Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-06-25
out his hand, but Babctte eluded tn,

,ut his hand, but Babctte eluded the
aYou will not stay hcrc and iic f'
10 queried.
"lf God sends no one else to my
"Comc, come, that Is childish nom
sense aud stnbborncss. God has sent
me. You are rirking my lie as well;
I shall have some ado now to reach |
tho shore with this old nag, though |
he can swim pretty well. The tide
is rising every minute; there is q |
groat storm coming. Nobody will
see you. Only one kiss, and will
bear you in my arms to safety"
II will not givo it--not to buy
heaven"
"But you shalli' he cried, his face
gathering passion and insolence at
the accustomed thwarting ofhis will.
"Its my duty to save your life, my
girl, and l must do 1t In my own
way"
A cry of fear broke from the lips
Of Babette rs she looked Mt the face
confronting her-a face whose hard
aud cruel lines lifelong submission
to rules and decency had only deep
ened. Those lincs, distorted now,
losing the sanctimonious sinirk that
was their wont, revealed on map
very william.
"God help p she said, and
turned to fee--whither? To Alag
herself into the waves and be carried
out to the great hungry depths be-
yond? Death was not a pleasant
thing for q young girl to cohtem-
plate-a young girl full ofrosy life, just
lifting her blossom-like head to look
at the world. There was a good deal
OF love, after all, in the world, with
| all its shadows; and there was Tom.
Tom was no shadow. But Babette
did not hesitate for an instant. She
had some of the old Puritan blood in
her veins, or, perhaps, some Of the
old stubbOrness that had
made good martyrs when need was.
She would have died rather than sub
init to be saved by this man.
| At that moment, as she turned
away, glancing with despairing and
fearful eyes over the encroachins
waste, vision seemed to pass before
them; their blue orbs dilated, gath
cred sudden CLEAN and light. A lit.
tie boat, manned by simple oarslnan
rounded the corner of the island.
/ The school master saw it also. Ht
DELAYED not an instant, but plunged
with his horse into the secthins
: waters, made his struggling way to
ward the further shore. For the oars
man was sailor Tom, and with n cry
! | " II l,,s,, f,.nt fNlinU
: into his outstrctched arms.
!, Tom. with his sun-browncd face
, his bronzed hands, with the blue All
chor pricked on the bnck-Tom wa
; a "born sailor" as Aunt Margct ha
! often. declared; but the lad love
!. home too, especially when HON
|. meant Babette. He had come HON
! to tell her good news /; he was to b
: first mate on his next voyage. ii
/ had lifted the latch hastily, intcndin
: to give her a glad surprise. Col
. disappointment, unexpected blank
there he only found Aunt Marge
4 lust returned by the hill road, an
n half distraught to find Babcttc sti
i. kabsent. Tom had not staid an il
Il stant. He knew Babette's haur
well he comprehendcd her possib
: tdanger.
nj There was n gay supper-party th'
i slnight in Aunt Marget's kitchen, ali
,rTEem and Bebette sat side by sid
10 while TIC storm swept away its ful
" without. :.
~ "Thc last stone of that old42t b
gone under by this, reckou," sa
Tom, listening.
10 "Glad of it, was the savage cor
~ mcnt of Aunt Margct, while 8
% - poured out q hot cup of tea for Ba
AZ ette. "CraZy old place-no use
~, nobody; and Babette would nlwa
. be hankering after it and haunting
:, as long as it hung together"
~ 81 shan't haunt It much aft
'i' this, l think" said Babctte. with
\. Ac shiver. 81 Ishall have to hunt ~ lie
", Places"
~ s9"It all comes of your havin furr
IL blood in your veins," added the o
woman, rcflectively. 81 shall
et skecrcd now every time you are o
=: u. of my sight. an lookin' after you t
~. hull blcssct timen'
ef 81 cart consent to your being bot
" cred in that manner, aunty, at yo
e. time of life," said Tom bemcv
~ lentlv. Il shall take Babcttc out
'n u your way next voyage. The Cap'i
Io IIn willing-and she docs need lookil
~ after"
- "Blcss my soul!" said Aunt NJ:
- ~ get, lifting up both her hand
- "vou're in a hurry, amt you? We
hhs well, I say uothin' agen it. if Babel
u. nc doesn't sec her way clear to beti
f., herself"
=! Babette sat silent, smiling rosily
mns m "Apd, aunty," added Tom, demu
ei ", "you may cut up that white dr.
~ of Babette's for piliow-slips, if y
n, choose. I've another for her in l
,is big wooden chest aboard"
hu "Babcttc's too high-spereted
III take n gift from any Urinary morta
i,e he said Aunt Marget, curtly, rememh
aS me ing with lingering regret her am
es- tious hopes in regard to Profess
PEBBLES.
~. "This will be her wedding-dre
ny you know" said Tom; "and she VIC
m mnu want two"