The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-11-28
CHAPTER VI-Continued
III

Bart stopped at the house one morn
ing, the wheels of his buggy mud-clOtted
10 the hubs, 10 take commissions for
shopping at the village; and after he
was gone, il rained again, so that they
were kept all day indoors. Dusk came
early, till the lamps in the kitchen
and dining room made all snug and
warm. Marin Pierce and Jenny began
TO prepare supper; and the old woman
went out to survey the weather signs.
at might lift tomorrow" she said
"The winds this way, that way, now !;
but if it shifts, Wen get change"
Jenny made no comment, and the old
woman added: with so much rain,
things amt started TO grow yet. It'll
be a late spring, and sudden. First
touch Of sun, and everything will grow
a week in a day. A spring like this,
l can't get my simples when they're
right"
I'll go tomorrow and see what
can find" Jenny offered.
You can get me a water lily root,
anyway" Marin Pierce reflected. If
the WAGER amt TOO Deep
The girl said: There's a pool down
toward the bog with an old log in il,
and lilies grow in back of the log. It's
not deep there. 1 can reach down"
Marin Pierce opened the oven to see
If the biscuits were done, and a blast
of hot air struck her in the face
"Whew!" she exclaimed, and closed
the oven. I'm bound to air out or
suffc cate" she said, and opened the
kitchen door.
Then she calculated: "Barti
never heard you come up on the porch
Where's your team?"
Jenny turned and saw Bart there on
the porch, just outside the door.
'.Mud's too deep TO git in here and not
founder" he explained. ~ walked
over from my house. Here's yore
things!"
Marin Pierce spoke sharply. well.
don't come tracking into my kitchen, +"
she said. and took his burdens from
him. Much obliged. Good night to
you"
And she pushed the door shut with
her knee.
Jenny, relieving her of some of the
parcels, said in amusement: You cut
him off pretty short Might have
asked him in"
I'D a notion he'd ben standing there
listening" the old woman declared.
BE just ike him to! If I'd knOwed he
was there, I'd have said something he
wouldn't ike 10 hearw
Jenny smiled at the old woman's as
perity. you don't like Bart, do you?'
And Marin Pierce said fatty: mo.
/ hate man that's always doing me
favOrs." She smiled grimly at her own
words. Foolish Of me, like as not ;
but that's the way be-"
Later, the rain began again; but
they were here secure. Rain was dane
ing on the roof and Stating against
the weatherboards when Jenny went TO
bed; but she slept quickly, deeply, till
the belared gray of a moist and sod
den dawn.
And woke and rose without misgiv-
ing. There were in her no Fremont
tions. Yet this was the day when
death and Saladine came to Hostile.
Valley. and the face of Jenny's world
forever changed.
Saladine, at the entrance of this hid
den Valley about which so many dark
tales clustered, checked his car on the
ledge above VIII Ferrin's farm for long
enough to survey the scene. shrouded
in a mist-like rain; but at last he
loosed his brakes and began the steep
descent.
The road plunged downward, then re-
Taxed 10 a more gradual pitch; and
he saw presently a meadow on one
hand, and rocky pasture where were
cows, and the well-kepr buildings of 4
farm. The house was white. NOT fresh
painted yet not dingy either; the barn
was stanch and the roof WIS yellow
with new shingles. The buildings were
set back little from the road. upon
a knoll that was like a buttress of the
ridge; and Saladine thought there must
be from this farm wide outlook
across the Valley. if the day were
clear.
There was nothing extraordinary in
the outward aspect OF the place. Ii
was lie countless others herPahnuts.
excspt that perhaps the buildings were
a little larger There WAS rather