Hidden Creek

pologetic softness. She patted Sheila's shoulder when she passed the girl at work. When Hilliard nex

had been given a half-holiday and was riding on the black horse

gratitude; then, shadowing, "If only she woul

der shouldn'

down splendid wild things for food, but, to trap them!-small furry things or even big

don't call h

k of the aprons! A

just a wom

I've a feeling that it was E

nk of all the bother we've be

bother. You're a man. To me it's a form of sp

is saddle to stare wonderin

nfusedly. "I-I don't kn

imes those ventures turn out all right.

yes. "So am I. But," she added after a thoughtful mom

his tone quickly with a light, apologetic touch on her arm, "but-but I won't. I ran a

ool?" ask

knee away from a threatening trunk. Below were the vivid paintbrush flowers and the blue mountain lupine and all about the nymph-white aspens with leaves turning to restless gold against the sky. The horses moved quietly with a slight cr

he said. "No doubt you've

s brought a picture as foreign as t

? You r

, ma

ard, because it seems so strange-what you are now, and your running away and never

ns," he said rather wistfu

e ignored it and waited, looking away from him.

ook at me?" he d

and smi

f her-you know how a kid is. I kind of paraded her round and showed her off to the other fellows. No other fellow had such a beautiful mother. Then, as we were saying good-bye, a crowd of the boys all round, I did something-trod on her foot or something, I don't quite know what-and she lifted up her hand and slapped me across the face." He was white at the shocking memory. "Right there before them all, when I-I was adoring her. She had the temper of a devil, a sud

ever brough

e busy people-my parents-remarkably busy going to the devil.... And they were eternally hard-up. You see, my grandfather had the money-still has it-and he's remarkably tight. I wrote to them after six years, when I was twenty. They wrote back; at leas

speak. Sheila wondered if the beautiful mother was that instant wearing the hideous prison dress. She wished that she had read the result of the trial. She wouldn't for t

s he walked across the clearing to his horse. Suddenly he slapped the pocket of his chaps and turned back. "Thunde

ll and rather unsteady. The envelope was fat, the postmark Millings. Her flush of su

departure. She went up to her lo

R MISS

burned down [here the writing was especially shaky] and I found that you and Dickie had both vamoosed, I thought that you had paid me out and gone off together. You can't blame me for that thought, Miss Sheila, for I had found him in your room at that time of night or morning and I coul

ything that had ever been there. I don't rightly know-I likely never will know-what you meant in my life. I handled you in my heart like a flower. Before God, I had a religion for you. And that was just why, when I thought you was bad, that it drove me crazy. I wonder if you will understand this. You are awful young and awful ignorant. And I have hurt your pride. You are terrible proud for your years, Miss Sheila. I ache all over when I think that I hurt your pretty mouth. I hope it is smiling now. I am moving out of Millings,-Me and Momma and Babe. But Girlie is agoing to marry Jim. He run right back to her like a little lost lamb the second you was gone. Likely, he'll never touch liquor again. I haven't heard from Dickie. I guess he's gon

hope that if you ever need a friend you will overlook my bad break and

d-"Sylvester." Sheila was left bewild