Show aar fr it THE PASSION OF BALSAM JOES t dv dy ELLIOT by daily story 30 wl WI ore the purity of thu the cold 8 pr ings trickle had bared in lao late and aly early by ro ason of jtb clear swift overflow a tiny r each rach of n veil ell washed shining pebble weed dotted sparsely in the summer bitne grow a fe few scanty anty sprigs of pungent peppermint balsam A Rather lug a hand fill ful to clush the modest horb in lit hot email small brown bron lingers fingers burying her lit tie tilted nose among the fr fragrant arant leaves inhaling In hallm their ailep grateful odor ft ith a aist of t oata nj ver happy was beet and anti timid omed the ehy shy homely river eldo side grasses smiling up to her bright lice ha had hai I they a lingering blossom blo esoni or a stem of or tander welcome or unadorned to brush on oil the way to her log b the deep rivers brink her new tanned a decorous lory to the blender slender feet the outlet of the spring purred by her to the river a widing wi ding erous stream swift or still as it raced or mated yet mathill it ans a pretty river eddying bravely on between green gren horca shores more attractive perhaps for mystery of tha th hidden bottom and glittering pUtt crIng galy in the b instine reflecting the blue of s sl and shad ova ous tit of oser overhanging hanging tree trees balaam balsam loved loed it and anti her log a good clean trunk of pt Pi clent willow with fen fc unpleasant knots no dump soiling moss 9 victor and sho she had alt it many times upon the log therefore fore balsam loved st it tho the more quite ease ens had been the conquest ift oung mr savidge Savl dge tar too easy and delightful for serious tho thought tight on his part ho ile waa was not glien aven to sol dmn consideration anyway balsam vas eighteen and used her big blue eyes express oppressively hely and in ftuer trifling waya ways a of flirta tion showed obvious ir rut this was at first balsim had iliew forgotten all at out the speaking glance the lingering touch the air thio coy oy arts acquired in A circle r ther bucolic mule male acquaintances as i ecos sary adjuncts for the deliver vac ae of halting hulting speech and the nc ac hilr inest of a friendly footing surely I 1 it a comin bistre to plea e and innocently renders d were prin arll areli I 1 bv by tho the men to the b birtler of reserve eted by a more polite and loua lous society Cen consequently hta his halted not and anti ns as for a friendly footing balsam could not understand how it was all aaice the were as friends of years but it was ivi lovely and anti must mean oh ohl yes cs it could let lot mean anything els elm tu tot entry day now he met her in the tho afternoon and he hid irid imald so much so much already to tin ani ho lie might sa eai more it if he did ehe she would ronld tr to tell him how she sh loved tho the viry cry ground he stood on if bho she a I 1 could fand boid lately som 1 1 I it wae was hard for hf br r to tak 1 eho she fi ft ineer inteer and und drippy inside and lokeil tt to listen liked to catch every inflection of hta his voice and watch the 71 af 4 i wo 4 t A tot balsam way hu moved all h move moie MOMS met it wait as strange but she would not think her iler people would be glad the she succeed guessed ae As for hie his the ithe had onla seen them driving kind ef stuck up tip might have hae dubbed the sa edgee bild they the been any but vie vic tore tors mother and sister such things atnel got arranged alt all right bal dal earn sant had read many thrilling tales and lovern lovers hail had disposed of all obstacles very nicel A prevent pr nt leaping Jo jokull full at a vc ve v blant conclusion a changed bal dal eam gain fram merry kirl girl victor had hail wet met og the church strawberry berry festival where lie ito I 1 in angly sauntered in search L ii u land tand found it she he BOW now sat cosily on her log mut ing quiet absent smiling and wills his to her youns young soul ieh much trust and expectation a pretty picture thare by tha the rivers e elge ige sho she heard beard steps and a oice olce she know knew balsam did not turn her ifer heart throbbed in a wild ecstasy it was nice to have him come up behind her like that she felt her cheeks checks glow felt tho the blood stealing a n pink tell talc tale up her neck and about her temples which beat tick bickl like tho the clock in her room loud in he the eiehl evenings digs when she had lain fain au awake ake thinking thin kinf of her love lose and hott ho in lit another moment the girl was gazing unseeing at the water and mor wondering dering it he had really kissed her or if it were ere a dream she saed swaged a little toward to ird him as ho he seated himself her face averted and pali paling tig her eners ers interlaced vor working king nervously ner vouly art bently ver low ard dottl softly it made me dizz victor I 1 expecting that Is I 1 think thin it would mould be like but I 1 im m glad to to feel so and to know inoa lo love loe e me the tile mans half guilty smile faded to nn an expression ot consternation billit ih impulsive straining embrace tho warm arm caresa stealing from brow brou to check with ith a passi nate lingering on oil tho the sweet lips as her e rth es am to haq hi had been more ar dent ban he In tendel his heart N young mr savl te 00 ix oo wis is beating 11 II tt thed ed with hia his cane at a lump of dry clay and m watched it crun iole had bo be gone too far a kiss hiss she must not take thia this too serious t ekno inov just nov tie aou ou are tire feeling said balsam tenderly you cant talk tall I 1 coulon couldn t before