Joyce of the North Woods

ten. Then she stepped to the window, drew aside the white

probably it was the crackling of the protesting trees, f

litter. A full moon dimmed the stars, but a keen glance showed that ev

ised; where the green-black pines stand motionless in the hard whiteness, and where the silence is only broken by myste

imidly feeling out the meaning of things. Sometimes the sensation hurt

indow, and turned to the

t home-makers. Such women can accomplish more with the bare necessities of life than others with the worl

he way. A roaring wood fire on a dustless hearth; pictures hung neither too high nor too low, and no sense of emptiness nor crowding. A

with Gaston's financial and persona

t and, through the summer, while the building was in process, the inh

gatherer and scatterer of news, announced, "they

ence was occupying the open spac

r Falstar suggested. "It's just tempting Providence

mith. "Just so much more heating of out-doo

e others had not considered that. "If you want a more extended, and rounded outlook, you'd

k Cat," Jock

ok at all that don't incl

ered, sheltered, and abetted the young minister who had so interfered w

Jock's interruption ne

t stood the work-basket, a gift from the mystical sister of Drew, who lived off somewhere beyond the Southern Sol

he three wonderful pictur

n the middle place hung a modern Madonna and Child. This Joyce coul

moulding Joyce's character. Gaston h

w. A stretch of sandy shore, an in-rolling,

the girl this picture was simp

. However, it led the new-born imagination to expand and wander, and when Joyce wa

lack where age had stamped it; white where snow traced the deep wrinkles of time. But out of this rough light and shade, r

AND CHILD WERE MOUL

he girl's love for this picture. As this was great, compared to the small things she knew,

ncy's fairy space; the tow

The strangeness and importance dwindled. No one considered the matter different from any other joining of St. Angé forces

and tired when he returned. With a little laugh she pulled her own chair, a low, deep rocker, from the bay window, out into t

d, and with strict impartiality she moved the stool to a position exactly bet

th her own sense of justice and propr

glected song was taken up where the i

t Providence was cosily heated, and the box of plants that f

orth a homely fragrance, and they were almost

ve way under the heavy tread, the steps of the little porch creaked under

ate, Jude.

oo late, when I say come. Maybe Joyce can tempt you with a mixtu

ith the two men, but the home glow killed it as the kitchen

the fire, a pale straight f

of yours. Put plenty of the real thing in and don't be sparing with the tasties. Off with your coat

en Joyce's han

The room looks as if you'd bewitched it. I tell you, Jude, there nev

took Gaston's hat from him,

," she said briskly. "Sit down, and te

s own chair. Gaston took Joyce's-he knew her fancy

re that an odour of scorching leather filled the room; "we got some men over to Hillcrest, and we've bargained for lu

jug jubilantly. "Just think of Mr. Drew coming her

st, excitement and pleasure.

happen here in St. Angé. Nothing that hadn't already happened over and again. Isa has always said the place would get a jog some day

oke from the de

Drew se

how I got the deal so prompt, I told him I'd undertake the j

d you get the

d mug, and drew a little farther from the fire's revealing light. "Lau

little line of care, now, b

he dollars, Mr. Gaston will get them back." Ju

have taken-

omen get to tangling up money with their own doings, it's the devil

thing lay back of her questioning-what was it? And Jude's assumption of the male supe

at the fair, dreamy face between them. Then Jude laid his pipe aside-and snored. The clock ticked softly. The logs fell apart in a red glow. In drawing awa

y in the heat," Joyce wh

t I ought to be going

tired now. Keeping one's own house-is great! and it seems like everything is waki

touched the heavy curv

onder if you know what a great achiev

e wi

ispered softly, "don't you mind. He think

en hair, "but make him understand, Joyce. It

e this home. I ain't ever going to let you forget that. These pictures," her loving glance took them all in, "and the book

