Show I The Fo Flower BY hELEN That FRANCES Fell hUNTINGTON Among Thorns I tell loll a story Peter ht I. I T T ill III girl coax u J. I child bout a a. with tho time bea that thal reminded ed Ai M siou eyes oyes from Crom th time hidden r l' l of ot other eyes forever of of a t time tho walls n behind hl worlds world's gaze from tl time J from rota convent not a n days day's J journey u ne of oC l white wilderness Peter P uncrossed his hll Vi S r- r the th now knees and amid with looked Its 1 down curved V Infantile soft face reminiscentlY reminiscent I stalled smiled 1 contour and amid answered simp simplY dunno an any he lie Ill girl Si 1 you vou ever know nn any link Unk Peter poter copt me Yes said Poter leter oler letting letting- his imis minim I Jure 1 hand hand trail across across tho the curling golden head Yes ono time 1 I knew another nother III girl Was as ns she like me Unk link I polor tor nl Yes Jest Jesi like you same you same great shine sIdney brown eyes same amo soft sott Ill smile an curly hair like dark gold onlY she shO was wan a n bigger n you Did Dill she have a 11 doll an things timings J sped ct she did hone honey I really Peter dont don't know about that said apologetically I didn't pay much to such things timings Course Courso she sue had dolls murmured the child 1 drowsily with a little gurle gurgle gur gur- gb gle le of ot laughter that tIled died owa away In a aIon along along long Ion sleepy sigh lien Her head leaned closer till a shower of crinkled gold god old rippled over tho 01 old 1 buckskins and the time hand trappers trapper's horn horny knuckles of ot the dented the rose of oC her hem cheek check replenished time the sinking flames lIames which sent up a spume of oS rosy rollY heat licked tho time rca resinous bark barIc of at th time the newly added log and sang on AS 8 be- be be before tore fore ore the time song of a a. lonel lonely hearth in inthe time the snow-bound snow wilderness of the time far north Without the thc vast solemn stillness stillness stillness still still- ness of ot uninhabited forests and ice- ice chained river tho time starry starn tranquil nl night ht and the tho bitter bitter cold colli of or midwinter within four stark walls or ot a trappers trapper's hut warmth light an and 1 tho timi rhythmic breathing of oS a sleeping child S Lucky I chanced across you Just voice that made male now said In a n Peter tremble with strange for or ho he had not Heard 1 that soft soU Inflection Inflection tion of ot r refinement for five years I J Jwill will bandage o that broken arm arm so that It ft will heal straight ht as ever evel Where Thero shall I look for tor a bit o of linen Peter thought at last of a white shirt tho tIme remnant of at gala gonIa days dos which In lay at the time bol bottom om of his trunk Ii lifted tel time the little sleeper gently placed 1 her hor on tho the b bed 1 and drew the coarse se blankets closel closely about her hor throat and shoulders Then ho lie dragged tho clumsy clums old box toward l the bias blazing hearth and pushed 1 back Its creaking hinges Within With With- in lay 10 Peters Peter's ancient suit of ot frieze frieze- fur and carefully folded and cam- cam pho e I. I under that t t two vo old books S a sandal box ox still faintly or 01 orthe the thc perfumed east and a set of chessmen chessmen chessmen chess chess- I men huddled in a n coverless box Below Bolow that bereft of ot its tissue wrappings was vas a roll of oC soft sort webb stuff which uncurled as he lifted It H. H and rolled down In all all' airy masses an exquisite cloud of diaphanous gauze with little silken rosebuds inwrought throughout its Hs fairy fairs air meshes Had 1 discovered er a Jeweled crown ho lie would not have havo been more astonished than he was at tho tIme sight of ot that milliners milliner's confection In Peters Peter's 01 old 1 wooden box lie looked 1 over his Imis shoulder at tho the trapper whoso whose uninjured I Jure 1 hand was raised as s If It to lo shield I his imis eyes ees from tho the glare that enveloped tho the kneeling fi figure ure his patient sensitive sensitive tive U lips curved curve 1 In a smile that showed how sweet a n spirit that rough breast ast harbored let tho tIme gauzy web slip through his fingers and anti got out the shirt He lie tore tho the yellow ellow linen Into strips which he subsequently rolled rollet Into tight little wads ais Peter watching him meantime under Ills his cupped hand Imand but not a n word passel passed between them until had hati fastened tho time ends of ot the time bandage securely In place and drawn dran the coarse sleeve down over tho wounded arm That will do the work said the tho stranger cheerfully refolding the di diminished diminished dl- dl shirt and placing it in the time trunk Thank you Will you OU please take takeout takeout takeout out of at th the scarf carf Peter a asked ked b before fell P oc iVra like to o 1001 11 Ns h n 1 the light lIs-ht Strikes s VH lit It plain Thank you ou Tell me about It It said Sen gently tI 3 Did Old you ever er know the love lovo of ot a woman oman 1 Peter asked In a Do voice of ot singular sweetness A light leaped into l eyes a 1 great greal sweetness and radiance that answered what his lips could not or would not sa say Have you ou ever eer n r heard bout No Well