The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-01-28

content, hut this only made her disap-
pointment more apparent tc her husband.
| More and more it troubled him. loving
his young wife most tendereiy, and az last
| he said:
"If you really cannot give up the lit
tie girl, Laure, you shall have her.
"Algernon," she cried, "lt isn't that
T like the little Nelly SO very much, but
I don't see anything to like in Ted, who
came bashfully out to take the horses.
He always stared at Laure. Certainly
| she was the most beautiful creature he
had ever seen in his life.
| Secretly he adored her as she fingered
moment now. Having descended from
the carriage, and being loath to go into
the house, he addressed her:
"Be you going to take mea''
ono" said Laure, quickly; II think I
shall take Nelly
"She noticed that the boys head
dropped as he turned away, leading the
horses; but she took little notice of that.
! The next msrning her husband was
called to Chicago alone on business. She
endured the uncongenial surround
ings as long as she could, then caught
up her hat and her shawl and went out
to walk.
| She strolled half a mile, found the
fordlng of the creek, and still went on.
The emerald of the bush-grass was
magnificent, the May sky arched above
blue as lapis lazui. Sweet wild birds
few over her head. and no other living
thing was in sight.
The great stiffness had a wonderful
charm for her. Now she looked wonder
ingly at the green distance surrounding
her; then wandered about, gathering the
flowers that gcmmed the grass like ru-
b1es, sapphires and stars of gold.
The tinted clouds Of sunset began to
fail in the west at last and she turned to-
ward home.
| Alter walking quite distance she be-
gan to look anxiously for the landmarks
OF her return. In vain. Round and
round she wandered; but the changing ::
! light gave verything new aspect.
I For half an hour she stood, with thr d.
ing heart, looking vainly to the light
ami left-lost:
The roseate light deepened into gray.
A dense fog crept around her. She
had directed her falterlng footsteps to a
single cottonwood tree, and now stood
clinging to It, her heart sinking in her
bosCm. Oh, where was she and what
| would become OF hers
She could make no further effort, So
bewildered had she become that she
knew no longer in which direction to
search Must she stay there all night?
II 50 she tried to believe that nothing
would harm her.
But it grew dark. The freflies swarm
ed around her head. She heard strange.
distant, mournful noise which terrified
her.
Suddenly she heard her name called
"Aunt Laure! Aunt Laurep' She replied
"Here!' eagerly, and a small figure same
bounding through the rustling grass to
her side
1t was Ted.
ooh, Ted I am lost!"
II know it. I came to find you. I
was watching for you to come back-you
did not come. l said nothing to the
others. set off to find you. Come quick
I think can find the ford.''
Laure grasped the boys small, eager
hand, and hurried away with him through
the dew-wet grass.
you are all wet, Ted
81 could not wait to find the ford; |
swan acIoss.'
Laure's eyes distended still further
with surprise.
They were hurrying-running
II know the way, but it is SO dark, >
said Ted.
''Ted, won't the others come for meT
81 don't know
1t was hesitant, panied tone.
"Your own folks are away, you know2'
! A selfish, churlish man, two young and
} unreliant girls; who would search the
lone, chilly prairie if Ted had not come
Laure's soft, jeweled hand closed tight
er on the child's rough one.
"Oh, Ted! my husband will pay YOU
for this?'
he stopped.
"Aunt Laure, it's no use to go on. ]
can't find the ford, it's got 40 dark"
He was painting.
Are you afraid, Ted3'
"The tree" he replied. Wasn't it an
O-d cry One!
"Dry and with red, believe-yes."
1--WE must go back to it."
"Why?'
she did not answer, but hurried her
on.
"Ted, what is that noise hear? Dogs
barking?"
Hurry. hurryr' pulling her over the
backward path.
why must we go back to that tree,
Ted?"
ut is dry, you said2''
"Ted, what is that howlings
Her voice shook with a vague fear now.
"Here it is"
''He placed her with her back against
the old dry tree.
81 brought some Matches" he painted
"Matches! What tor?''
He snatched some dry leaves together,
tore some strips from his old cotton