The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-08-19

-b0t OVOA 0nu 0hou Sulv0I WVulu
creep over her form. Then she was
thinking of the occupant OF the lone
hat OH the Kennebec.
/ In the words of her own acknow
ledgment she was Tom Nesbitt's
Sweetheart" and she knew that the
uneducated but handsome lumberman
loved her with his strong heart. But
her father harbored an aversion to
him it was an aversion bordering on
implacable hatred. He had long
frowned at the growing intimacy be-
tween his daughter and Tom, and he
had limited that his company was not
desirable at his cabin. Hetty knew
that he thought much Of the very man
who had lately left his hearth-Ned
Winters but she could not hove him.
lie was handsome, and to some extent
learned, but not agreeable He could
hatea man for nothing he could for
give but not forget. iul AHae aH
a. Hetty that she loved
Tom Nesbit, was equivalent tOGfa re-
fusal of marriage in the eyes of Ned
Winters. Z nojustj foiiblL Fv
.. He ground his, teeth and clenched
his hands when he left the girls home
and sanntered toward the only inn
that the village contained 'e ,,5..r
'teAm hour laterhe returned to Het-
fy's home and found the person he de-
sired to see-her father, the oold lum.
herman, Eben Wade. Hetty retired
to her room directly over the apart
tnsnt that contained the hearth before
which she left the two men engaged
in discussing the lumber market.
9iiShe sought her couch in the dark.
as had been her custom for years, and
the voices below grew into confused
an unintelligible murmur. l.U
aaB But all at once the mention of
name startled her from the doZe into
which she was falling, aud she listen
ed intently with her ear near the loose
boards that formed the floor. Yes;
her father and Ned Winters were
talking about her lovcr.,t sla yyigloa
''Tom Nasbit.'s she heard Ned say,
as it inans werao a question drom her
father "Oh, hes built his last raft"
ellis last raft! What do you mean,
Ned You know never liked him.
His ways don't suit old Ebcn Wade"
Hetty saw Winters glance inquir-
ingly toward her. chamber; but her
fathers voice reassured him.
"Oh, IIetty's asleep, Nedl You
needn't be afraid to talk. She amt |
troubled with waking spells the crash
of a lumber raft ID hardly waken her.
What about Tom Nesbit?"
"Why. the fever's took hold on i'm
an guess he's dead by this time,',
said Ned Winters, with an expression
of triumph which he could not con.
ceal. 81 left him day before yester-
day, an he was as low as he could be
an live. He wouldn't admit that he'd
have to pull of, an wanted a doctor;
but where's the use, Wade, Of sendin'
! doctor to dead man? He was per-
feet skeleton when left. an l bade
him good bye forever"
"You left i'm day before yesterday,
you say? Where had you been?'
81 went down to draw my pay.
came here about an hour age. Oh,
he's dead nOw!"
A smile of satisfaction settled on
Eben Wade's face"
81 said that Tom Nesbit was foolish
to hunt wolves alone up here, an now
he's paid for it," he said.
"Yes."
Every word of the above conversa.
ion struck like dagger 10 Hetty
Wade's heart. az a, .tpn 8tS
> She arose and dressed herself in the
weird light of the winter mOsn that
low stole in the room. Shs put on a
pair of wOlf-skin leggins, and fastened
. warm hood about her face. Then
lhe, selected some fever medicine from
quantity of bottles that filled the on
y shelf in the unc0uth bOutloir, and
OOk pair of delicate but serviceable
NOW shoes from the wall. A rifle and
'ome ammunition completed her
equipment, and leaving the house by
means of ladder that rested h on the
now5 sill. she faced the wintry bla st.
Twelve miles away, in dreary val
ey, not far from the ice- blocked Kea-
'ebec, stood the lonely cabin of Tom
Nesbit. A wilderness of snow and
pectral pines blotted it from her sight
.nd the wind warned her of the dam
,er that lurked in her way.
She was treadins a new path, but
he knew where the cabin stood. Tom
lad told her so often.
Resolutely she pushed on through,
he long shadows of the cracking and
ighing pines. The thought of the lie
which Ned Winters had breathed into
Ter ears. and of the terrible truth
which she had overheard, ,neryed her to
he uttermost, and the warnings Of
he winds was unheeded. ...-
Would she find him dead? All!
. F d.
you'd she ever return to Casco?
The first question troubled her; of
he last she never thought.
Five, six, seven, eight miles of that
nOWy road were traverscd in safety
vhen Il sound brought the daring girl
10 sudden halt.
Over the long gray pathway which
he had travelled came the howl of the
.aunt gray wolf? 80,
Was the terror of Names forests on
Ter trail?
A chorus OF howls answered her.
"Oh heaven !let me reach him alive!;
he cried, casting an imploring glance
oward the cold stars, as she started
onward aroin