The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 242: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

T was one of those blue-gray April days, when the mists creep up from the greening fields and the woods are sweet with arbutus. Joe Parker, repairing the pasture lot fence, paused in his work to take a deep breath, vaguely conscious of the resurrection glory of the spring that was thrilling up through the roots of the grasses. Hs glance swept the land around him with deep satisfaction. It was his own little farm, his share of the world, earned by his strong young hands, by sacrifices made in the years when sacri- ficing hurts. But he overlooked that part of it. ‘God has been mighty good to me,” he thought, as he lifted the lichen- covered rails into the sagging cross- posts. ‘The illusive scent of violets and brier blossoms came tantalizingly to his nostrils. A partridge flew out of the grass with a loud whir and the dog sprang up with a baffled bark. High over- head a meadow-lark began to sing. Joe looked up at the little gray singer. His face clouded and the content faded out of his eyes. “I wonder what is keeping Lena,” he thought, gazing anxiously in the direction of the clearing. 712 Kathleen L. Worrell The lark sang on as if all the joy of the world were in his little heart. Joe rested his elbows on the top rail. The worry lines in his face deepened. “It’s just a question of my being able to hold out,” he said to himself. “Tve done my best. I’ve tried not to think of myself, but only of what is best for her, and I can’t see as it helps any. @h, I wish—and I know it’s a mean wish!—that there wasn’t any singing in the world!” A mellow, clear ‘‘ Ho-o0-0 ” sounded through the brush. Joe’s eyes lighted. “ Ho-o-o!” he called back in his hearty, rough-throated voice. A tall, straight-shouldered girl in a pink dress came into the clearing. She was carrying a basket and a little tin pail. “T’m sorry I’m so late,” she said brightly. “ You must be hungry.” “ Starved!” he laughed. | She took a linen square from the basket and spread it over the top of a stump. Joe watched every move of her slender fingers as she laid out the lunch. Presently the troubled look came back into his eyes. “ What have you been doing this morning?” he asked. Lena hesitated and bent lower over the basket. A faint flush came into 9 CO NOO S CO@