The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-04-13

way. 1t was after nine; the animals
were all gone to the depot save gray
Emperor one or two other horses,
and the elephants, who had partici-
pated in the last act.
I'm tired to death. | can't be
cooped up in this van, =" said Mdlle. Leo,
pettishly, as the girls got in. 1t was
their usual method of transit to the
cars. ''Here, Tom, let me ride Emp.
down-there's good fellown vs.. o. .
1t seemed her last chance. Tom AL
den, glad of a kind word, would have
yielded and rode alongside himself-he
had charge of the horses-but Mr.. Mid
riff surlily interposed.
"What'n thnnder'l II you want nextp
Get in where you belong, and have done
with your nonsense. Get in, sayn'
She obeyed, accelerated by his rough
assistance, and cried in the corner all
the way down. If she died, she would
get out of this. Oh dear! oh dear! she
should miss of Mr.. Henderson, and
then
After they had disposed themselves in
the car allotted to them, she made an
errand to skip softly out, and slipped
down the opposite side of the platform.
Mr.. Midriff was nowhere to be seen;
the engine at the head of the long train
sent forth short, deep puffs; the open
ing of the furnace door lit luridly up
the long trail of smoke that streamed
athwart the black night. The din of
loading up, the tramp of feet, the jar of
baggage, the shouts of men went on q
little way down the railroad. Which
was the horse car?
By great good fortune Tom Alden had
left the door open for a few minutes
after tying the latest corners. BY the
dull platform lantern she discerned gray
emperor nearest the door. How to
get him down! ..
She stepped into the car. There was
door on the other side padlocked and
bolted. The key was in the lock and
in trice it was open. She took the
gray by the halter and turned him
round. "Jumpn' she said in a sharp
whisper.
He hung back, knowing perfectly that
this was a most unheard-of proceed
ing. But vigorous cut with rattan
enforced obedience, and he alighted
noiselessly on the soft turf. "Standr
she added, sharply; pulled the door
nearly together behind her, and dropped
lightly to his back. Her sole incum-
brance was a sachel; and with this on
her arm she headed the brute straight
through Il long grass lane, leaped a
fence, crossed a dark, starlit field, made
a wide circuit round the train, and
headed back at full gallop to the place
where the tent was pitched.
She did not miss her calculations this
time. Mr.. Henderson, albeit bewildered
at the disappearance of the troupe, still
waited at the fence corner. She slipped
back a trif1e, and he was up in front of
her with bound.
Within half an hour the twain were
made one flesh, and five minutes after
the ceremony the flying feet of the
gray horse struck sparks from the fiinty
stones all along the dark, lonesome
country road. Mdlle. Leo's heart was
glad, and, too, the least bit anxious.
1t was a bold game, this, that she was
playing for liberty, and she knew, also,
that, however at ease her conscience
might be in the abstraction of the gray
horse, the law would call it by very
hard name.
They had laid their plans well. They
travelled by night, and reposed during
the day in woody and unfrequented
places. Mr.. Henderson knapsack was
amply provisioned; and by the time
that was gone they were in locality
where it was safe for him to buy at
country stores or of the farmers.
When Mr.. Henderson announced that
they were in Maine, Mdlle. Leo, whose
knowledge of geography was extreme
ly limited, experienced feeling of re-
lief. But it was many a long night S
journey after that before they halted
one morning, at the first faint flush of
sunrise, on hill, and looked down the
fair, woody valley and across the blue,
calm lake to little village not yet
astir. How beautiful this is" said
Mdlle. Leo. Such scenes were very
new to her. The peace and calm, the
thick, beadlike dew on all things, the
indescribable freshness of early sum-
mer dawn, were all revelation to her.
"Do you see that house down by the
turn of the road? the one nearest the
lakeg" said Mr.. Henderson.
Eyes"
"That is my homeland yours" He
turned around and kissed her for the
first time. She blushed rosy red with a
mingled rush of new, strange, sweet
feeling. She began then to love him.
They rode in silence down the hill
in silence by many a bend and curve of
woody road; they entered at last the
grassy lane, and shaded circle of barn
and farm yard. Mr.. Henderson lifted
her, with tender word, from the gal
liant gray-she was worn and tired in
deed, but had borne the long journey
uncomplainingly-and led her in.
twas great, wide, cheerful kitch-
en-; the fire for early breakfast was
kindled in the stove, and the round ta-
BILE with it's white cloth was scrupulous-
ly neat. No one was there. Mr.. Hen
derson led his bride through the cool,
darkened sitting-room with the scent
of jasmine and honeysuckle stealing
through the open windows, through the
quiet, well-furnished parlor, to a pleas
ant room with white curtains, where he
babe her lie down for awhile.
"Welcome home, dear" said he,
with all his heart in his honest, earnest
eyes. "God grant you may be happy
here and that no shadow of distrust NAV