Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-01-12
CHAPTER I

to himself, about two bushels of dust.
Don't they ever oil their roads In Yer
mont. | wonder? I'm sure can't make
Burlington tonight anyway-it must
be somewhere over on the other side
OF the map"
lie interrupted his own train OF
thought by laughing aloud, and
brought his motor to d stop beside the
powdery highway which he had been
mentally condemning.
Irish, cropping out as usual" he
said. grinning, as he locked the car.
@or maybe I'm still dippy-typhoid
bugs die hard. Anyway. I'm going to
see II this brook doesn't wind far
enough from the road somewhere soon
for me to get Into 1t. without being
arrested In the process
He rolled under the barbed-wire
fence, and scrambled Into the under
brush OF the woods that skirted the
road
He was right; the little brook. twist
Ing and turning, wound farther and
farther into the woods: 1t foamed into
tiny waterfall. widened to small
pool, ideal for SWIM But, pulling
of bis coat and jerking at his collar.
the man stopped short and stared
ahead OF him. wondering II he were
suddenly losing his senses.
On the edge OF the pool, Just be-
yond the waterfall. was q girl, her
face turned from him, her white feet
and ankles cleaning through the clear
water Of the brock. She had ON q
soft, short, close-fitting white garment,
and her bare arms were raised above
her head, han-covered with the masses
OF shining hair that fell about her like
4 golden cloud.
Philip had been whIstlIng. He
stopped abruptly. The girl shook her
hair, dropped her arms, and turned
around. Then after one startled sec
ond. In which Philip saw that her eyes
were as blue as the shining sky which
danpled the woods with It's light. she
smIled with entire friendliness.
How do you dor she asked pleas
Antly.
.Im very well--that Is, I'm not well
at all I've Just had typhoid fever
Philip stammered. Then, thinking
what an asInine thing that was to say,
he went on. realizing all the time that
he was not becoming less asinine,
.That's why I'm here-trying to get
better. you know
Il see,n said the girl. with the same
serene pleasantness. I'm sorry. Did
you walk all the way from wherever
you Gamer"
Philip laughed mo, | motored.
left Boston early this morning. but
got 80 tired and SO dirty and SO hot
that +"
Left your motor by the side Of the
road. and followed the brook to take a
SWIM And now I'm here first, spoil
ing 1t all What pItyl I'll go"
'0h. please DON'T don't think
you're spelling anything particularly"
Philip stammered again. I'm fact you
you rather add--to the place-and
! thought 1t was the prettiest place |
had ever seen. anyway"
The girl put up her hands. and be-
gan drying her hair again. won't
you silt DOWN." she asked. "You must
be pretty tired"
Philip complied with this sugges
ton. feeling Ii to be an agreeable one
and, utterly at a loss as to what to say
or do next. waited for the girl to make
the next move. AT last. as she CON
tinned to dry her hair In silence. be
burst out, rs one apt to run across
persons-like you-beside Vermont
brooks7 Perhaps you're not a person
at all? Perhaps you're dryad--or a
nymph-or something like that?"
II wish were" she said, and the
least shadow of discomfort seemed to
have crept into her voice. II don't re-
member much about dryads and
nymphs. My cousin Mary knows all
about them. She'd have her nose In
book half the time, IL she didn't have
so much else to do. She ant mother
and Cousin Jane are all housekeeping
today-that's why ran away. I'd
have had to help If I'd stayed at home
You'd never believe there was so
much In a house, until you got 1t all
out in the front yard And Paul Is so
lazy he never helps half as much as
he might, and Mary has to stop right
In the middle of everything and chase
up the children. and Cousin Jane goes
off TO prayer meetingand oh, It's all
plenty bad enough to make anyone
want to be a nymph and live In
brook. where life Ia just one perpetual
bath, and there can't possibly be any
thing to houseceanr'
well. IL you're not a nymph, and
you don't live In a brook, would you
think were awfully rude II | asked
what your name Is and where you
live?"
My name Is Blanche Manning. |
live on Lady Blanche farm
Lady Blanche farm |" echoed Philip.
what pretty name"
"Yes--there's quite pretty story
about 1t, too. Would you like to
hear Ia"
.Vpry much