The Sauk Centre herald., 1928-12-13
THAT CARSON GIRL .a.,cs,sss.'as s,st

By Robert Stead

From the hilltop where Clare
stood she watched the sun sink
slowly into his bed of snow. Her
vantage point was the only eleva--
ton for many miles in all that
prairie country. 1t commanded a
view as far as the eye could reach,
broken only by the groves OF box
elders and Russian poplars, now
leafless and shrunken, which the
settlers had planted about their
steadings. Clare loved to climb
it for exhilaration, the vastness,
the sense of infinity which it gave
her.
At least, that was the explana-
tion she offered when explanations
were necessary. Her custom of
walking to the top of the hill ev-
cry evening before sunset could
not escape observation and COM
ment in a community where the
doings of neighbors constituted the
chief topic conservation.
ffSaw that Carson girl on the
knob again tonight" Bert McVain
remarked at the supper table after
his return from the market town
where he had been delivering a
load of wheat. 'She's getting
crazier every day."
'"Too bad,' Bert's mother COM
mented, with a sigh. "She used to
be so bright. 1t must be a great
trial to Mrs. Carson"
And to the talk run through the
neighborhood. Clare Carson was
ga little off," Echoes of that gos-
sip did not fail to reach the Car
son homestead, where Clare had
been taken strictly to account for
her wanderings.
"But, Mother" the girl protest
ed, $50 long as l don't neglect my
work-and l don't-why shouldn't
] walk up the knob if l want to?
The exercise and fresh air are
good for me after all day in the
house."
> 'Just the same, it don't look
right" her mother argued. "Peo-
pie are beginning to talk"
"Let them," said Clare. And
because she was twenty-five and
had a will of her own, the walks
continued and the gossip grew.
"Oh, why can't they let me
alonew she exclaimed to herself,
as she watched the sun dip into
his bed of snow. Erred, Fred! Do
you know-tcan you understand
how am keeping my promise ?"
The red light, mingled with that
bluish-White reflection which art
lists find in untrodden snow, touch
ed her cheeks with is feathery
brush, painting them with the glow
of buoyant health. Under the
tam which sheltered her pretty
head her eyes shone with a sun
set luster even while they plead
for an answer from the infinite.
For six months she had kept her
tryst; six months to a day, for
was not this the twenty-fourth of
December? On that June night
half year ago Fred had held her
in his arms on this very spot while
he told her of the urgency which
took him East. The death of his
father demanded his immediate re-
turn. "And Clare" he told her,
81 know what their plans are.
There is match all made for me.
1t may be condition of the will;
l don't know; but ccldition or no
condition I'll be back for you as
soon as l can put affairs in order.
1t was to escape her I came out
here-and found you! Do you be-
lieve that l will come back to
you dearest?"
She assured him with her lips.
81 will have fight of it, DEAR"
he went on, "and l will need your
help. You don't know what it is
to have all your people set against
you. They think it's for the best.
OF course; Julia is a nice enough
girl, and comes of an old and
wealthy family, and they can't un-
derstand my objection"
"Why don't you marry herr"
Clare interrupted, eager to hear
again his fervent defense. "She is
rich, beautiful; she would make
you happy" .....
'That's just it-she wouldn't.
Why should ] marry a rich girl,
when I have already enough for
two? And as for beauty-no one
who has seen you would call her
beautifulv ..-
He held her again in that still
June night as though he never
would let her go.
81 will need your help" he re-
peated at length. "You will help,
won't you?" .,
"But how?"
The question silenced him for
moment. Then, "Ill tell you, Glare.
Come to this spot every evening
at sunset, and think strong