The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-12-13

r what queer thing TO think Of" sai
, Della, who Sc, down The act rs one Of l!agar
a oddities, and in a few minutes forgot ii.
She had come for her to 90 10 the Rim
. and skate. IIagar ordered Dandy and tn
cutter, and in few minutes more they wcr
on the way. When within "A block OF Tn
Rink, Iiagar suddenly refined up the horst
There was a ragged little urchin sitting 81
the curb-stonc, crying in a dumb, pititul wa,
with the cold.
what is the matter, little boy:" demanded
llagar. The child, used to bearing his trou
blcs in silence, and having all the rctccncr
of long accustomed poverty, stared at her il
amaze. She repeated the question.
80 fy, Hagar, drive on You are attract
ing attention; and see, there comes Mr.
klcmn," said Della, in an annoyed tone.
"Bc still, Del. Who cares for Mr. Klcmn
! | am going 10 see what is the matter with
that youngstcr if all the city gather, t,
listen was the unccrcmoniOuS reply. Della
was instantly Silencrd. Mr.. Klcmn heard
every word and had quietly joined the crowo
! Of boys who had CuriouSly collected on tho
/ curb-sonc, at seeing fine young lady ,toI
her sleigh to talk to a ragged urchin.
Again came the question: Little boy
what Is the mattcr:'
cold, was the laconic reply.
"Wcll, why didn't YOU say so at irs,|
with queer mingling of kindness and i'm
patience. Then she turned to Della.
"Dcl if you object to riding with that
youngNJer, you can get out. There i, one
block to walk"
What do you intend to doE" came from
Della.
Take HIM home and stand him over the
register she said with comical face, to
hide the CULVER of pity on her lips. Della at.
tempted to argue; it was useless IIagar
tossed back the robes, and left her no choice
SO She got out Mr. Klemn had been looking
on IN his cool, impcnctrablc way. Della
turned TO him, expecting HIM to take her
skates and escort her to the Rink, to which
he evidently was bound, when to her aston.
lshmcnt She saw him gently lift the ragged
urchin then spring to the seat she had but q
minute before vacated, take the rcins from
llagar'S hands and turn the horses head
homcward. In that instant She recognized
him, and watched them ont Of sight saying
over and over 10 herself "Ncll, never"
lIagar Southey was like one dazcd with
surprise. Here was this unparalleled i'm
pudcncc' actually driving the very horse he
had stopped, Yet even that thought came
second TO the wondrous gcntlcncSs there had
been in his lifting of the little boy. She
wrapped him well in the robe, never glanc-
ing at this COOL quiet gentleman. Dandy
fairly flew. The ride was silent one. When
he had drawn rein before her home, he car
ried the urchin up into the ycstibulc, leaving
her to follow When there he stood him on
his little frozen, bare feet, and suddenly fac
ing this girl, took one of her hands in both
Of his and looking down into her startled
wondering eyes, said, "lIagar SOuthcy,'-
not another word, and was gone. She led
the child into the hOusc-hcr eyes brilliant
her checks vivid, her lips trembling. In that
moment she knew that she had met her mas
ter, and that she loved him.
The ncxt evening she went to the Rink
again-a party called for her in three scat
ed sleigh. II" was one of the number. She
had hardly taken her seat before they began
to chaH her about her old protCge having
heard the story from Della Howe. Her quiet
independent retorts soon silcnctd them.
what was She going to do with him?'
keep him" "Who did he belong to-" "No-|
body" How did She know" She had
made the lawful inquiries When thcyI
reached the Rink, Bert Klcmn coolly swung
her skates on his shoulders, without even SO
much rs BY your leave, and gave her his
arm; then bucklcd her skates on in the same
way As if 1t was right There was u dash of
color in her checks, and, without thanking
him, she started off in her fearless graceful
way.
The night was bitter cold; there were very
few on the Rink, save their party. She was
some distance from them all, when, turning, |
She found that he was giving hel chase. She
her speed; her foot struck some
LIGHT projection in the icc--shc fell, and sud
denly all the world was blank II WAS butt
for an instant. Then she came back intOI
with the strange feeling thatI
that taWny mustuchc, whose touch she had
never been able to Danish from her rCcUlcC-
ton, had swept her lips; and She bccamCI
possessed with the uncomfortable idea that
that very touch had had the power to bring
her back to life. She was in Bert klCmn's |
arms, and the others were gathering about in |
alarm There, it Is over" she said, sitting
erect, and setting her lips to brace herself
against "A second faint She was as pale as
death. Della Howe sat down beside her and
tried to make her lean against her but she
said, impatiently, there was nothing the mat
ter, and she was going to skate Mr.. Klemn, |
in his quiet way, bade one of the ladies take
oil her skates Resistance was useless. While
it was being done he took OFT his Then
helping her to arise, he almost carried her
from The Rink.
The others were beginning to take of their
skates and insist on breaking up the party
He leIt them arguing it, placed her in the
sleigh, gave the driver his directions and
sprung to her side. When they reached their
destination he ordered the sleigh back to the
Rink in an hour-led her up the steps and
went in with her, though quite masked. He
even coOlly stopped in the hall 10 lay off his
Overcoat and fur cap. When he entered the
drawing room She WAS seated in an easy chair,
her cheeks a brilliant red.
II, was entirely unnecessary. am rs well
as cvcr.' she said, impaticntly. He paid mo-
attention To her remark, but drew a chair up
directly before her and took both her hands
in his She had drawn oil her gloves and
tossed them ON chair near by.
The strange feeling about the sweep of that
muslachc took sudden possession of her Her
eyes dropped, her lips quvcrcd in effort for
control.
"Iiagar, resistance is useless That first
day when | stopped your horse, and met the
flash of your dark eyes, determined that i'll
you were not already married, you should
be my wife"