Weli It was a n. vcr very good place when I went there ten years ears ago for tor to work mork in tho the big lumber camp The people were mostly Swedes and Danes Dancs that worked very cry hard an and 1 lived lIve 1 close for to save savo money to go goo goback goback back to the tho old country The was big strong rough white-faced white red-fisted red with no good looks hut plent plenty of ot bone bono and muscle Wo We 0 never thought much about their homely homel 1001 looks 8 till sho simo come the come the flower that fell tell among thorns The coach couch came caine up from Saint Marque twice a n month with letters an aim provisions uro an sometimes a of ot raw emigrants what had heart heard bout tho time tead steady work wont at Ono One night it fetched two but no mm- nobody no- no bod body didn't seo see the other one one nobody nobody never seen anything while sho she was near l It was like UI o as 3 if you'd oud find a great red rose in the time dry desert No NI man couldn't pass her without to pluck her away way from harm harman harman harman an her hor with his own life Like a flower what fell among thorns for she ma made them theta big coarse rough dull look more moro dull and rough an arm an homel homely like 0 weeds what you ou want to fling out of ot tho the way Well ell l she come to chur church lm h that lust fust Sunday Sunda In a lii white dross an an that wa ln across her shoulders tIers ders ers like it had dropped from tho time sk sky so light an soft an line an fine an hil gold cross on her bossom Tho Time minister he ime see that an being Protestant dl didn't sa say nothing bout his church hut but ho lie shook hands with her and told her he ho was waR glad lad to s o lien her at the tho lh house of or prayer Then she he told him him that sho sime come como to because sue she h heard that It was sas a R very nice quiet place an an she sho wanted to lo live 11 quiet for tor a lii while hUc an wouldn't he please tell her Imer whore she sho could find a Ill III house Jest far tar nough awa away from the tho lumber camp sos bo's tho the noise wouldn't disturb her every overy word of that lii birdlike bird bird- like lIlee voice fell tell on my amy heart henrt like like- pearls Peter leaned forward anti and touched the web beside him which seemed 1 to absorb and anti purify time the fire fire- glow as the tiTle fine mists of at early summer softens sottens an and 1 radiates tho time sun suns Buns a 1 light I gh t So she found a lii house at time the edge of or time tho settlement where nobody don t have no imo business to go an ansue cm an sue she lived JIved there with her maid Celest a n. strange dark silent client woman what never spoke o to But Dut tIme the young men immen got goot to goin that way to W work iSn an when zello Iam root mot them she he h would always al speak 01 very pleasant but she alme never oak ask anybody to como comae an off nf see her the tho Yet them Viem y young un men left le girls Uk like the they uster lster d do tore oro Mamzelle M zele come when we would sit alt In their bl big kitchens n ln an aim tIe do fiddle lo ever every evor Sunday an n nl night ht They Timey like Jlko o better or tu to sit Ait nv t-i t In Mamzelle's l i ill lii house an nn talk an nn an listen Hilten sullen to her 0 w n sol got ma mad 1 when their beaux forget them an an got ot to hate relic Mam-relic so 80 h fierce 1 they thoy never even lo look k a at her lien er when she come com to tho settlement for to bu buy her provisions but she sho didn't take no notice she ho just go so on her way ns os quiet an gentle r a mis It all time the world worl been boemi at ot IJ peace with her She was aI- aI ways wn's alone atone for tor that big dark silent woman never went out of the hou COIl once In awhile when hed he'd walk up an down the lonel lonely road rond where bod body didn't nobody no- no ever come One when I stopped to see Mamzelle Lars Lara Knutsen a a. great bIg Dane Dano what uster usler so go Mamzelle stood to see by the tho gate gato with Lena Bog Bogg a Swede girl had been Leen what he keep n Company compan with two years stead steady for tor Lena looked mad an she step up pale to K an time the Porch lOrch an call Mamzelle for tor out omit an when l to como come lark dark woman followed tollo answer the tho her like she aho was afraid out Quick something might happen wanted Lena to lo looked strike at her dead like Vr S she but Mum amzelle am zello zelle sho slim Lena only sal said non Don loft Miss M wont won't you come In No I 1 wont ont the tho other answered i 1 woman woun wouldn't Where put my toot font yours has been ft for all the In the tho world you OU Jezebell Timo Tho rose ot of deepened cheek like It had been scorched S with fire Ire an sho shrank back toward tho timo dark larl woman who put her III hand nd on her shoulder nn and 1 kept It ll there You have bewitched nil all the tho itu mn lOrn n with your our bold enchantments said Hald Lena In a loud rough voice voke Before you como come we all hail our thearl swe and I now flow none nono of them thorn oven look bolt at t ii us 1111 Tell rell me Inc this do you lovo love Lars KnutS Knut Knut- S to toss back her hand Ilk shin sho wanted to answer sharp hut but after a eho Bho iio Just said No No I do not love lovo him L Lena na flung back her