At the Foot of the Rainbow

b that was done

we can do i

g to us a li

pie upon our p

wheat,

autiful Wa

is rye,

on this beau

inery. Dannie stopped stacking sheaves to mop his warm, perspiring face and to listen. Jim

mower, a l

autiful Wa

eat to buy

ts, to buy

if we get

, we'll c

at I drink tha

mower a lit

, in this whe

e approached, and cried pitifully if they were destroyed. The chewinks flashed from the ground to the fences and trees, and back, crying "Che-wink?" "Che-wee!" to each other, in such excitement that

e sheared into their nests, Dannie gathered the wounded and helpl

st part Jimmy kept close to Dannie. Jimmy's temper never had been so variable. Dannie was greatly troubled, for despite Jimmy's protests of devotion, he flared at a word, and sometimes at no word at all. The only thing in which he really seemed interested was the coon skin he was dressing to se

velvet soft, and bleached it until it was muslin white, he made it into a neat package and sent it with his compliments to the Boston man. After he had waited for a week, he began going to town every day to the post office for the letter he expe

ng wilted heads along the road. The goldenrod and purple ironwort were dust-colored and dust-choked. The trees were thirsty, and their leaves shriveling. The river bed was bare its width in places, and while

the time on a couch beside a window, where a breath of air stirred. Despite the good beginning he had

such cheer as few men could have summoned to the aid of so poor a cause. Had there been any one to notice it, Dannie was tired and heat-ridden also, but as always, Dannie sank self,

eeping?"

re Jimmy is," Mar

taking hasty bites, for he had begun his break

home last night," she said, "

glected; the problem was heartbreaking in any solution he attempted, and he felt none too well himself. He arose hastily, mut

arn, and shovel manure for Jimmy Malone, and do all th

and mosquitoes were so bad he kept his horses stabled through the day, and turned them to pasture at night. So their stalls were to be cleaned, and he set to work. When he had finished his own barn, as he had nothing else to do, he went on to Jimmy's. He had finished the stalls, and was sw

r nash'nal flowerish wa

the heavy auburn head to smo

h lik

answered Da

is face was purple and bloated, and his hair was dusty and disordered. He was a repulsive sight. As Dann

even, cold voice he had heard at b

arn. As he turned to interpose his body between her and the manger, which partially screened Jimmy, his heart sickened. He was too late. She had see

ly covered," she said. "How

a minute, Mary; he juist came in when

ge voice. "I suppose you give him money, and

age the farm, or do something worse if I didna; but I dinna WHERE he has bee

get back, and loaf while you do his work, and when you

like a cloak, and in the torture of his soul

ays ye first!" Mary began to tremble. Her white cheeks bu

Will you swear

I could face Him," answered Dannie. "An

enough to stay here all these years and see that I had the bist tratemint you could get

ng to him, her head dropped on his breast, and the perfume of her hair in his nostrils drove him mad. Then the tense bulk of her body struck against him, and horror fille

d him completely. The problem was so much too big for poor Dannie that reason kindly slipped

lds, orchards and highways, streams and rivers, deep woods and swamps, and on, and on he went. He felt nothing, and saw nothing, and thought nothing, save to

y bled. Leaves and twigs stuck in his hair, and his eyes grew bloodshot, his lips and tongue swollen, and when he could go no further on his feet, he crawle

e was carried to a house and a doctor dressed his hurts. When the physician got down to first principles, and found a big, white-bodied, fine-faced Scotchman i

o one," he said. "What in the name of

ent, and told the woman who found him that when he awoke, if he did not remember, to tell him that his name was Dannie M

as he remembered his flight, rang the awful cry uttered by Mary Malone, and not until then did there come to Dannie the rea

er tank and struck across country, and again he ran. But this time it was no headlong flight. Str

down the river when Dannie

e now and sickeningly afraid. Then he ran on. In a minute it would be over. At the next turn he could see the cabins. A

have you been?

ead?" cri

's never been sick in her life, and she has lived through it twice before,

nds at Five Mile Hill. Now, there were three. Jimmy had worn out her love for him, that was plain.