now I 1 can oh I 1 ou oil must love me dearly victor to have he eld me tile like that 1 I love ou oil he said quietly with a pat pathetic hetle pain in hia his tone yes balsim in it has been coming over oer me litell toda to da I 1 knok IL it that s the vorst of it t the worst of it beli bewildered dered with both hands on his arm ive got to go away balsam we ire tre planning a trip abroad I 1 ou know people have plans and anti expect things I 1 may be gone a year or or it Is so far I 1 mean so long it time so to indefinite la Is that nil all in relieved lion ilon what difference does it make you yott ia conio come bach and nd ill ho ie happy thinking 0 o fall overboard her small hand gripped ripped hi his 21 sper per dar dear moll roe what Is to it 1 I have anything happen to you it if anyone hurt you victor even een n little bit id id 11 savidge looked at her now amazed at the intensity in her voice oh oil its jonea I 1 guess said the girl wo we tight fight for those we e lovo without over cier thinking at it all al about it its lu in the blood my tand mother killed hilled a wolf and anil would yui yon ficht for me bal dal earn sair I 1 id d die tile tor for ou ell she aid said very tery and firn esal 1 I would be glad to lie tie tor yon you anyway arsho you toil ilon don I 1 uno stand it victor be cause its a funny fanny feeling oh ohl my 1 irling it ou ell were ere helpless or hart hurt 1 I can cant t express it and maybe you will laugh bol b we use ouro so strong and biff big and able to cire for yourself but een now loving sou its as it if 1 must look after aou ou as if in a way were like a baby that I 1 must protect it any dinser dinger threatened and there a i about it that frightens me please dont laugh at mp me victor I 1 cint help it iclet if silly I 1 know savidge did laugh lie ile put his i between hand and groaned gro and then hf he stood up tip breathing hard I 1 itte elsan Els cn spit he said and hl hh word ord d we ive mist not talk an more now late to tomorrow morrow per hati I 1 nii ni iiii i I 1 shall try to tell you roni ething something for our mutual suffering sulT frIng and ultimate good my child nod god hrip hell ns list it will be hard for us both dear I 1 can bear it I 1 said balsam eyeing hint with mith arvo br orbs if it will help von vou victor you re rol ro l 1 in to laugh i it i wha ba I 1 sal I 1 I 1 m was a afraid 3 ell might 11 right III stop talking of us S st that fesh hp aps s wounded wha wh u we e can catch him I 1 guess oh ob 1 3 e 1 its a tro troit I 1 t haheim 1 biff fellow lie ile welcomed omd this dl diversion erslon eerie u tho run up tip hero here to the deep hole to pet get the spring water nater explained the th girl 11 uncle raker baker g gets ts a nice gnp cant aou ou work etim in with ith bour our cine lie ile Is pearly dead A lump huge half submerged willow trunk gre out over the stream twelve feet perhaps ere its limbs scooped upward it formed a dam turning the current at it tho the outer end below tho the waier water lay unruffled in this smooth spot tho fish wriggled a tempting sight its bril llant hart sides gleaming n it rolled 1 angly speared 1 cried victor we wc it put him in the spring balsam I 1 II 11 get out above him dont fall in I 1 pshaw I 1 its not r c rr my heid head he id yes it Is be c 4 ull il I 1 when savidge sl ippel 1 pitching for ward with that tremendous splash I 1 balsam could not resist an impulse to laugh aloud it aa as a ludicrous plunge a sadly ridiculous ending to hn endeavors she was as not of curs he could swim presently he would mould wado wade out dripping to be consoled and fussed over it was as too bad though his nice white hite flannel suit what was mas he lie doing her iler smile froze to a stony glare of horror he ile waa as drowning droning a choking helpless turning pitiful object that was what he was doing tho the girl went ment out on the slippery tree trunk like a white hash flash and slid oft off as a mink elida from r ro rock rok k she gave no cry uncle baker daher had bad taught her a few strokes three years before in case she might tall fall in undoubtedly this instruction saved two lives no 0 o one ever knew know the particulars of that awful struggle in the willow pool or how balsam got him ashore people could only guess savidge said he found himsel hang ing over the log they had been sitting on and the water arts out of his lungs balsam had done dine that she was as lying near him dead he thought at first all scratched and bruised with alth her dress in great rents it was always a blank to her she could only remember jumping up tip when he carried her into the jones kitchen she was just breithling bre athing but came to quickly with stimulants and rubbing thi th first word he uttered ver u beally we eal ally T were 1 I in coming dcarl then savidge sal sat down on the floor and anti cled c led like a little child until uncle baker dahr with running into hia his gay moustache led him away them there wis ats w is a conversation that nigh at the savidge house towards its close t haughty voice grew very gentle gentie julia annecston An neston victor how ilow abou her you know what we all exrie ted I 1 have never spoken to julia about what hat ans as expected I 1 never shall 1 I hoped you might do better than I 1 this my boy but it if aou ou tool feel mother I 1 cant do better and the next day allathe jones poke spoke to his placid spouse ho lie wants that meadow where the willows are just for a notion and he lie wants balsam don doil woul wo erl well returned aurella daoudi pro Dro he be cant do better |