Imer h had hlad ad an an lau laughed hed very ry loud You Yon hoar that Lars she he mocked She dont don't love lov you any moro than she loves 10 all ul other men what crawl cral at tit her feet Lars Lara ho Ito looked at time tilt white dun dul face of ot the tho girl ho had been ben court In steady for two years cars an 11 b ly hy tIt IU soul an tho the soul of oS all nil his hll kind that thai ho did not hot love lovo her nn an would not so solone Inn long lone as ns time tile sun shine hinO aim an the wino blow an nn that he lie did dIll love lovo Mam Iam zelle forever an nn would a always Lena put her big coarse coarse- hand 1 over o her breast an aim nn her breath vor ors vory hard like she was bad hurt then thon slim slim- 1001 looked ClI at an nn said lIeU hell ha haa has hOft hOfta hasa a place for such as you oU Oll sorceress Then Ihen before you ou could draw w a breath bresth she sheran ran up to time the dark woman and anti tore off her hor wIg an an black capo cape an there stood tood shaven en nn an thin an flat cheated for all time the world like a man Look Lena screamed Look book at fine fino lover in womans woman's clothes I Now will ivill you OU behove believe be be- hove lieve me mc Lars Lana Knutsen Lars bars grabbed hand hon 1 and antI pulled her toward him You toll toil me n-me methe methe the truth b by Got God or Ill I'll kill you he lie cried In a voice that what most chol choked cd him Is ho lie your lover Just looked 1 at him him stead steady In the tho eyes for tor what time It takes to draw your our breath three times an everything was so BO still you OU could hear hoar her breath como come an go like tho time wind windon on a still nl night ht men timen sho site said Yes It ItIs itis l Is true This Timis man riman Is my lover lo Now go all of or you ou Leave Lea me mc forever rore Lars Lus lau laughed hed a big bad fiendish Inu laugh h and struck out one emma mad blow blo that hit the time other man mann over tho time temple tem tern pie an with that a n fight ht be began on such as you ou see seo when whon wild 1 beasts meet a alIght alight alight light so terrible yet so short that it was over before you OU could step between them thom an an tho time stran strange e man m fell like a astone astone astone stone at feet feel Yes ho he was dead I tried trice to find ono one breath of or life lire but his lila heart bean was still When discovered 1 the tho truth sho Just give gho ono one lii pitiful Cl CI cry an stretched out her arms arm to me Peter Peter Poter my heart is broken Help Holp me that lii III cry still rings In m my heart an aim when I shut my eyes ees eesI I sec see her Just like she stood In the soft dusk k all nil In white with her arms stretched out to me an an a abolt alook alook look bolt of or death In her great rent brown eyes I dont don't remember much more until we stood alone In the tho dark forest beside the time open grave when she knelt down before his imis coffin and throw threw back the tue cover from time tho de dean mans man's shoulder an I saw for the tho first time tho the death mark of at the time white plague the plague the deep glistening white snow stain of a leper Peter said she site between great r at tearless sobs I know God will forgive me for or m my deception He was m my husband an nn I 1 could not let him be bc betaken betaken taken awn away to tIle lie without me In the time leper cOlon colony The They would not tako take me ml Co tom for I time the sake 0 of or m my child so I stole away awny with him to this lonel lonely place where I believed his presence would never nover harm nobody where I could bo be with him to tho tIme last May God forgive that girl for her heartless cruelty I I ne never ner r can Then u sho si-mo broke broko down an nn an cried cried like I never ne seen all any ammy woman cr cry before not loud or wild but pitiful without hope or desire Me I u I couldn't speak ono one word even when m my heart hoart was WM breaking for tor her hor I Just hel held 1 her hol In m In my arm while she thanked mo me for tor beta so true a n friend to ta her she her she told mo no that J If she simo over ever needed mo me should would send for tor me II And nd nd did ShO shio asked aske 1 err very ep s lt o l d c i 0 vr fe lee c p I n j it ild Two erms ago aKa when r she died In time the convent she he sent Suzanne to m me to her bar truest was what her hel letter lottor said an tho the only one ono what knew the secret of ot her heart She Sue Is III Isas as like her mother as flesh and blood can be sad said Peter In a II voice of or In In- In finite tenderness but I dont don't need nobody nobody nobody no no- body to remember her lien by for or her face Ig Is graven on m my heart Just like she looked looke 1 when she site turned round to wave Wa her last good good-byo on tho time broad dust dusty roa road 1 to Saint Marque so 80 white white- an lovely an nn sorrowful What hat taint blood loo 1 In Suzanne Suzanno Oh no I 1 aint fraid mid of or that God will bo be good to her child Peters Peter's voice lied died 1 awa away In an nn almost Impalpable sigh and for many moments seemed scented lost in thought for fOI his heart was with Peters Peter's on tho time white lonel lonely road rand leading to Saint Marque where she sue had hod passed out of his sight an |