THE HILLS OF DESIRE [Illustration] THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO · DALLAS ATLANTA · SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. TORONTO THE HILLS OF DESIRE BY RICHARD AUMERLE MAHER AUTHOR OF "THE SHEPHERD OF THE NORTH," "GOLD MUST BE TRIED BY FIRE," ETC. NEW YORK THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1925 _All rights reserved_ PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up and electrotyped. Published April, 1919. Reprinted February, 1925. TO ROSE AND CHARLES HIGGINS THE HILLS OF DESIRE I "Well, I was wan. The two Maddens was two. Eddie Carey was three. Jim Powers was four. And--and--But there was five of us, an' I know it. Wait. I'll count fresh. "I was wan. The two Maddens was two. Eddie Carey was three. Jim Powers was four----" "Shtop it, Casey! I say, Shtop it! I'll be as crazy as you next. Altogether, I say, altogether how many of you was on the picnic? _All_-together!" "Five, I repeat. On me honor as a bricklayer! Five, I will have it. But I cannot, for the life of me, recollect the fifth. I'll count again---- "I was wan. The two Maddens was two----" Augusta opened the door to announce tearfully: "Mister Jimmie, the boarders are saying that they can't stand it!" "To arms!" cried Jimmie Wardwell, leaping up from the table and typewriter where he had been laboriously pounding out Casey's count of the picnic, "to arms to repel boarders!" And he caught the wholly unready and dignified Augusta full in his arms and kissed her fairly. Now Augusta is somewhat incredible. I suppose I can hardly make you understand her--as much of her, I mean, as I could ever understand. But, having a whole book before me in which to deal with her, I am going to try to explain to you the things about her which may be explained. There was, for instance, Augusta's look of seraphic innocence. Women looked at her the first time and she looked back at them with her friendly, ready-to-wear--"Good morning, I hope you are as happy as I am," look. Then they drew away from her with a defensive pursing of backs, saying: "She _can't_ be so good as that! Or so innocent!" But then, as they continued to study her, they saw that she was just the gold that she showed. Then they took her suddenly to their hearts and wanted to mother her. Here it must be explained that Augusta had never till this moment been kissed by a man. She knew that there was no harm in Jimmie Wardwell's kiss. To know innocence and harmlessness, when one meets them, is as great a part of wisdom as to know their opposites when met. Augusta had this large division of wisdom. Yet she was unaccountably hurt by Jimmie's act. She was angry, but not with the anger that would prompt her to box his ears; as would have been adequate in a smaller matter. She would not let it go as a boy-and-girl tilt.