The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-01-02

nul0re0 uOilarS. lnSt WOutC Sill
. be cheap; and maybe you would
throw in the watch :"
Was he chuckling over her ap-
preaching state of helplessness /!
She turned pale, and her eyes, q mo-
ment before so confident, were un-
steady with fear.
/ What had be said :? Had he in
suited her? Had ne threatened ?
She could not exactly remember his
words; there was beginning to be
such confused feeling in her head.
In some way she thought be meant
harm.
A sudden recollection flashed
across her mind. A gentleman bad
once given her in joke little pearl
handled, gold mounted pistol, and
her mother had insisted on her car
rying it when she went walking in
the country 1t wss always in the
pocket of her dress, although she did
not think of it generally once week.
She put her band in her pocket and
drew it, Cooking it was an idea
quite beyond her, but she held it in
front of her, aud looked steadily at
the tramp, or tried to, for some
how she could not see him quite dis
tinctly. 1t seemed as if she had to
summon all her energies to artieu-
late, and what she said sounded like
this:
II wan you T. lead me 'ome di-
reckly."
She forget, in the increasing be-
wilderment of her brain, that he was
as ignorant of the direction as her,
self. She could not hear distinctly
what be said in reply. Her brain ap-
peared to be all aaoat, dragging an
ehor, and drifting away somewhere.
She now only saw him through q
mist, though she made the utmost ef-
forts to keep her eyes fixed on his
face in spite of the odd manner in
which he seemed to be bobbing
about, trying to dodge her gaze.
Had another tramp come up! There
seemed to be two of them dancing
around and making up faces. And
the rocks and trees--whst were they
sill flying around for in such an ex-
traordinsry manner? She had a
dim sense of being caught and lifted
and laid on Something soft, of family
resisting and muttering, "Pleezsh let
me alone, pleezsh g'way," and then
of being overpowered by drOwsi-
ness that made the recumbent post
ure a luxury that was irresistible.
Perhaps it was an hour later when,
waking out of dream that she was
at boarding school on ore Of those
horrid mattresses, she opened her
eyes and rubbed them There was
nothing but blue sky overhead. AZ
ter an instant or two of wonder if she
might not be an angel waking from a
nap on cloud, she turned on her ell
bow and saw big, rough-lookiDg
man, who nevertheless produced a
strange effect of familiarity on her
mind, sitting ten or fifteen feet away,
and looking at her with an express
sion of amusement AID interest.
Then she jumped up quickly enough,
as may be inferred.
''How do you feel after the whis-
key" be asked.
Then it all came back TO her.
"Im all right, except a little gid
dy."
'1t's pity so hard head should
be wasted on young lady. 1t
world have been a pearl of great
price to TOPPER" be remarked, dry
ly. How is your arm ?"
! Nothing but a little itching is
left,n she said, looking at it; and
then, feeling of it she added, The
swelling has pretty much gone down,
too"
In sleep the mind falls back into
old ruts, and recent experience is
always fresh at waking. She looked
around, and saw, as if for the first
time, the wild spot, the dead snake
yon der, the empty flask, the bundle
on which her head had been placed,
her bat, which be must have taken of,
and by bis side the pistol. Then she
turned to the man who stood there,
watching her with smile of amused
sympathy.
you bsve saved nv life"
She felt like making some sort Of q
fervent acknowledgement, perhaps of
gushing. But the tramp gave her no
chance, for be replied, glaneing
toward the pistol with comical look
of much terror:
"And you have spared mine"
Miss Livingston followed bis
glance, turned red with shame at the
thought of the generosity with which
be had repaid her suspicion, and,
stepping to where the pratty trifle
lay, flung it as far as she could
That was all the acknowledgment
she made. This odd tramp certainly
possessed that most desirable knack
in gentlemen, of dispensing grace
fully with the verbal tributes of those
be has benefited.
Dear me how late il is :" cried
Miss Livingston, as the western tree
tops drew their cool shadows over
her face, and the sun sank out Of
sight. What are we going to do
about getting hume? My friends
viii be crazy"
1t seemed as if her perplexities
that day were never going to end
81 supposed that if l did not find
the way home for you, you would
probably shoot me at sundown," re-
piled the tramp, with his quizzical ex-
preston, $50 / stirred about while
you were taking your nap, and think
| have the direction about right. 1t
will be nearly an hours walk. We
will start at once if you feel strong
enough"
"Yes, indeed; let us not wait q mo-
ment!" and gathering up her skirts,
she followed his lead straight into
the forest. The great companionn
was sinking in the west and sending
only occasional faint, level rays
through the dusky woods. She felt |
lonely and iesrsome, but no more re-
ally scared than if she had been with |
her father or brother She needed