested in life as he was
now. Nor had Kent ever been more
considerate of Lydia.
All this, Lydia told herself, should
have made her happy, and yet she
was not. Billy came to see her as
usual, and took her to an occasional
dance. But he was not the friend Of
old. And the change was not in any
neglect Of things done, 1t was in his
way of looking at her; in his long
silences when he studied her face with
grieved, puzzled look that made her
frantic; in his ceasing to talk over his
work with her with any air Of COM
radeship, and most Of all in his ceas-
ing to tully her-that inalienable ear
mark of the attitude of the lover
toward the beloved.
March was long and bleak that year,
but April came In as sweetly as q
silver bugle call. Lydia heard the
first robin call, on her way home from
college. She had walked up the road
ahead of Billy, her black scholars
gown fiuttering. Once he would have
run to overtake her, but now he plod-
ded along a block behind, without
sound. Lydia did not pause at the
cottage gate The call of the robin
was in her blood and she swung on
up the road, past the Norton place
and into the woods.
There was a log at hand and she
sat down, threw her mortarboard on
the ground and rested chin cupped in
her hands, lips parted, eyes tear
dimmed. She was weary OF thought.
She only knew that the spiritual
rightness with which she had sus
tanned her mind and body through all
the hard years Of her youth had gone
wrong. She only knew that loneli-
ness of soul she could not seem to en-
dure was robbing her of youth that
as yet she mad scarcely tasted
Suddenly there was the sound of
hasty footsteps through the dead
leaves. Lydia looked up. Billy was
striding toward her. She did not
speak, nor did he.
He strobe to the log, stopped, and
drew Lydia to her feet. Then he lift
ed her, scholars gown and all, in his
arms and kissed her full on the lips,
kissed her long and passionately, then
looked deep into her eyes and held
her to him until she could feel his
heart beating full and quick.
For just moment Lydia did not
stir, then she threw her arms around
his neck, hid her face against his
shoulder and chung to him with an
intensity that made him tremble.
Billy slipped his hand under Lydia's
cheek and turned her face so that he
could look into her eyes. At what he
saw there his own firm lips Quivered.
"Lydia" he whispered.
Then he kissed her again.
SNOW" he said gently, with a smile
of quality Lydia never had seen on
his lips before, now, sweetheart, are
you going to be goodT
"Yes," murmured Lydia, with con-
tralto Tilt in her voice. "What do you
want me to do, BfllyY
II want what you want, dearest. I
want the old Lydia with the vision.
Has she come back, or shall I have
to look for her againr
He started as II to take Lydia In
his arms once more, but, with sud
den rich little laugh, she stepped
away from him.
"She's here-oh, Billy, dearest !
How could you let her wander around
alone SO longY
"It didn't hurt my cause any for
her to miss me-" answered Billy,
grimly, though I didn't realize that
till a moment ago. Stop your trem-
bling, Lydia. I'm here to look out
for you, for the rest Of time"
They walked back to the cottage In
silence, hand in hand. They paused
at the gate and Lydia pointed through
the dusk at the new moon.
Lets wish on It," she said. "Close
your eyes, and WISH"
Billy closed his eyes. A kiss as soft
as the robins note fell on his lips and
the gate clicked He opened his eyes
and stood looking up the path long
after the door closed, his hat In his
hand
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