The Cecil Whig., 1879-06-14

| VI
herself, and profaned the delicate fores
odors with Il cigar. Dora stopped momen
to take breath and admire the beautiful fal
before them, which dashed its white waite
r down The sheer black rock, and sprinkle,
with bright dew the luxuriant ferns ant
vines that fringed the bank OH either side
Then she turned TO follow the very sligh
indication of Il path upward. Mr.. Hortol
was ready To follow: but the moment sh,
set her foot ON the rock which was her frs
step, and extended her hand to grasp
ledge above, which must he climbed, Ii,
cried out, in Il loud, imperative voice
"Dora, stop
The voice was SO decisive, so powerful, $,
full of that command which is the counter
part OF obedience, that without a thought o
rebellion Dora stood like Il statue. In an
instant Mr.. Horton put his arm about her
swung her back, and began to strike rapidly
and hercely At something on the crest OF
the ledge: and in another moment he lifted
IA dead rattlesnake on his cane and flung il
far into the stream. Dora turned sick and
sat down on Il stone, shudderng and pale.
Mr.. Horton oniy-said, Excuse me, Miss
Schenck: the danger was too near for me to
be less Imperative"
Dora Shivered. ''lf you had not. should
be dead now
Not at ALL, laughed Mr.. Horton al
know these woods too well to be ever with
out the proper allevationS for a snake bite,
but never yet used them, though | have
met and killed a good many. Rattlesnakes
are dull creatures unless they coil to spring,
and one blow with heavy stick will kill
them Very few people die of their bites
| | have only heard of one case in these re-
gionS, and that was a child who had strayed
| alone in the woods
He purposely heightened his explanation,
that Dora might calm herself: he did not
know how it was still throbbins through
her heart that he had called her "Dora"
Her natively generous instinct demanded
some thanks at least to he paid but she
could not speak yet: she was shyly glad,
yet angry with herself for being glad: and
trembling so with the sudden nervous
shock, she could not for some minutes
speak again.
Mr.. Horton stepped down to the waters
edge, and seemed absorbed in looking at the
fall, but his heart beat as wildly as hers: in
that moment of danger he had discovered
what deep hold Dora had taken of his life:
he did not think of her untitness to he his
wife, of her scorn, her wild impulses her
quick temper. Like many another man in
his case, he thought only of her beauty and
sweetness, and felt that she must love him,
or he would be miserable. Blessed ordina-
tion of things. If men or women chose
their mates as they do their shoes or their
books, with deliberation and cool iudr-
ment, this dear, delightful, naughty old
world would come to Il sudden end: it is
the wisdom of Providence that they never
do
1t seemed an hour to both of these aston
iShed people, yet it was barely five minutes
before Dora looked up at Mr.. Horton and
said, 81 don't know how to thank YOU. l
can acknowledge now it is good to mind a
man-sOmetimeS." There was a soft arch
dicted the uuivering lips: but the lovely
blushins face told what Dora never meant
to tell. Mr.. Horton knelt down on the
grass beside her
"Oh, Dora, | would not he a tyramt, he
said: and Dora dropped her head so low it
rested on his shoulder.
Mrs. Horton always declared her husband
never asked her to marry him, which he i'll
dignantly denied as often as she asserted it:
but however the union came about it was
true-for everybody said So-that no gen
tier, sweeter, happier minister's wife ever
filled that difficult position in the city of
Ludlow, where Mr.. Horton was settled:
even Grace Hamilton could not find fault
with this match, though she had predicted
all sorts of sorrow, from its radical unfit
ness" But time had not softcnel Gracc's
native spite, though she controlled it dur
ing her brief visit at the parsonage On
the next Christmas morning, Il package
came by express, directed to Mrs. Horton;
on the inner cover of the thin box was
written, :" For Dolls ROOM" and as the last
iolu Oh IlSSur paper was llfted, IN elaborate
ly illuminated motto appeared:
"Come when You're called,
DO as you re bid,
Shut the door after YOU,
And you'll never De chid'
Her husband was looking over Dor,'s
shoulder, and they both laughed. Grace's
arrow was pointleSS for such trust and hap
pineSs.
" I've only changed my mind, said Dora,
land that is every woman : privilege"
And | have only abdicated, and that
any king may do, retorted her husband
" Have Won - said his wife, ncredu-
lously.
The truth was that neither knew how to
differ from the other with comfort.