The Red Cloud chief., 1876-06-29

that makes II hard Ia do the INST rude
thing to one who is civil.
Still I was not polite to him
That's my name" said / to him. do
you want meT
Il want something Of YOU" said he.
There's q little excursion tonight from
our house. We're going tO take q lady.
Have you any little light trap. and u
horse, Of course, that you could let me
hire for the evening! I'd rather 60
alone with her than in the big wagon
cite. You know, I'm sure, how it is
that 4 fellow had rather ride alone with
aprctty girl, and if you will help me out
| will be ever 80 much obliged to you"
so he had come to ask Inc to help him
To have a nice time with my girl-lc
who had cut me out!
looked at him. just holding my hands
still by maiu force, and / thought of linn
riding along the moOnlit rotd with Fan
ny close by him.
/ asked myself whether his Urn
| would not be around her waist, and
whether in the shadow, Us they fell a
little behind the others. he would not
| kiss her.
-And you want me to help your l
| said out loud. Me"
YES" he said. "Ilease."
"Come along" l said. I'll show you
what l have got"
On the farm that was mine there was
one building, a little cow-shed. We put
| the tools in there sometimes, and | had
a paddock for the door; the key was in
my pocket
1t came into my head that / could
spoil this evening for him, and spite
Fanny, too, by locking him in the shed.
And il he had spirit enough to fight me
for it afterwards SO much the better.
l led the way down into the meadow
where it stood, and unlocked the door.
Just look in" said /. "suld see if that
will suit YOU"
Cant see anything" said he. Its
pitch dark. Wait, l have a match"
He took II from his pocket, and
| stopped to strike it Oh the sole of his
boot, and then l gave him Il push and
over he went, flat on the floor, and l had
the key in my pocket
you'll not make any one hear very
soon, my lad" said /, "and you'll not
kiss Fanny Martin going Over the
bridge this evening"
Then l went away and laid myself
fiat upon the porch in front of our house
and felt happier than l had felt before
for a long time.
Revenge is sweet now and then.
do not pretend to have none OF the
old Adam in me.
I'd been there about half an hour, and
the chirp, chirp, chirp of the crickcts
was lulllng me off to sleep, when sud-
denly l heard a little light step close by
me and saw a WOnian'S white dress flut-
tcring. and, jumping up, stood before
Fanny Martin.
The first through that came into my
mind was that she waS looking for her
beau. and it made me mndish.
is that you. Miss Martini" said |.
Yes, Mr.. Burling," said she-Mld,
though l had said Miss Martin, how ii
hurt me not to be called Ben. ~ ,June
over to see your mother. II III"
NO" said l.
Then I'd better 60 lWme.' said sie.
But she fingered.
Not looking for ANY one clscY' said /.
NO" she said very sadly. Good
night"
But l could not let hex go without a
cut
Il Thought you'd be on this wonderful
moonlight drive" said l.
"There you were mistaken" said she.
"Didhe forget ocome for you?" said l.
MI. Williams, you know"
81 haven't heen asked to drive" said
she. 81 don't know why you speak so.
Mr.. Williams. l suppose, is with the
lady he's engaged TO. She came down
last week with her mother"
oh" said !. and l began to wish I'd
asked a few more questions before /
locked young Williams mp in the cow
house.
We stood still apart from each other.
| saw her lip culver. Was it for him .
Had he Tilted her! That was tit for tat
anyhow.
But she was so pretty, and So sad, and
so winning that l felt my heart givcone
great throb. l took a step neayer-she
took another.
ooh, Ben" cried she, Il can't stand it,
if you keep angry with me. l always
have liked you best, but you've been So
awfully cross"
And then she was crying on my
shoulder.
Did you ever make up with some one
you'd %quarreled with. loving her all the
time?
Did you erer feel. holding the dear
face between your two palms pressing
sweet kisses on the dear, soft mouth,
that it had all come back. all the old
love, and trust, and sweetness, and hope
that you thought dead? If you have,
you must know what 1 felt that minute.
/ found myself again. Twas Ben Bur-
ling once more. How strange it was.
Out of all my life Id like to have that
one moment back; it was the sweetest
l ever lived through.