The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-11-18

And whom one night as he babe her good BYE
Mallory and the rest being there, he told her
in a grave but authoritative undertone, qul'e
unlike that of the usual lover, that ne Wlsheu
to see her next morning at eleven ociock; A
she wanted to deny him she couiu not pu"
10 tell the truth, she did not eAaclly "ahe ~.
Tho vounr men had seemed SO inconsequent
and so stupid that evening; tney hau eac'I
in turr. come IN and interrupted the doctor
when he was telling her such tairy-like tales
Of recent discoveries in science; she had
shrupged her shoulders at them TIL the STU.
alton struck her ridicuously, and then she had
laughed with the merriesto of them and pouted
NJ the doctor But now as he was gong, she
slipped her hand IN his arm, and sauntcred
down the lawn with him. The night was one
in June, when, if ever, nights are perfect; the
air was ladened with honeysuckle and mock
orange; the winds that curled around them
seemed to come from distant lands OF everlast-
ing bloom, so sweet they were, and the stars
hung their lamps through the clear, DARK
close above the thick tree tops. she lancied
that night that life was too delicious thlng
to be INDUCED in freely, and she murmured
something of the fancy with hall laugh
There are times when we all feel That lie Is
more than we deserve he answered; TO
morrow-it may be-Shall l feel the same
myself tomorrow, or will fate"
She laughed uneasily. you mustn't ask
me riddles" she cried.
"At eleven tomorrow, then" he SAID, hitting
his hat.
! "At eleven Tomorrow And she went back
10 The house wishing it were eleven to morrow
now, and then, in gay freak, as she heard
the hall clock strike, she ran down the hall
and set the hands forward an hour. Bring
him the quicker she whispered, bring MN
the quicker" and went back to the others
1ney arc talking OF the flags and bulrushes
that grew by Lenders Lake, sheet OF water
in a neighborng woods; and she was eager
TO hear lie details of the direction there Tor
she shared the popular frenzy raging just
then tor bulrushes, and though OF all things
she should like some great bunches OF inc
soft brown velvety things in the vases to'hor'
! row.
~ believe If | rose early she said, VI cOuld
he there and back before eleven"
"Why eleven ?" said Mallory, lazlly.
80, / have an engagement at that hour"
she replied, bending her head little, that he
might not see the color creeping up,
II am at your service" he SAID.
"Will YOU come along, Netty?" she asked.
"Atfiye clock in the morning, and on foot?
Not a STEP That hour in the afternoon, De.
hind a pair of bays, would suit me very Well
Young Vary thought it would suit him, too.
"Very well, Mr. Mallory. If you will come
at eightto morrow, shall have my bullrushes
and be back in good season.
"I'll not fail, said Mallory. "And to that
end assure this company that it is the
witching hour Of night, when the SWEEP
est sound the ear can hear is the slamng OF
the big house door, And with that we al
departed.
81, tn, In
Miss Alice, with her sheers hanging at her
side, and her hat tied on, was looking up and
down the road impatienty. She quite forgot
her freak with the old clock the night before,
"Irs a very indecorous way to serve me-" she
cried Ten minutes past eight! VIII nave
my bulrushes, Mallory or no Mallory. Ana
if am a little late, don't care. 1t will seem
rs though Il body were not so ANXIOUS ana
don't know--Im afraid | was gushing last
night, and do so despise gusher. And he
may only want 10 engage me TO watch win
old Miss steers the night she takes ether Tor
that operaton," And thereat the little body
was of for Lenders Lake, with precious small
idea of the exact whereabouts OF that precious
sheet I've tongue in my head, sup
pose" said she.
AS Miss Alice continued, her ideas grew
still less. She feared she would lose her way
anu uOl DC UiNh Ut an CIV '''S '%'
waited tor Mallory, but she ploddcd on after
her best sense of locality, tore her gown with
brers, lost her veil, broke her parasol, and
came near breaking her ankle, and at eleven
O'Clock by her watch sat down and CRIED
hot, bitten by flies, tired out, and lost.
When she had finished crying she looked
up, and there, glstcning double through her
tears, lay Lenders Lake, blue as a sapphire,
in the hollow of the hills. Her courage
came back at once. If she could not keep
her appointment, she could show by the bul
rushes she intended TO.
She forgot fatigue, and was off for the edge
of the lake, not 50 easily reached alter all,
ana with a Triumphant handful OF the brown
velvet wands and of great blue flags, was
presently homeward bound, having found
The highway, and staying only to ask at the
door OF liule hut for cup of water.
Nobody answered her rap; the door was
open-she pushed it wider, and peered in,
but started back at the sound of groan, and
quick, sharp sob, u periec. storm OF sobs,
A moment Miss Alice hesitatcd-Out she was
no coward where pain was concerned; she
took heart of grace, and walked in, and
found the brown old berry woman with her
little boy, her grandchlld, bleeding to death
IN her arms 90" she exclaimed, 81 never
knew that you lived here What is the mat
ter? How did he 90 it!'
with the AK! with the NIX! just now!'
cried the woman. And | can't stop II, and
Pm all alone, and | can't leave him, he'll die
%, he'll dlem
] 40, no, no." said Alice. What have you
done? Only cold water? Let me see. Lay
\ him down Get n towel" Tor she remember
cd her school lessons in physiology. And
before the woman knew what had happened
Alice had rugged a tournlquet with the han
die of hair brush, and was checking in
some degree the flow of blood with which
the boys vitality was ebbing. "NOw don't
I let II slip, aud I'll run and find the doctor, Ii
| drop. Perhaps some team will overtake
me. Don't despair-the child shan't die"
i And she kissed the brown old woRian, and
plunged out, eager as though it were her own
\ little brother. y know just where the doc.
tor is" she called back.
/ She knew nothing OF the kind; she only
/ knew where he hau been.
! shes gone To Lenders Lake with Mallo.
~" Aunt Huldah had said, looking up ana