The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-01-31

morning dew.
sob, mother, bring it closer! Where
did you get it?' placing her thin, white
hands among the cool, sweet foliage.
8 Fennel left it at the door this
morning. He thought it would please
you"
1T does please me-"
No one but Fennel knew how she
liked fragrant green leaves and swamp
heliotrope.
She was grateful, and she told Femme
so when she saw him. To prove it she
let him drive her out and find her roses
again among the fields. As the light
came back to her eve and the dimple to
her cheek, she laughed merrily sometimes
and forgot to look wistfully towards the
mountains, as he had noticed her doing sc
often two months before.
One day she was pale and troubled
when Fennel came with his buggy, She
was silent for a few moments after they
began their drive
"Fennel?'
"Well?"
Are you going aways'
| Eyes"
"Why, tell me, please!'
THAT was all. She did not dare pre-.
tend not to understand him. Both faces
were pale He turned towards her a,
last, smiling family.
: Yes, BERTHE, you don't need me any
longer, and l am going away to try as
hard as can to forget you. 1t is strange
that such q sweet-eyed girl should cause
SO much pain, isn't it,"
Bertrode didn't speak. They rode in
silence along the river road. Bertrode
was listening, as if charmed, to the chirp-
ing of a little bird among the scrub oaks
by the river. 1t was hearty, CHEEKY lit
tie bird that seemed to have no nonsense
about it.
The road grew narrower. The tree
branches met above their heads and
gradually grew lower. Fennel put out
his whip to hold them out of their faces
The motion startled the horse-or he
might have been twanged by the spring
ing sprays He leaped suddenly forward
and Bertrode was flung from the carriage
and down the steep bank into the river.
Stunned by the shock. she tioatcd like
a corpse If she had seen Fennel Could
face, then. she would have wondered,
even though she believed that she knew
his love. He dlew in the prancing horse,
and flung himself from the carriage.
Dashing down the steep declivity, he
threw himself into the river.
The tide was rapid. Already the figure
of the drowning girl, half submerged, was
floating into the middle of the current
c<~ lo
ter OF mile below, and TIE tide swept
them both toward it. Funnel Gould cx-
pended every resource of body and
heart in that struggle for life and love
She flOated on on--before him in the
flowing water until the great beads OF
agony and pain stood upon his forehead
But one fortunate stroke, and he caught
her scarf.
He struggled back to land and fell ex-
hausted upon the bank. For moment
he lay there, painting; then rising, he lift
ed Bertrode into the carriage, and carried
home the life he had saved
Evening came. Fennel was at home
pacing thoughtfully the floor of his little
chamber 1t was twilight and the scent
of the ripe apples in the orchard filled
the dim room He did not notice either,
but he was reused suddenly by knock
at his door. 1t was little Willy Dodge
with note. He opened it. 1t bore
these words:
"Fennel come home with Willy. !
want to see you"
That was all, but he knew who sent it
He went out of doors with the child
Holding the boys hand, he walked the
| fields he had walked month before with
his heart bitter as rue The crickets were
singing among the grasses. A strange
lightness possessed him, and vet he kept
putting down his heart--not daring 10
hope. The farmhouse door was open and
Bertrode was sitting in the porch. Little
Willy went into the house. Fennel
sat down on the step.
What do You want. Bertrode2"
Il will tell you by and by"
The twilight grew more dim a. they
talked of unimportant things, until they
conId not see each others faces. The
crickGts were singing hundreds Of scros
/ In the grasses hy the roadside. The dew
fell and woke the sweetness Ct the ferns
BIZ the roadside.
A long time passed and at last Fennel
rose.
/ 1T is time to go, Bertrode. viii you
tell me nowl"
The moon came up and showed her
face pale and her lips tremulous. but
she stood up by his side and spoke
firmly
Il want to ask you not to go away, Fen
mel. Don't CO.
There seemed more to be said. but she
could not say II Her voice died on her
lips, and the eager light in Fennel Gould S
eyes faded.
Icannot stay, Bertrode; don't be troub-
led TO pity me- Good-by, and God keep
you. dear, forever
He stopped to kiss her Her arms were
around his neck.
my love, my love- she cried, don't
leave me- want you; you make me
happy and have never, never, loved any
but you, dear heartl Take my life
have saved it -and spare me the one you