South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1880-07-16

was the trutn. EDenS heart beat
madly for a moment and then went
on slowly.
Il am not one to get i'll, Miss Bar
bara; am not Drowned so much rs
usual, perhaps
His miss Barbara sounded oddly
and his looks belied his words. She
looked down at the ground and said
nervously:
Il hope you will not argue with me
this morning, Eben, but I've set my
heart on riding the colt, Tam. O'Shan-
ter, to the falls. am not in the least
afraid
But l am said Eben calmly. Il
cannot permit you to risk your life
with that vicious colt
'Mr. Ney will take care of his Vi
ciousness,' Barbara answered, q trifle
insolently.
'Mr. Ney may ride O'Shanter and
welcome, but l cannot consent for You
to 60 go
"Then l must do It without your
consent. BE SO kind as to have the
colt around IN quarter of an hour
Eben finished his pear tree and
went into the shop to wash his hands
OF blood. He had cut himself to the
bone. Barbara and Ney sat on the
porch reading from the Princess
when the horses appeared. The colt
SHE'D andreared when Barbara sprang
lightly to her saddle. An admirable
horsewoman, she held her own finely.
and Eben stood as if rooted to the
ground when turn in the road hid
them from sight, then like q deer he
set Off down footway toward where
the railway crossed the road as with
horror he remembered that the morn
ing express would como down in ten
minutes. The riders had stopped by
the way to permit Mr.. Nay to dis
mount and gather the first cardinals
for Barbara. As they trotted sharp
ly down the road, the roar OF the train
was heard just beyond the curve
Maddened with terror, the wild young
horse Barbara rode reared, plunged
and sprang away from the other horse
and darted down the cut toward the
train. With hoarse shout to sit
firm Eben rushed out from the copse
and flung himself under his hoofs.-
lie caught the bit in his hands and
pulled the colt on his launches, and
then a vilent kick made him drop like
q log. Some woodchoppers came to
the rescue, and as they lifted Barbara
OIL the train Numbered By. Eben
was picked up for dead, and even Mr.
Ney declared he was brave fellow
In on agony Of grief and remorse
Barbara hung near him all those tie.
dious days, when Eben's mind wan
dercd and he muttered, troubled in
coherent sentences, in which, Door
fellow, he told all his hopes and fears.
He was now indeed haggard and
CHASTITY pale, with an ugly scar on his
left temple, and his hands lay weak
and nerveless on the coverlet. The
first moment OF sanity and conscious.
ness which came made him sigh and
wish that he had remained oblivious
to life and its miseries. It was Bar
bara who leaned on him while her
great brown eyes filled with tears.
oh, Eben, how can you bear to
look at me? You can never forgive
mep
You would not say that if you knew
what was in my heart
Cannot you tell me, Eben? am so
wretched.'
4 am sorry for that; | must not
tell you, Barbara. L cannot suffer
more than / have
Then shall L tell you something?'
and she hid her face in the pillow
He put out his hand and touched her
head caressingly.
i have been very wilful and blind
and very unhappy, Eben. / would
have given my life to save yours, as
you gave yours for me.
but Barbara oh, Barbara, my
darling, gave mine because / loved
you better than life, than heaven. /
would rather have died than live to
lose you forever
But you will not lose me- Her
arms stole tenderly around him, and
she laid her cheek against his. 4
owe my life to you and it is yours
barbara, think what you are saying.
/ shall be mad enough to think that
you care for me,'
'Eben, my love, you are all the
world to me. Cannot you sec that
this is SOP
'My own =
With one great effort and q spasm
OF bis old strength Ebcn pressed her
to his heart.
'And you never meant to mary
Ncy2'
i am afraid ] only meant 20 make
you jealous, said Barbara, with her
old sauciness.
q shall mend now fast enough. but