The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-06-12

horses, behind whom none of his own
women-folks had yet been willing to
ride but Ruth Harley, he always
said, was clear grit, in spite of her
quiet ways, and her courage in this
particular ride had excited in an un-
usual degree the good farmer 5 admlra-
ton. 1t was about noon of this Octo-
Der day that, stopping to breathe"
the horses after their pull up the
side of the mountain, the two
looked off at the sun-gilt village of
Refuge in the valley below. Refuge
had been settled two generations
back, on Communist principles, but
the old settlers were dead, and their
communion with them, and the
town remained to-day Dutchy, old
fashioned opulent, with lingering
hankering for spiritual leaven among
the people, and staid, cheerful sort
of peace and goodwill.
Looks. as though it might all be
pretty slick with them, don't it nowY'
quoth James Bent, refectively. look
ing off at the harvested fields. and
droning factories through the golden
quiet of the October noon.
Ruth said Yes" dreamily, and
then as the colts started on the de-
scent it required all Mr.. Bent's mind
and muscle toskeep them in the way
they should go, and no more. was said.
The road leading into the village
lay between the railroad bank on the
one hand and the canal on the other.
1t wasa straight maeadamized road.
The colts held up little when they
got to the level. just as they did so,
| a man came rather suddenly out upon.
the road from among the. low shrubby
| bushes that grew along the canal
bank. He held paper in his hand.
The sudden rustic and the mans APP
| pearance started the nervous colts,
and they broke into smart gallop.
A minute more and Ruth knew that
they were running away. All she did
was to take Ruby up from the seat be-
| side her and squeeze him as tight as
she could, In her arms. James Bents
| brown face began to grow pretty pale.
| He said between his teeth, Il don't
know but you'd better Jump when
you see chance af
[ think not, she answered quiet
ly. Is
They were coming to point where
some repairs were being done on the
railroad track which ran twenty yards
or so above the road. Just there a
great boulder of rock had been dis
lodged, and a glance showed them
that it was about to roll into the road
before them, The frantic horses saw
it too, and Stacked their speed, CULVER
ling. James Bent was called very
cool man. but he was not cool now
Jump! Tor Gods sakei'' he shouted.
tugging at the lines. We shall all
be killed anyway
| She moved the child to little diff
/ ferent position, holding him tight; she
| took time to think that James Bent
must know better than she; 'and
sprang, quick as fash. The horses
well nigh stopped as the rock bounded
into the road, reared to their launches,
backed, and started on. 1t was just
as they reared that Ruth jumped.
From that moment when every
thing reeled and spun before her.
and she heard Ruby cry out, Nam
mai mammal she knew nothing
further. When she came to herself
| again, it was in a slow, lethargic, won
dering way. She lay on narrow bed
in a sort of dormitory, in which there
were more narrow beds, all with
patchwork coverlets; straight win
dows with white curtains, clear
grate-fre burning, two women in gray
flannel dresses and white caps, al
work, and man reading.
4 Was Ruby much frightened?''
she asked family, as soon as she could
/ remember. q Her eyes happened
to be on the man. He
dropped his book; started violently
and looked at her agitatedly. One Of
the women laid down her sewing and
came to the bedside. v,
Poor lambr' she said, softly.
4 Ruth tried to raise her head, with
certain scared, bewildered feeling
coming over her.
What has happened?" she asked
sharply. a ai -
The woman looked at the man with
; intelligence Thee sees, Frederick
Heckel, the time has come
/ He came toward her, a slight
dark man; with small, tawny
face. His hands were crossed before
him, as if he was minister.
/ Sister" he began, in a choked
+ voice, the Lord has dealt very heav.
lily with thee p ll.
1 She said again, shutting her eyes
What has happened p
| Thee remembers p
Yes; / jumped from the wagon,
she said, almost impatiently.
- The boy was killed
! He waited; there was no sound
E She only turned her face to the wall
) He sat down and rocked himself to
: and fro. By and by. perhaps after 3