d. "Of course I don't blame you for cutting that kind of a party, me for the woods, all right, but what I

me, and it's all my fault if she dees, but this ane thing ye got to say ye know richt

to try to study it out. The nurse-woman, domn pretty girl, says if you don't get back before midnight, it's all up. You're just on time, Dannie. The

athly sick she dinna what she was doing. I

oaning over and over 'What did I do?' You hustle in and

Beside the table stood a comely young woman, dressed in blue and white stripes. She was doing something with eggs and mil

said

acnoun?"

said

the world. "Mrs. Malone seems to have an idea that she offended you, and drove you from home, just prior t

a have gone if I had known she

the nurse. "It seems you have been the stay of the family for years. I

at great snowy stretch, that must be the bed. That tumbled dark circle, that must be Mary's hair. That dead white thing beneath it, that must be Mary's face.

now ye were ill! Oh, believe me, I d

and her lips moved

nted. "Promise yo

e black cross. Dannie knew what she meant. He laid his hand on the emblem preci

into her face, and

ss into her hand. "Repeat after me," he s

et well, Dannie, if

on the cross. Life hasna been richt for ye, Mary, but if ye will get wel

annie," said Mary Malone, and

to the nurse,

of which she could think

know of what happene

ken her husband, and she grew frightened and screamed. There were men pas

uddered Dannie,

a doctor. They had help here almost as soon as you could. But, of course, the shoc

stioned Dannie. "Why

a fine big baby, a boy, and it seemed perfect, but we couldn't save it. I never worked harder. They told me she had lost two other

is the secret. She is almost numb with misery. All these days when she's been without hope, and these awful nichts, when she's watched and feared alone, she has no wished to perpetuat

left him. Dannie shook him awake.

ips but it died there. He tried to apologize. "I am almost dead for slee

In spite of your neglect, and my cowardice, I

e no sound issued. The drops of p

en brown a week before; his colorless face was sunken almost to the bone, and there was a peculiar twist about

e, we will face that like men, and see what can be done about it. This

ck," said Ji

all. Ye are the father of those children. Have ye ne

ven't," s

now," said Dannie, "and then

driving at?"

Mary's heart,

e licked his dry lips, and pulled his hat over his e

d na refused me, I should have married her, and then ye would have been the one to suffer. If she had chosen me, I should have married her, juist as ye did. Oh, I've never forgotten that! So I have na been a happy mon, Jimmy. We winna go into that any furthe

ray eyes seemed boring into the soul

uble? Did ye find ye dinna love Mary after ye won her? Did ye murder your mither or blacken your soul with some deadly sin? Mon! If I had in my life what ye every day neglect and torture, Heaven would come doon, and locate at the foot of the Rainbow fra me. But, ye are no happy, Jimmy. Let's get at the root of the mat

t from Jimmy, and he shi

eyes, love to her heart, and a living child to her arms? Wake up, mon! By God, if ye dinna set to work with me and solve this problem, I'll shake a solution

looked like death. Dannie rushed down to the water with the hat, and splashed drops into Jimmy's face until he gasped f

" he wavered. "I've lost the only fr

d sit up here, and help me work this thing out. Why are ye a discontented mon, always wishing fra any place save home? Why do ye spend all ye earn foo

d she hadn't marrie

ye think she does

anything!" e

a woman. Be a mon, and let me into the secret of this muddle. There is a secret, and ye know it. What is it?

The doctor soon brought Jimmy around, prescribed quiet and sleep; talked about heart trouble developing, and symptoms of tremens, and Dannie poured on water, and gritted his teeth

n were you last a

," answer

last have a

now," repl

ne comfortable, I'm going to get you something to eat, and you are going to eat it. Then you are going to lie down on that cot where I can call you if I

cht when I get food. Since ye mention it

broth. "Just drink that, and drink sl

d for more; but she firmly told him her hands were full now, and she had no one to depend on but him to watch after the turn of the night. So Dannie lay down on the cot. He had barely touched it w

t sight of him. "I'm burning in all the tortures of fire now,

d. "Jimmy, wait!" he called. "Jimmy, have ye any money?" Jimmy was running along the path toward town. Dannie stopped. He stood staring after Jimmy for a second,