Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-08-29

a strange, delightful thrill at her heart, as
If 1t responded secretly. She had half
mind to go to him and hold out her arms
and be clasped to his beating heart, and
forget ambition and luxury and choose ra-
ther heaven on earth and while she had
hestated he had said, "Good by-I don't
want to ever see you again-good by"
"I return the sentiment" said she, in
stead. 81 believe can live without you.
Good by" And when he was safely out Of
sight she took revenge in good cry.
But now that he was gone she began to
find how much she had depended upon him,
how much more his mere presence was to
her than any dream of worldly prosperity,
however golden. Perhaps but for this
breach sine might never have known how
dear he was to her, nor how little she val
ued the superhuities of life in comparison.
Well one of the three was to return before
the winter season of logging began in or
der to lay in provisions for the camp-as
they had only taken up enough for week
or ten days-and perhaps Ben would be
the one TO come; in which ease he could
hardly avoid bringing her some word of
her father and uncle. And then who would
predict but he might think it worth his
while to reiterate his love in his eloquent
style? And then Louisa laughed wicked
ly at the prospect, and decided that if he
was enough in love to do thus, it would be
safe for her beyond peradventure to take
her own time about making up, to show
supreme Indifference to his regard. No
on nHnnr innnnH
was II, then, that ached so day after day, as
the dull cold November wind sighed about
the house and touched the neghboring
pines into Eolian harps aud swept up the
leaves only to scatter them again? Why
was she always straining her eyes down
the frost-whitened country road? And
what was it that trembled in her bosom
whenever a speck appeared against the
frosty sky? But Louisa had reckoned
without her host. Ben was not the man
who was fond of reiterating a love that had
been received so coldly. He didn't mean
to leave the woods till March, if he could
hold out SO long. Moreover, it was Mr..
Bruce himself who proposed TO go back
with the ox-team and bring the supplies
and hire the men.
81 don't feel quite right about the head"
said he, "and want Louisa TO cosset me.
Then Til go on to Shopton and see Scales
and Weight about the supplies, and be back
before you and Si have eat up this ere vic
tuals."
"All right, sir" said Ben, smothering a
twinge of disappointment which he would
MT own to himself. "We'll get the hovcl
ready for the cattle while you're off, and
take tramp through the woods and spot
the best timber for telling"
"There's enough to do" said Uncle ST.
mon. you'll be back in i've days, say?"
'If I'm lucky. Hows the stores, SIP"
"Good for n week, 1 should say, such as
they are. But the sooner you get back the
better. Itll be a sight easier for you if you
can manage to get up before a heavy snow
comes. You see, we haven't had any thing
but spits yet, though maybe we're going to
hev an open winter"
SAY, ay," answered Mr.. Bruce, as he
drove off through the woods with the OK
team. "Provisions for week, ell That'll
tide We over, I reckon. There's a sight of
work to be got through within a week s
time. There's the supplies TO be got, and
the hands to be hired lemme see-five cut
ters, two teamsters, and a cook; that S
about it, and to hev them start when | do,
and l amt so young as | was. Heyday,
it's rub and grind, lumberman's life is y
Alas there was more to be gotten through
within weeks time than Mr. Bruce had
an inkling OF SO much that it ran over in
| n a trick nj
doing.
When Louisa saw that ii was only her
old father trudging along with the return
ing OK team her mercury went down to ze-
ro in half second. She saw before her a
weary three months of loneliness and long
ing, and she saw, too, that she deserved it.
"Its deuced cold day for an old man."
said Mr.. Bruce, shivering before the wood
fire, as if there should have been special
sets of weather created to suit customers.
"Wha's that you've got cooking on the
stove, Lu? Stew? l amt got no more APP
petite than bear in August. Brndle and
Trot were slow as cold molasses; they'v
seen their best days, / reckon, like their
master. Wish I'd swapped 'em to Dund
for the yerlings and boot il would hev bin
good bargain. 81 sent his love to you,
Lu. I've got a cold. reckon I'll turn in
and sleep it Off"
"They oughtn't have let you come," said
Lu, Indignantly, as she carried him a bot
tie of hot water for his feet. "Uncle ST OF
Ben ought to have come instead"
at want their fault 1 thought could
drive better bargain with the hands. Ben
said he'd come in my place, but his heart
want set on it," which assurance in no
wise comforted Louisa.
Mr.. Bruce was restless all night, and in
the morning was out of his head. and did
MT know his right hand from his left, and
called Louisa Ben, and asked grandma to
put the oxen into the cart, mistaking her
for Uncle Simon. And Louisa, half fright
ened to death, jumped upon old Roan's
back and galloped all the way TO Shoptor
for the nearest doctor.
"Aheml Nothing more nor less than a
fever" said he, the instant he laid his eyes
on Mr.. Bruce.
SIS he dangerous ?" asked Louisa.
dangerous? Oh, l guess he'll pull
through. I'll leave this prescription, ant
be round tomorrow. There's Mr.. Maver-
lex of the tavern-Maverick's tavern, a
our place-had the same symptoms week
ago, and he's about to-day.
"There's no telling about these things
different constitutions take diseases differ
emily. AT least, you needn't be alarmed a
present. Good morning." with an empha
sis on the good. Louisa thought it wa
anything but good morning, after th'
comfort of his professional presence wa'
withdrawn. But the next day her father
was no better, nor yet the next, though the