The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-02-20

not ignorant. That is-we know she
can read, and does read polite liter
ature; for we found in her dress-pocket
q copy of Aurora Leigh with her name
in 1t, and the initials of the donor-C.
S. It had evidently been much used on
the road, as the dust between the pages
proved. The were a good many books
besides, in the wagon-all well selected
and showing signs of use. So, you-see,
she cannot be very Ignorant" and the
dearest little woman in the world"
seemed proud to have made out her
case.
swell, declare" said Mrs. Kellogg,
a little stif1iy; "this grows interesting.
We shall find we have Countess of
Avenmore' in disguise, among us! 1
shall prepare to pay court to her; and as
for my old dresses-pray, take your pick
of them"
Meanwhile Josie, the nlulatto girl, was
keeping watch and ward over Judith,
sustained in her trust by the rather un-
necessary number of times that Todd
had appeared, and was appearing, to
peep in at the open doorway and ask II
anything was wanted. Nothing, so far,
had been wanted, and when Todd put
in his head once more to ask, Josie
thought TO reward his attention by Civ
ing him look at the patient. With a
gesture she invited him to come in, and
as that was one privilege for which his
honestly-devoted heart was longing, he
slipped in, with as much alacrity as
caution, and stood awkwardly beside
the cot of the seemingly unconscious
sleeper.
"Are you sure she isn't dead ?" whis-
pered Todd, quite frightened by the
motionless, colorless thin face and
figure.
''Shor' returned Josie, in the same
tone; "she's gittin' long now right
smart"
"What makes her lay so quiet ?''
asked Todd, not quite satisfied.
"Stuff the Doctor guys her. o Lordyp'
cried Josie in a piercing whisper; ~
done forgot to guv it to her. Mustn't
let missus know bout dat. 'Taint
gwine ter make no difference, long as
she sleeps. I'll t'row it out der win
der"
'No; you must do exactly as Mrs.
told you, JOSIE" said Todd,
beginning to feel that Josie and he
were accomplices in some criminal pro-
ceeding. 'If anything should happen
by your neglect"
''Thar won't nothin' happen" asserted
Josie; aspect 1 knows. Use jest
a-gwine 10 guv her dat 'ar medicine fust
time she stirs. OATS soon huff; aint
gwine to 'sturb her when she's restin'
like dat, pore lambr'
Todd felt that he should not dare dis.
turb her, and weakly gave in to josie:
positiveness, and Josie, excited with
thinking of her culpableness, was in
tent on diverting Todd's attention from
it.
''Don't she look quare ithout her
har ?" asked Josie, laughing softly
HGor-amightyl" The occasion of thi
slightly strong exclamation was tn,
seeing Judith slowly and feebly lift he
right hand to her head while with wide
open eyes she stared at Todd and Josie
stared, too, with an Intelligent, alarme'
expression, as if q corpse sho uld open it
eyes and say, "why am I in a coffin p
"Am 1 scalped ?' murmured tn
parched lips, hoarsely and family.
go Lordy, no! Don't yer go ter fus
sim, now, honey; Kase yer powerfr
weak like. Yes bin havin' de fever
dat's ALL"
"My hair-where is my hair ?" whi'
pered Judith. In her medical experi
ence she had never known anyone
lose their hair on account Of fever, an
the idea could not establish itself in h6
mind, all at once, that fever furnishe
an apology for a bald scalp.
80 laws, honey missus got it all in
paper fur We, safe 'nuff. Don't ye fre
honey; make We sick ag'in1twill so!
Josie begged, considerably frightene
by the startled look of the great blac
. eyes.
"Get the medicine now, Josie" sul
gested Todd.
laws, yes; sure 'nuh. low /,
kotch it fur furgittin' dat medicine" an
she seized spoon and glass at once, to a,
minister it. While she was measurir
and preparing the dose Judith stared
Todd, very much to his discomfitur
There is something so super-earthly-
erigednt about the looks and words
one just standing on the confines Of tv
worlds that those quite familiar stai
abashed. Todd felt like a mean, eoar:
clumsy clod under the scrutiny of the
unfathomable eyes that betrayed
timidity OF confusion in searching h
6 though the face they gave expression
was pure as a lily. He would ha
been glad TO shrink away out of sigl
g but was afraid to move, and so sto
: dumbly irresolute.
"Who are you ?" questioned the fai
/ voice, huskily.
T-Iam Todd" he replied. "a Unit
d States soldier"
i The great, dark eyes seemed ev
more dilated as they continued to g;
E, unwinkingly at the man who was afr
b of them, and afraid to 60 away fri
them. Gradually their expressi