The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-10-08

in strange pity for him. That !" little
home she had spoken of only last night
could never be now. And she could
have made it such bright little nook.
Life was very sweet -even the old
homely work and ways that she viewed
SO scornfully that day: and il hers were
to end now-so fearfully gilt and
glamour it had missed mattered little,
but the truth and love it might have
held were priceless.
It seemed IN interminable time that
passed in that strange journeying before
there came another halt, and slight
sound as Of taking down bars and un-
fastening gate. Then, by the uneven
motion. she could tell that the wheels
had passed from the beaten road on to
rougher ground; and at last they stood
still It had come now. the supreme
moment There was q breath of PRAYER,
q wild longing to look into Johns ewes
once more, and then she collected all
forces of mind and body to do or bear
as she might.
Again she heard q whispered colloquy.
q low triumphant laugh. and then all
noise died away. The carriage door
remained closed. but dim light shone
upon her, and she saw that she was OPP
posite the window of a houses cur
tanned window. across which shadows
fitted as of persons moving within. A
sudden hope arose in Cherry's heart.
1t was possible that her captors had all
entered the house, and there might be
q chance for escape. She could scarcely
increase her peril by the attempt, and
hurriedly but silently she sprang TO the
ground. No one was near her, and she
dew with such speed as only despera-
ton could lend back in the direction
from which she fancied she had come.
As she reached the gateway and passed
out upon the road another figure unex-
pectedly confronted her, and she drew
back in breathless terror.
Helloa!' exclaimed startled but
CHEEKY voice.
With that word she threw herself into
his arms.
"Oh, John! Johnr'
"Why, Cherry! did I frighten you
so? I was only walking up street in a
woful hurry, with no thought of meet
ing anybody, least of all you, until I
nearly ran over you. Have you been
spending the evening with Mrs. MUIR
rayp .
at the house she had left, and its out
lines slowly grew familiar. It certainly
was the parsonage. ''Oh, 1 don't
know! I thought it must be some
dreadful place. I've been stolen and
not quite murderedr' she cried, hys-
terically. And John, listening to her
story, grew as bewildered as she.
II should have thought no one would
be so insane as to steal that carriage
with hope of selling it; and to select
Rev. Mr.. Murray's as place to bestow
their booty"
He paused, then laughed as a sudden
light burst upon him. "Cherry it's
Al-Halloweenr'
ALL Halloween! And the village boys
always celebrated the occasion BY
stealing gates, carrying of signs. and
working all manner of mischief. Cher
ry understood it all at once. They had
doubtless considered it q magnificent
joke to leave Miss Fosilby's carriage in
the minister's yard.
"And it isn't nearly morning, JohnP'
cit is only nine o'clock; l was just
going home from the Office"
"Oh!' said Cherry, with q long
breath, and q tone that said unutterable
things.
"Cherry," said John, as they paused
at Aunt Barbara's gate. ''this is the
night to try fortunes, you know, with
hot lead orr
"Ugh! thought I was about to try
mine with cold Steel" interposed Cher
ry. shuddering.
"But, Cherry"
Eyes, Il know. It came out all right,
John-formed the initials J.. A. as
plainly as possible" she added, shyly.
John informed Uncle Nat of the
whereabouts of the missing carriage;
and the next day Miss Fosilby called
upon Cherry in that same respondent
equipage.
1.-The blacksmith informed me that
you first learned where my stolen prop
erty had been bestowed; 1 did not
quite understand how, but am greatly
obliged to you," she said, graciously.
s.And about that other matter we talked
of one day. have quite decided that I
should like you for a companion"
"Thank you," said Cherry, demure-
~. "but have accepted that situation
with another person. ma'am."
Miss Fosilby's uplifted eyebrows
seemed to ask who else in the sphere of
Cherry's knowledge could offer such a
position. but her lips were too polite to
put the question.
"Well," said Aunt Barbara, as the |