The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-04-28

wall, soon had a breakfast fit for king.
"What a pity Sam and Harry never
thought of this way of catching pheas-
ants,n she exclaimed, as she replaced
her fishing tackle in her handkerchief
and proceeded on her way.
"Now, let me see," she muttered, half
audibly, as she paused and pondered.
at is ten miles to where Alice lives. l
wouldn't go there last night, for fear
my master would hunt me down. l
can't go to-day, for the same reason.
I've often heard of the new city of Port
land, but Ive never been there. They
say it's outgrowing The Falls. 1 got
nay bearings last night by the north star.
Lucky that 1 thought of it. Nobody
will think of going to the city to look
for me, and I'll get work in somebody's
kitchen Whata fool was to cast myself
blindly, as did, upon the altar of mar
riage Why didn't wait till knew
more about the man whom 1 promised
to obey till death ? But there must be
providence in it, after all. I need this
experience, and it has doubtless been
given me for some purpose, but do not
yet see what"
Thus musing, Madge walked rapidly
on, scarcely thinking of fatigue. The
summer sun rode high in the
heavens, but the MONDAY heat, which
ragged fearfuIly in the prairies, was
scarcely felt in the heart of the deep
forest through which she fed.
Fear of wild animals kept her close
to the highway, and intersecting streams
and gulches frequently compelled her to
emerge to the road to avail herself of a
friendly bridge.
George Hanson and the parson had
spent several days at The Falls, in close
attendance upon the district court. AT
ter patient searching through files of
county records, they had become pos
sessed of proof that, owing to the viola
ton of some technicality of the law, the
widow MOrrison's claim had not been
properly "proved up" consequently,
the prospective town site, which Jason
Andrews valued so highly as calf pas
ture, that he would not permit human
ity to possess it at any price, was in re-
ality vacant land belonging to the Gov
ment.
This fact having been ascertained,
George Hanson filed a notification in
the general land Office, signifying his
intention to possess the same in fee sim
pie, as soon as certain other technicali-
ties of law, which were at that time in
force, were faithfully complied with.
Everything had gone off in splendid
shape, and the twain were riding home
ward in the best of spirits, when sud-
denly their ardor received a check
through the PASTORS surmises.
"What if you should return to my
nest to find that your bird had flown ?"
he asked, abruptly, as though the posi-
bility had but then occurred to him.
"Oh, she wouldn't dare p' said Han
son; but there was tremor in his voice
that belied his words.
81 don't know" rejoined the deep,
voiced parson. 'TThere's only one thing
stronger than a woman's will, and that's
her aOon't, you know"
"But Tll prosecute anybody who will
dare to harbor her."
Madge was trudging along through
the forest, when, for the twentieth time
that day, she encountered a stream
which she could not cross without go
ing out to the main highway. Just be
, fore emerging from the wood, sht
T paused, startled by the sound of ap
preaching horsemen.
Taking refuge behind a great falleI
tree, she was thoroughly frightened by
the cracking of the dry twigs upoI
which she knelt. But to the fear o
discovery was added another terror
as she heard her husbands threat.
, "What if he'd prosecute my mother?'
. she thought, as her heart fairly Ieape,
. into her throat.
q ''I heard the twigs crackle, and be
? lieve there's deer handy" said tn
parson. SIS your gun loaded ?"
Madge crouched still lower, maxim
, more noise in spite of herself.
"Oh, bother the deerW exelaime
. Hanson. "There's a dear at hom
that Pm much more anxious to catch
q glimpse of than am for taste of an
=, o. your confounded venison ~
The two men laughed loudly, and, t
Madge's intense relief, rode on, leavin
7 her almost dead with apprehension.
d "I've eluded 'em, thanks to my pre-
"a cious masters eagerness to catch
glimpse of his DEAR" she exclaimed, auc
h IDLY, as she rose from her knees, to fin
Il herself so weak from fright and fatigu
that she could scarcely stand.
.s 'Tll be in sorry plight to work after
b get to the city, if lose strength at tn
rate" she thought.
st Luckily great clusters of blackbel
10 ries grew hard by, from which she mao
"a a ahealthful, ,invigorating noon-day mea
10 Then, disposing of herself as best st
10 could behind the friendly old falle
,e tree, she soon fell asleep, and dreame
q that an angel came and led her out
er the wilderness, through the valley an
n aud shadow of death, and up into IL
green pastures and beside the GENT