Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-08-05


dered with snow. his face was white and
rigid. and his lips We're livid Kirstie
never doubted but that he was dead, and
threw herself on the ground beside him,
with a cry of agony; when suddenly his
Eyes opened-a conscious look came into
MS face, and he said in faint, low tones:
Is that you, Kirstie9 l thocht / was
saun to dee my lane, and never see ye
ntir."
''Oh, wheest, Archie, wheest," she wall
ed; yell break my heart; dinna speak
that way"
He continued after moments pause:
II slipped at the tap O the brae, and l
naun hue dwamed, Tainted, for waken-
ell as cauld as Il st,ne wi Llddie lick
iIg my face; so | sent him hame, puir
beast. No help could do me guild now,
Nrstie,' he said, as if in answer to the
tpughts which were passing through her
mind ut the moment. My leg is brok-
en- and I've hurt my side; and W the
darkness and the storm, there's nobody
fit to help me, gin they were here; and
it vad be hours before onybody could come.
O kirstie, woman, | maun leave We and
the wee BARN." he added with 4 choking
sob..
kirstie did not answer for moment;
AMI then her face was lighted up with
look Of high resolve, and she said: Mony
II time, Archie, have | wondered why the
Lord gie1 me my great strength and my
Lang arms. but | see it now; and if it be
His will, | will save you this night"
Ye're no fit to carry me- Archie re-
monstrated feebly; land think what a
road, Kirstie"
:. Do | no ken the road better than ony
here in the country" she replied; land
we maun ask for hel p higher than mans. >"
AS she knelt beside her husband. with
the snow falling on her upturned face,
and the wild wind whistling round, and
in few and simple words. as if she were
speaking to 4 near and loving friend, asked
the aid of the Almighty arm to guide her
on her perilous way, and keep her feet
from flling, Archie Brydone, even in the
midst of all his pain and weakness, felt
that he had never before truly known his
vile She then lifted Archie, as gently
and tenlerly As she could; but he gave
a deep groan, and she found that he had
tainted quite away. Maybe it's better
she murmured; he Wilma know. till the
dnger's past Then, with another up
ward glance for help. she set out on her
have been perfectly dark, but there was
little moonlight, Just enough to show
the mere outline of the plth and the glen.
The path itself was, by this time, quite
covered with snow; every step WAS taken
in uncertainty; she hardly knew if she
were keeping the path ut all. Strong as
she WAS, she staggered at times under her
burthen, while everything around looked
n ni,.J ha k.,1f l,rl-nnS- Il
the thick-filling snow " Laddie" trotting
in front of her. and guiding her on her
way, was the only CLEAN of comfort she
had She went along more by instinct
than sight. and after weary while, she
began to think that she must be coming
near the mouth of the glen, when sudden
" she remembered the sheet of ice across
the pathway If she could hardly cross
it then, what was to become of her now,
with a heavy burden, and the snow COW
ering the path, SO that she could not tell
where she was going? Her heart sank
within her: she remembered that it. was
near that very spot that poor Tom Car
son was killed. and she felt as if she could
not move another step.
Just at this moment n ray of moonlight
pierced through the drift, and showed her
NQtD0 tltIllc 1lt.itk ACSllhS, oiA iiSt ciiouA-
der; the face was more boyish than ever
in its palor, and the rings of fair hair
Law damp on his forehead New strength
seemed TO come to her arms with the sight,
and new courage and faith to her heart,
and she went bravely on Il few more steps,
and then to her Joy and surprise. found
herself safe out on the hillside. and far
past the dangerous place. She had pass
.I ,,1iot1,- l-pnlyinD th0
danger till it was gone.
She ha the wind to contend with now,
and the snowdrift in her face; but in hel
thanbfulness. she felt as if she could over
come everything, and soon was within 4
few rods of their own door. Then hel
strength utterly failed; she struggled with
beating heart and laboring breath against
her weakness. as if it were some physi
cal obstacle; and she did manage, though
how she never knew, to reach the house
enter the door, place Archie on the long
settle by the fireside, and then-fell on the
floor perfectly unconscious. Poor Lad
die" ran from one to the other, not know
ing what was the matter, and howline
pitifully, while the baby was wailing in
the cradle. Help, however, was near al
hand, and in a few minutes two men from
Auchensack entered the cottage. They
had been sent rather against their will,
and felt as if they were on a wild-goose
chase but when they arrived at the house,
they were Mortified with the state of mat
tiers, and thankful that Il childish fancy
as they thought it ut first-should have been
the means of bringing them to Dynefoot
SO opportunely.
The children ut Auchensack were eX-
tremelv fond of kirstie. and it was 4 f;l-
vorite amusement of theirs, every after.
noon as the dusk came on, to watch fol
the light appearing in her window. When
| lone after the usual time, none appeared
they coulI not understand it at all; the an
nvcrsary of her weddingday, too what
could be the matter? At last, Mr.. and Mrs
Gray became uneasy themselves, and sent
off the two men, who arrived ut the very
time when their help was most needed.
| Archie "came to" after a little; but
nothing they could do had any effect in
rousing Kirstie; so one of them went back
to Auchensack, and from there was sent
on for the doctor. Poor man, he was just
sitting down to supper, at a cosy little par
ty, which had assembled to see the 50 old
year out and the new year in" when he
was told that the shepherd at Dynefoot had
had bad fall in the glen, and his wife was
near dedn with carrying him home.
Carrying him home," said one of the
company incredulously; why, it is i'm
possible: the woman must be an Anna
zon"
$50 she is, both in body and soul," repli
ed the doctor, who had known her fol
years land as it is on her account anC
| her husbands, don't mind the long ride
over the snow one bit; so. goodnight, an(
a happy new year to you all.
Kirstie was not "near deid," but she go
great shake, and for some time was
graver and quieter than her wont; as i
the wings of the angel of death had really
passed closely by her. One lasting trace
she had of her exertions that night-hel
pretty brown hair was ever after thickly
streaked with gray.
Archie, after being i'll for long time
became eventually quite strong and hearty
again; but all his life was Influenced by
I