Solitudes, Joyce." Gaston's hand fell gently alon

two did not change their positions,

etting somewhere out beyond. And that great empty picture with the awful white wave coming from nowhere-it just makes me hold

t generally it obeys orders and stops at the saf

the real thing. I am sure it makes a terrific noise." Gaston nodded, and o

the cruder one. "Its restlessness is at times-

ill I would hate it-and be afraid of it. It's beautiful-but it's awful. I don't like awful things. I like to

ide this girl near him with her intuiti

is your favourite

and touched the round, pale outline of cheek and chin with the

ke that best of all." And she pointed a tr

a palpitating meaning

he aske

answers-then-" a gentle ferocity rang through the hurried words-"I'm going to keep it so. It's going to be different from any other little child in St. Angé. And it all fits in, now that Mr. Drew is coming back. It's just wonderful! It was Mr. Drew that set me thinking ab

or withholding this confidence from him at f

st upon him for a moment appalled him. He looked intently at the girlish, innocent face. W

now, that in a marked way he still was the one being in the girl's world to

aston's sense of the ridiculous was stirred. Suppose they-those-people who inhabited the Past, and peopled the possible Future-s

as an inane question, but like some in

ny more, and I make believe a lot-about Jude. You have to when you've been married long; and I guess he has to about me. So you see, living that way it comes out all right. And then when yo

lder. The piteousness of this young wife getting her happiness, all unkno

ou can upon your blessings, and as to other things, why, don't acknowledge them! You

had the queerest ideas about things. When I think of him, sick and weak like he was, and yet livi

ude was primitive. Actions were things to him; things that admitted of no shades of meaning. What the two were saying in no way m

personal assault then and there, upon the two who da

Gaston meant to him. Money! Gaston's money. There had been loans, trifling, but many, and now Gaston stood ready to advance money for thi

ng him money-hush money! And while he had gone his stupid way, thinking he held the whip hand over Joyce, the two had had th

thoughts. Very well, two or th

new? Why he might make a choice i

ched and yawned and gave ample notice of his advance, i

tretched out toward the fading glow, and Joyce, crouched upon her stool

h a purpose, "you don't suppose, do you, that that young

ut turning. "He wants to keep his soul and bod

m fancy he los

His physicians tell him his only chance for life is up in this region. Some

here as a disturbing element, so to speak. Living and minding your business, is one thing; interfering with other folks' business is another. Filmer, he told me a time back that he ain't had a comfortable spree since that young feller was here. He sort of upset Jock's stomach with his ga

thought rankled in m

rship, Jude?" Gaston got up and cro

at we'd better stamp out any upraisings in the start, now that it's likely to be a staying on, 'stead of a visit. When I select a teacher

n looked back at the little figure by the fire, and he saw

aying good night." Jude's words reached wher

slowly, and a great wea

d in the middle of the room, her

Gaston's going. But she was still thrilled

t's

and stared boldly int

ing,

spry as when-t

ve had a nap. I

ing-you're feeling the strain. See here, Joyce, maybe you better not be so-amusing in the future. Maybe y

ng control

lders. "Jude, I want you to pay Mr. Gaston back as soon as you can. It's

our-durned

hing for the building. His family is terribly rich. Mr. Gaston know

lower nature of the man. The girl was young enough, and new enoug

you have. See? If you get more than what is rightfully yours, don't get sot up with the notion I don't know what I'm permitting. I guess I've got to let you see what you're up against a little plainer. I had a kind of dim idee that your schooling and book-learning made you a bit ke

s if the man before he

t Jude was always irritable when he had be

er soul now; but its duration was brief

sleep to-night?" Jude

d all the evil power of reducing

leep," she w

ughed c

napping when Billy Falster blabbed his warning. I wasn't napping when I saw that hand-holding and kissing from the top of Beacon Hill. I wasn't snoozing that night when you went cra

ld never be able to ignore the fact again. Try as she might, dream

. She must deal with t

ou owe him-I'll stint here in the house-and I'll promise nev

earnest; but Jude

s could move him. She had lost the poor little power she once possessed. He did no

ep your books, your pictures and what not as long as I say you

long barren stretch on ahead that she saw. A stretch

smart enough to hold your tongue, though. Pile on a log or two, before you turn in

was but part of her woman-task. Jude feeling it necessary to

rom the hearth. Then she went to the north window and raised the sash. Befo

ittering it all looked; and the keen cold clea

thicket through which his private path ran. He must have w

he entrance to the wood

thing, escaped the fear and smothering closeness of the little house. It was free and happy out there with Gaston in the night. He was strong-stronger than anyb

. Joyce, too seemed to be going on

shut that win

night she had promised to marry Jude, and had gone t

med to travel back to that rough call over frozen distances. With stiff fingers she drew the heavy wooden shutters together and low