Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-05-18

| oo"H" 8. hnu uOW my ueaT MISS
Moffat. would you mind showing me
a little, and see if I can't learn to
manage better, and make Georges
home more comfortable ? | thought
| had rather ask young person like
you than Georges mother even"
and so Rachel Moffat found her,
self in George Reynolds kitchen, in
structing the child wife in the mys.
teries of cooking, and trying to i'm
part to her some of her rare knack,
as people called it.
| One day, as she came out of the
little gate and took her way toward
her own home, gentleman passed
her on horseback. Looking up, she
saw man with a full beard end
good figure-a stranger, she thought
him, until be wheeled about and ex-
claimed, "you're not running away
from your shadow again, are you,
Miss Raehel?" And the stranger
was no other than Walter Gibbs.
| Rachel laughed this time without
effort. 'They are harmless things,
as you said," she replied and then
she inquired kindly after his health
and stay in Medbury.
81 presume strangers occupy the
cottage yonderl" Walter Gibbs re-
marked, pointing TO the cottage
Rachel had just left.
George Reynolds lives there"
Rachel answered. "I've been up to
assist Kate-Mrs. Rey nolds-in can.
ming some fruit"
Rachel Moffat's face did not color
or feature change. Either her
mask was perfectly worn, or that
look had ceased to be mask.
Walter Gibbs, during his stay in
Medbury, fell into his old habit of
walking in Rachel Moffat's shadow.
| Looking into her face as that even
ing year before, he missed the res
Equation it had worn then, for it was
real pleasure.
One day be sought her with
strange nervousness and abstraction
in his manner. Rachel was very
grave too, and Walter Gibbs saw
that she had been weeping. He
looked into her face with the tender
solicltude that only men who love
ADD women who have been loved
know, and Rachel explained hastily.
Did he not know2 Had he not
heard? George Reynolds wife died
suddenly that morning of heart dis
ease.
Walter Gibbs went home with the
nervous abstraction all gone from
his manner, and Q hard endurance in
its stead George Reynolds was
free, now free to win Rachel Moffat
| if he could, and she who loved him
once was free to accept him. 81
Couldn't be satisfied with doubtful
love-" he said, 81 will watt
He waited until the Judas trees
were in blossom again, and then he
went TO Nedbnry.
dts awaiting on Rachel Motfat,
George Rey is" one of the Med
bury gossips told him. "And his
wife not been under the sod year
yet They were school-mates, and
and know each other from childhood
aud we used to think it would make
match before he ever married that
helpless city girl, and | havn't any
doubt in my mind but it will make
a match now. Gussie Reynolds is
going to have a tea party next week
and will show which way the wind
is blowing"
Walter Gibbs went to Gussic Rey-
colds tea drinking. He said to his
IA osAer he would not miss it for
fortane. Rachel Moffatt was there
walking nov and then with George
Reynolds, ana ,Gelking with him ever
and anon; but thel it was Raohels
habit to be kind TO sszsry one who
| came in her way. Late in the even'
ing Waiter Gibbs missed Der from
| the parior. He looked arodns for
George Reynolds, bpt he too was
gone. s'The Medbury Gossip was
right" he thought. This tea party
is showing which way the wind is
blowing" He walked to the win
| dow and looked out, deserving
Rachel Moffat's fiuttering garments
down a winding path. George Rey-
nolds was by her side, and the way
they took was toward the south.
Away off to the north the Judas tree
stretched out it's pink branches in
the moonlight. "The wind sets un-
favcrably," Walter Gibbs said, with
sigh.
Half an bour later, George Rey-
.nolds passed Walter Gibbs in the
hall. His brow was clouded, and his
| lips worked aervously. she looks
| like one on wbaso the north wind
has ,blomp," Waiter gibbs thought,
and ~aEt in ,psp3rssRli' OF rachel
Moffat.
He found her standtag.in tHs moon
light, her long shadow reflected Arom
her figure and the branch OF Judas
tree she held in her hand. lie ap-
preached her, and stood where her
shadow fell.
"Rachel." he said with all his
heart in his ysice. ~ would like TO
walk in your shadow henceforward,
if you are going my way"
Rachel Moffat looked up with
startled eyes into the face above her;
the pink flowers with their fatal slg-
nificance fell from her hand, and the
| IRREGULAR outlines Of two confused
shadows. never henceforth TO Depart
lay upon the greensward. ln the
frosts of the following winter the
Judas tree died, and the place there
of knew it no more.