Joyce of the North Woods

was born. It was a most inconvenient

d ending of their jobs, and severe discipline had been necessary in more than one camp. Hillcrest's ideas of decency had been deeply outraged; its courts of

never before it had ventured. Not being content in carrying its legitimate burden of logs to the lower towns, it bor

es to the south, seize it there, and make arrangements for bringing it back. This absence from the scene of his life battle, turned Jude into a veritable fiend for the

uffered that spring fr

labour of working on Drew's house. He and Filmer, with or without Jude, hammered, sawed and made r

howing themselves, after the winter's long reign, l

k Cat were interrupted by Jude's necessary absence

lated prosperity, had insisted that hi

e, and the tavern's attractions had never held a sure power over J

e on a social equality with the Lauzoons. So

horror, when Joyce became aware of the singing of bir

ade her faint. She waited a moment, then slowly turned her head on the pillow and opened her eyes. There by th

down her face. It had not, then, been all a hideous nightmare? Something

all that Isa, drowsing luxuriously as

hed from the demands of home cares

nd then

e did not intend that Joyce should be exacting. Women were

h a thrill in the voice that Isa was at

. A mere baby, to Isa, was no cause

ut in a claim for him," she replied with a v

again overflowed. "Di

ake a nap. You won't have any too much time

o, too heavenly. My little b

in Isa's mind. She must p

id slowly, and tried to remember what was giv

words came pantingly-"like t

into the living room, and her eyes fell, a

hed. The entire train of events since her arrival the

e baby in a blanket she strode over to the

ll or you'll hurt the little beauty. I'm g

still room and the early morning,

d stood entranced. Fear and awe hold even love in abeyance. Into poor, loving, human hands a soul-an eternal soul-was e

was a fear that her joy, when she looked upon the blessed

raised herself upon her elbow and reverently dr

enveloped in a black pall. The ominous stillness that pr

w her baby's face clear and distinct, and with firm fingers sh

e in its weazened fixity; the little legs were twisted, and the thin body lay crooked among its blankets.

stare seemed to challen

estows. In divine strength she accepted her child. This little, blighted creature would have no one but her to look to-to

it against her breast. With the touch of the small body at her hea

. He had come, bearing a heavy load of disease and deformity. All that was left for her to do now, was to

was alive in the child. Joyce laughed. At first tremblingly, then shrilly. Sudden

screamed for help, and for days Jude Lauzoon's house was the meeting pla

sa felt a glow of pride and interest. She was an honourable diploma to Isa's skill as nurse. In the future, Mrs. Tate was to feel a new im

ys," Joyce answered, indifferently.

ol than what he otherwise would be. It's one agin 'em whichever way you take it. They don't need looks. They gets what they wants, anyway, a

that amounted to enough to make you willing to overloo

was born with twelve toes, twelve fingers-tw

case he could do that early-and made up his mind to make good for his deficiencies-if you can say that 'bout one as had more rather than less than Nature generally bestows. Land! the learning that child was capable of absorbing! Hillcrest School just sunk into him like he was

tales only accentuated the agony she felt whenever she

utiful child. And with that vision growing clearer she felt her own spirit gaining strength for flights into a future where this little son of hers, borne aloft by her determined will and purpose,

or intelligence to awaken in the grim little face; the first flying signal of the

d won Joyce's everlasting gratitude by holding her tongue regarding the child's bodily deformity; and the Hillcrest doctor, who had been summoned when the fe

hair! That must be public property, and its piteous appeal ha

, "what's that you got up to your place-a baby or a Chinese idol? That come

aversion to the strange, deformed child made him weakly sensitive. He recoiled fr

he returned foolishly, "don't fav

her similar witticisms, and

all made him hate, where, heret

the pines the few interests and friendships that he

munion sacred to themselves. They read together in Gaston's shack. They had, at times, skimmed dangerously near the Pasts that both, for reasons of their own, kept shrouded. After one of these close call

between Jude and Joyce. In saving himself from temptation, he felt he had sacrificed the g

ed upon to elect himself arbiter of Joyce's future. No; to put it baldly, in his lonel

opes that by so doing he might help Jude to decent manliness. But that hope soon died. Jude, laz

importance. Gaston and Filmer, glad with the intelligence of men who know the value of work, took the actual burden upon themselves. Lauzoon had the empty glory; they had the blessing of toil that brought their faculties into play, and gave them relief from somberer thoughts. But Gaston was too normal a

housing and assured food were litt

e of Joyce that had interested him an

ed! Poor girl! he thought; and in the inner chamber of his shack with the doors and shutters barred, the pistol lying at hand upon his desk, he cursed himself for a fool

that dull life in the little house, he'd brighten it and Jude be-the laugh that Gaston

uld control Lauzoon, and who else mattered, except Filmer? Well, Filmer had sense to keep his opinions t

f other folks' conduct. Unless he let light in upon hi

n the bay window of the sitting room when the air was too co

ew from the strings. Sometimes he explained what they meant, his word

into her beautiful face; the brooding eyes once again had the glint o

he ideal where her baby was concerned made it peril

led vaguely at him-his personality now, neither annoyed her nor appealed to her. While living with him outwardly, she was to all intents and purposes, spiritually living with Gaston.

obbed and glow

ays had been? Jared Birkdale kept his distan

nstructing his elders, and laying down the law. He was endeavoring to fill Birkdale's place. Jared had always been the tavern orator

threshold of big happenings. Her pale beauty had a new glow. The thinnes

by on her bosom. Even in her work

mfort and peace. When he was awake his elfish eyes were fixed in solemn stare upon the mother-face. Not knowingly nor

n her low rocker, the baby on her knees, sat on the piazza fac

was an idle questio

e a lot to do about Mr.

at it was in the least necessary, or even sensible,

eplied, tuning up the fiddle. "And then

looked down happ

se compelling airs, so intensely sweet and melodious that it all but

ace, as the smile replaced it, and dropped upon the thin cheek of the baby. He did not flinch, and the staring eyes

just look-a

It was to make her forget the child-and

, and bent

ust the same to

are not much in my line. I don't think I ever saw such a little fe

g the day. I weighed baby to-day," she faltered, "an

teful litt

this awful time when I can't tell just what might be the matter-it will be easy enough. But young babies are so-so-unreal. You don't know whether you've got

ow voice, but the weazened face of the chil

rible if he did not le

spised himself for being so brutal when he

The whole world would be empty-empty, until it would kill me with the emptiness-and I'd always think, you know, he'd found out I wasn't fit to be his mother. It

a place-and Filmer had a letter from Drew to-day. He's coming before the autumn cold sets in-he's going to bring an aunt and a sister-just get your idle fancy on the doings, and let Master Mal

blank stare gave place to a broken, crinkling expression; the thin shapeless lips trembled over the toothless gums, and

ajesty of Joyce's attitude toward the change in th

ith the same dense stupidi

, he-he knows me. He-he-does like-me-he's going t

ing to be a comical imp, if I don't miss my guess. Se

t then Jude came around

ng stifled him for a moment. He wondered if money

to hold him in leash-

eared something was going to occur. But nothing did; and the next thing in Joyce's life st