Smyrna times., 1930-01-22
The Little House
in the Woods
By CORONA REMINGTON

ledNSS IHdI covered the lOTe>t
path.
"Now, isn't this the crackiest
place for a vacation a girl ever
had! ~ she said to herself. "And the
girls in the office think I'm crazy
to spend my precious days of free
dom this way. Bless their hearts,
let them think. Now, this path
leads somewhere, so We'll find out
where it leads"
She turned a bend in the path
and there in a small opening in the
forest saw a little log house. Blue
smoke rose from the chimney, a
speckled hen was scratching around
the leaves and sitting on the tiny
porch was a man. An open book
lay on his knees. His head was
bent over the page.
Adventure - said q voice inside
her as she continued up the path
that led to his very feet.
When she had covered the short
distance and stood before him she
was puzzled and offended because
he did not even raise his head.
well, either You must be stone
deaf or an awful concentration" she
said.
At the sound of her voice he
started and looked up.
I'm a concentrator," he said,
"but l really thought you were
Jane. She was here a minute ago"
"H-m-m. married." Vivian noted
dismally. "This is where Niv'll
have to do the fadeout scene. No
home breaking for me. But he is
NICE l like his blue eyes. He's
awfully stiff, though. He might ask
me to sit down. I wouldn't bite
him or his Jane, either"
The man said nothing-just
looked at her in a polite, disinter-
ested way. Vivian laughed little
nervously.
Il was just walking through the
forest and landed-here," she said
at last. Il hope you and Mrs. Jane
won't mind"
"Oh, no, sure not. Make your
self at home. I don't mind at all,
and Jane has nothing TO say about
it. There she comes now"
The fat speckled hen approached
with leisurely dignity from around
the side of the house and Vivian's
heart gave a little flop of relief.
"You must get lonesome. don't
you? / wouldn't. but most folks
would You're big and youngish.
1t seems strange" she ended
with winsome frankness.
"Yes. but it's safe here. and
have my books and the birds and
animals in the forest and Jane. The
forest folk never betray or deceive.
Besides. / do research work in or
anthology and this is a good place
for me to be." he ended lamely.
'Tm Will Delaney of the state uni
versity."
"Woman hater. He means that
for me-" she registered quickly.
Then she felt an overwhelming
sympathy for him. He probably
wanted friends and was lonesome,
but was afraid somehody'd hurt him
again.
I'm so sorry" she said quietly.
"I'm afraid somebody has caused
you to lose your faith in people"
The man turned a tragic face to
her then and in an Outburst told
her his whole story.
Il haven't been able to bear the
sight of a girl since" he told her
desperately. "and vet I want toto
I'm not the hermit kind Of q fel-
low. If she only hadn't lied TO me
on top of it. If she had only come
straight to me and not let me get
it from Others"
Il know how you feel" said Wv
ian from her seat on the step be
side him. but why let one worth"
less girl ruin your whole life? Come
on--let's 90 exploring together"
She jumped up and with child
ish gesture caught hold of the cuff
of his coat and tugged at it until
he rose.
Together they rambled through
the woods until nOontfme.
"We1l explore the caves after
lunch," she told him. II have to
60 to my farmhouse and get some
thing TO eat now"
It was on the fourth day that
Vivian took stock of the situation.
"Lordy. Lordy." she said to the
cracked mirror in her bedroom at
Mrs. Benton's. II just wanted a lit
tie Irritation, and now I'm all tam
gled UP in a love affair. That's
more than | hargained for. Never
mind. he'll never know I'm in love
with him If it kills me. I've got
some pride. Guess I'll have to
quit seeing him every day this
way. It'll make it worse when |
have to leave"
But of course, she did not. In
stead she thought up q hundred
different excuses for daily trips
to the little house in the woods.
On the eve of her departure for
the city Vivian felt her hand trem-
BILE as she put it in his for last
good-by. Suddenly he pulled her
to him almost roughly.
sVivian, | can't let you 60" he
said huskily. II swear ! can't.
You've changed everything for me,
but If you ever lie to me or go back
on me I'll kill myself"
"Then you mean I'll have to
marry you to save your life?"
"That's what I've been trying TO
get through your head for the last
two weeks he said imratiently.
"Now he's lying" she said TO
herself. "All the time he's been
.,,-;,,, paf RI wont to marry me- "