Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-03-12

lips the cry: ooh, Archie, Archie! my
man, where are ye?"
Just at this point little runlet of water
which came down from the hill had
spread itself across the path in a solid
sheet of ice. Kirstie hesitated, but there
was no other way it was life or death,
and she must hasten on; so she did cross,
but her foot slipped, and she narrowly es-
capped falling. The snow now began TO
fall more quickly and in large fakes, and
she had to trust more to memory for the
path than actual sight. On and on she
went, however, till she had gone nearly a
mile up the glen, when suddenly Laddie
gave short, joyful bark, and she saw a
dark object stretched across the path. 1t
was indeed Archie; he was leaning
against large stone, which seemed to
nave broken his fall; his hair was pow
dered with snow, his face was white and
rigid, and his lips were livid. Kirstie
never doubted but that he was dead, and
threw herself on the ground beside him
with cry OF agony, when suddenly his
eyes opened, a conscious look came into
his face, and he said in faint low tones
" Is that you, Kirstie? [ thocht | was
gaun to dee nay lane, and never see We
MAR"
ooh, wheest, Archie, wheest," she
walled; "ye'll break my heart; dinna
speak that way"
He continued, after moments pause ::
| slipped at the tap o. the brae, and l
maun haze dwamed, for Weakened as cauld
as stane VII Laddie licking my face; so
sent him hame, puir beast. No help
could do me guild now, Kirstie," he said,
as If in answer to the thoughts which
were passing through her mind at the
moment. My leg is broken, and I've
hurt my side; and WI the darkness and
the storm there s nobody fit to help me,
gin they were here, and it wad be hours
before anybody could come o Kirtsie,
woman, maun leave We and the wee
BARN." he added, with a choking sob.
kirstie did not answer for a moment;
and then her face was lighted up with
look OF high resolve, and she said:
"Mony time, Archie, have | won
dered why the Lord gied me my great
strength and my lang arms, but | see it
now; and if it be His will | will save you
this nicht''
"Ye're no fit to carry me-" Archie re-
monstrated feebly "and think what road,
Kirstie."
L
herd in the country" shereplied; "and we
maun ask for help 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 was
speaking of a near and loving friend,
asked the aid of the Almighty arm to
guide her on her perilous way, and to
keep her feet from falling, Archie Bry-
done, even in the midst Of all his pain
and weakness, felt that he had never be-
fore truly known his wife. She then
lifted Archie, as gently and tenderly as
she could; but he gave deep groan, and
she found that he had tainted quite away.
Maybe it's BETTER" she murmured; "he
Wilma know till the dangers past" Then,
with another upward glance for help, she
set out on her dangerous way. 1t would
by this time have been perfectly dark, but
there was little moonlight, just enough
to show the mere outline of the path and
glen. The path itself was by this time
covered with snow; every step was taken
in uncertainty; she hardly knew if she
were keeping the path at all. Strong as
she was, she staggered at times under her
burden, while everything around looked
wild and weird in the half-darkness and the
thick-falling 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 suddenly she re-
membered the sheet of ice across the
pathway. If she could hardly cross it
then, what was to become of her now
with heavy burden, and the snow cover
ing 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 Carson
was killed, and she felt as if she could not
move another step. Just at this moment
a ray of moonlight pierced through the
drift, and showed her young Archie's
head resting on her shoulder; the face
was more boyish than ever in its pallor,
and the rings of fair hair lay 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 few more steps, and
then, to her Joy and surprise, found her
self safe out on the hillside, and far past
the dangerous place. She had passed it
danger till it was gone. She had the
wind to contend with now, and the snow
drift in her face; but in her thankfulness
she felt as if she could overcome every
thing, and soon was within few yards of
their own door. Then her strength utterly
failed; she struggled with beating heart
and laboring breath against her weak
ness, as if it were some physical
Ahcfa oh Irh
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
Laddie ran from one to another, not
knowing what was the matter, and howl
ing pitifully, while the baby was wailing
in the cradle. Help, however, was near
at 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 wild
goose chase; but when they arrived at
the house they were Mortified with the
state Of matters, and thankful that
childish fancy-as they thought at first
should have been the means of bringing
them to Dynefoot so opportunely.
The children at Auchensack were ex-
tremely fond of Kirstie, and it was a
favorite amusement of theirs, every after
noon as the dusk came on, to watch for
the light appearing in her window.
When, long after the usual time, none
appeared, they could not understand it
at all; the anniversary of her wedding
day, too; what could be the matter? At
last Mr.. and Mrs. Gray became uneasy
themselves, and sent off the two men,
who arrived at the very time when their
loJ, cd