Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-03-22

QUICK, 6leGEElg Uoala4A NJ my 0eSEEs I0l
/ knew there was but one woman fOI
miles around who would be likely tc
visit me, aud then. besides, Barbara
/ Wycliffe's sweet eyes were ike lode
stars to me, and ] felt It must be her
I sprang up the slope with movement
as light as my heart, and entered al
the wide-open door.
Barbara, / said, holding out both
my hands, this Is an unexpected pleas
ure,
She had been crimson when my
1fOOtstep first sounded on the threshold:
now she turned deadly pale with q
Whitensss that startled me.
sOh, is it y0u, Beuben-Mr Eyre 2
I'm so glad you have come. II
She stammered and suffered painfully
and was much confused. II was
looking for our stray Euinea-f0Wls iu
4 the woods above, and [ went further
shan / had any idea of. [ was very
tired, and I thought I would stop 10 a
minute and rest.
And. you ares welcome as the dOw-
ers in May, Barbara but you kaaolg
you are.
1 For she had smiled up ia my face
with an arch, half doubtful look There
was no question Of absent color now !;
f her cheeks glowe& like-like-like the
velvet petals of Giant of Battles"
rose, i suppose the poet would say
but I thought Of Tie red glare of che
/ locomotives head light which was al
ways beautiful TO me.
Aud did You fud the runaways 20
mo. think they must be down
in the maple swamp I shall look
there for them tomorrow. But, Mr.
I Eyre, 1 wanted to say, besides She
4 hesitated and hung down her head.
Well, Barbara. what 2" / asked.
i don't know. she said, eonvul-
siVely. Il don't know what. But /
came toto warn you
Again the deathly pallor came over
! her face. There was a strange, star
/ tied look in her large brown eyes.
Warn me, Barbara Of what ?
"Of him-3f that mani ohm Walk
er."
[ had felt when she said she came
4 to warn me that it was of that man
/ She was surprised that I was not star
tied. and asked me hurriedly
What was he doing here to-day, |
Reuben ?''
I did look at her in astOnishment
this time.
"Has he been here to-day. Barbara F.? |
You are thinking of yesterday even
ing p I suggested.
mo, I am not, she answered impet- /
uously. am not thinking Of yester-
day evening. I meal to-day not an
hour ago.
What makes you think he was here,
Barbara p
Because [ saw him because II
folJoB0sd him I know he was bent on /
mischief, and mischief against you.
/ shook my head doubtfuiIy.
Are you quite sure you are not mis- I
taken For If be had been here. |
would he not have staid to see me J?
When did you see him here, and /
where 2''
Il tell you It was but little while /
aago. He means you mischief, Reuben, /
be sure of that. ] s0l0 him put a large 1
knife in his breast as he left the house, 4
and I followed him-followed him I'M 4
til [ saw him reach the door. He
stopped by the door, and stood still a I
minute or two as If he were listening.
Perhaps he was listening to hear if 1
/ were at home.
''I was sure of it, and 1 started on
a run TO the house to warn you but / I
was SO agitated 8nld not move fast. /
I saw him enter, and / tried to scream
but could not. [ felt he would do you
an injury with that knife"
"Well?5
swell, he went In and closed the /
door behind him, but he did not re-
main there more than two minutes /
for as I ran I saw him come out again !
and strike right into the woods to the /
left
THAT is the short cut to the railroad
switch. Perhaps he expected to find /
me there
''Perhaps he did, said Barbara.
"Or possibly''-the 'green-eyed
monster" was reasserting its presence
once more, and trying to smile, Esaid
possibly he knew you we're out, and
hoped TO meet gtoeC somewhere IN the
vicinity.
Barbara's long lashes dropped for a
moment then there was a flash In her
eyes and she answered, carelessly,
with just -pereeptible sneer
'Itis just possible that he did, /
though why he shoald arm himself to-
meet me is beyond my comprehension.
at all events he went the wrong way. /
Good -evening.
Surely you are not going yet p
must, thank you. Father viii /
certainly think l am lost if l don't /
hurry home.
glanced up at the clock in the cor /
ner It was rather earlier than had /
thought-only half past five.
''You will let me walk with you as
far SIS the bridge, Barbara p | plead
ed
Ordinarily she would have hesitated /
a while, or else have uncOmpromising- /
" refused my escort. She possessed |
all the impulses and Wiles of finish
ed drawing groom coquette, this little |
rustic maiden of the wilderness, and |
seldom missed an opportunity of tor |
mentiDg me as much as possible l |
/ had offended her by my allusion to /
EJohuWalker, and though previously /
she had seemed almost unlike her usu-
al piquant caprieious self, the disposi-
1 ton to cOquette with me seemed about /
returning. Yet, after a moments hes |
/ itation, she grew serious again. Had |
| / deemed it possible that she could ey-
/ er experience the sensation of person !
/ al fear I should have faneied that she |
was afraid of something or somebody. |
/ for her hand tTembled as she laid it
on my arm. And at the same time
/ there was an inscFutable something in
4 the melting darkness Of her eye that
f seemed to appeal to me with a voice
less cry for help.
what is it. Barbara p Iquestion-
/ ed. instinetively.
She looked Wonderingly at me-the
4 look had all gone out Of her eyes now.
Nothing I did not speak"
. But what ails you Why are you
so depressed IN spirits p
Il feel there is something wrong
that man-you have escaped him this
time, but I want you to be wary of
him.
'For your sake 2' IIventured, slut
teringly and hesitatiugly.
For your own sake" she answered ;
and then both of US we're silent for
for some time.
/ What delightful, dreamy walk that
was, down to the bridge, whose rude
pIanks spanned the shallow, braWling
stream, with the low sun hanging Ike
ball of gold above the purpled woods
and the air full Of fragrant breathings
of the spring tide, whose coming foot