The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-01-09

rOhCtAhcn3 nhO AOIBoO W lOOh WiSbkUlly
towards the mountains, as he had no
ticed her doing SO Otter two months
before.
One day she was pale and troubled
when Fennel came with his buggy. She
war silent for few moments after they
began their drive.
g Fennel %
'eWell p
" Are you going away ?"
Why, tell me, please ?.
g think 1 had better"
That was all. She did not dare pretend
not to understand him. Both faces were
pale. He turned towards her at last,
smiling family.
Yes, BERTHE, You don't need me any
longer, and am going away to try as
hard as can to forget you. It is
strange that such a sweet-eyed girl
should cause 50 much pain, isn't it ?"
Bertrode didn't speak. They rode in
silence along the river road. Bertrode
was listening, rs il charmed, to the
chirping of little bird among the scrub
oaks by the river. It was a hearty,
CHEEKY little 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 for
ward, and Bertrode was flung from the
carriage and down the steep bank into
the river.
Stunned by the shock, she fioated like
q corpse. If she had seen Fennel
Gonld's face, then, she would have won
dered, even though she believed that
she knew his love. He drew ia 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 sub
merged, was floating into the middle of
the current. There were strong, fierce
rapids quarter of n mile below. and
the tide swept them both toward IL
Fennel Gould expended every resource
OF body and heart in that struggle for
life and love. She foated on--on--be
fore 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
exhausted upon the bank. For mo-
ment he lay there, painting; then rising,
he lifted Bertrcde 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
filed the dim ROOM, He did not notice
either, but he was reused suddenly by q
knock at his door. It was little Willy
Dodge with a note. He opened it. It
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 mis- heart--not
daring to hope. The farmhouse door
wan OUCll uu1l 11GIbLOlC Wdc Eltbllfk III lltB
porch. Little Willy went into the house.
Fennel sat down on the step.
'' What do you want, Bertroae?"
II will tell you by and by"
The twilight grew more dim as they
talked Of unimportant things, until they
could not see each others faces. The
crickets were singing hundreds of songs
in the grasses by the roadside. The dew
fell and woke the sweetness of the road
side ferns
Along time passed, and at last Fen
mel arose.
is it time to go, Bertrode. Will you
tell me nov?
The moon came up, and showed her
face pale and her lips tremulous, but
she stood up by his side and spoke firm
ly.
want to ask you not to go away,
Fennel. Don't 60"
There seemed more to be said, but |
she could not say it. Her voice died on
her lips, and the eager light in Fennel |
Gould's eyes faded.
81 cannot stay, BertrOde; don't be |
to pity me. Good-by, ana God |
keep you, dear, forever I"
He stopped to kiss her head. Her !
arms were around his neck.
My love, my love, she cried, don't |
leave me. l want you; you make me
happy; and have never, never loved |
any but you, true heart Take my life |
you have saved it-and spare me the I
1ne you risked in my salvation. ! will
try to make it happy, but indeed, in
Iced, Fennel, 1 am not worthy of you r.
Heart to heart, at last; Heavens
angels bless them