White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-03-02
CHAPTER VI-Continued

OWeieu SudTueuly.
II should think the schoolroom
would be too dark for you to work
there so late"
II usually stop working before
dark"
"But this EVENING"" y
"I-lingered on"
A brief silence.
II must warn you, Miss Schwenck-
ton, it's not really safe for you to be
alone after dark either in your school
room or on this lonely road"
"Then I'm thankful you're with me-
"But what detained you so late"
"Oh - this and that-a bit of
work."
"Correcting spelling papers, pre-
sume?"
"Really, Mr.. Creighton, your interest
In perfectly unimportant, trivial things
like spelling-papers My-goodness
'Tll bet you never bore yourself
with correcting spelling-papers! Not
you"
'How you came by the impression
that I'm so light-minded as never to
correct photographers! Well, to be
sure, 1t isn't my favorite pastime. I
do sometimes indulge in other diver
sions."
No use-he could not trap her into
admitting that she had been work
Ing in her schoolroom, but walking Oh
the highway. Why didn't she want
to admit It?
"Oh!" he exclaimed as at this In
slant she tripped over rough place
in the dark road and, to his conster-
nation, fell headlong Are you hurt?"
he solicitously inquired in alarm as
he lifted her and she leaned against
him painting.
mo, no. Don't you know, Mr..
Creighton" she asked, as she moved
out from the circle of his arm, show
dangerous it is to lift a fallen woman?
"What hi of road!" she remarked
as they resumed their walk cautiously,
his hand under her arm to guide her.
"There are just two kinds of girls"
said Marvin, "that would talk about
"a hi of a road'-high-born ladies
and toughs! AS country teacher
and pious Sam Schwenckton's relative,
you don't come under either of these
heads. What must I conclude?"
"That adapt my speech to my COM
pany. When I'm with-Cousin Sam
my speech is Yea and Nay"
eff it were more than that I'm sure
he would not harbor you-if for no
other reason than for your corrupting
influence on his children. You're not
lraid he might have your school
taken from your"
"He would if he thought 1t was his
duty to-" she nodded, her tone express
ing supreme Indifference to this fate
so dreaded Of the county teachers.
: "You wouldn't mind that-losing
your school?' he asked curiously.
ut would be hard on the school,
They'd not get another teacher like
me in a hurry!" she smiled.
II can we'll believe you'll"
"Tve always thought people that
don't know me miss a lot"
LII sure i VIC Sulucu q lOL LII hllOW
ing you"
''Thanks. Same to you. And If
were dismissed" she added with a
sigh, "all the elegant education I'm
getting in textbook lore wourd be
brought to an untimely end I'm
learning lot through teaching-from
geography up"
Cup? Up to what?"
"Oh, the multiplication tables up to
twelve. I never knew them so well
beyond seven"
'Then for the sake of your educa-
ton, / hope Sam Schwenckton doesn't
find out what he's harboring in his
family! But really, Miss Schwenck-
ton," added Marvin earnestly, a So
licitous note in his voice, ''T'm afraid
that with the sort of trustees we have
in this district teacher like you can't
hold down this job long! I'd hate like
the dickens to have your bigoted old
trustees fire you, so let me warn you
do be bit prudent-if it's in you to
bel I've been hearing complaints
"Of me?"
"-from the parents. A small boy
in your school, Jakey Rafrensburger,
reused his parents suspicious by be-
ing so enamored Of school since you've
taught it, when heretofore he had to
be flogged to make him go, that they
were moved to investigate the reason
and he admitted, after much probing,
that he'd rather go to school to you
than see movie, because you told
them about devils showed them pic
lures of devils and acted the devil
for them! Satan, it seems, has be-
come to Jakey hero, to the unspeak-
able horror Of his devout parents, who,
believe me, take the devil seriously
They complained to me that they didn't
send their child to school to learn to
love and admire the devil So inter-
viewed Jake and found you'd been
telling these children of scenes from
Paradise Lost'!"
"a little English poetry surely can't
be objected to, Mr.. Creighton"
tits not in the curriculum, Miss
Schwenckton Stick to the curriculum
just enough to hold your job, can't
your
"But do you know couldn't endure
my job a week If didn't liven 1T up
with little Of the Joy of life!"
"Joy of life-'Paradise Lost? You'll
he Frightening their lives with Dante's
Inferno next! By the way" he sud
denly remembered, you're booked for
q talk to the district teachers at their