The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-11-11
turned old Pomp's head homeward, in

of elation which was quite ~pardonable,
when one considers my experience in
the marketing line and my exceptionally
good success.
The sunshine was warm and still on
the high road, and ! was rather glad
when at las we came to the cool shad-
ows of the Red Swamps, where the
birds ware all silent in the noon heat,
the sweetest of odors came floating up
from the tangled recesses of fern and
cowslip on either side OF the solitary,
railed-in road.
All al once Pomp gave a sidcwise
start-his ancient idea of shying-and
then l saw a man, pale, dusky and tired
looking, sitting on a fallen log; | was
like my mother-who would not let the
shabbiest or meanest looking vagabond
60 past our house without a draught of
milk or a piece of fresh-baked pie, or
a slice Of her famous homemade bread
cake-and without stopping to think, l
drew old Pomp's reins.
care you going towards Lenox Cross
Roads, said I; eyes? Then Jump in.
Pm going in that direction, too, and I'll
give you a lift"
He thanked me in a silent, dropping
sort of way, and seated himself On the
board at the back of .he wagon, toward
which l pointed with the handle of my
whip.
"You look ILL.," said I.
Il am not ill., he said, with a smoth-
cred cough. "Only tired with my long
walk. ! did not know it was so far to
Lenox."
II suppose you are going for work.
said l. deacon Briefly has a good
many hands just now l n his tobacco fac
tory"
/, NC" said he. II am not going for
work."
/ asked no more questions. l did
not like the idea of a mans %shrouding
himself in that sort of way; and as |
glanced around once more a sudden
revelation came across me like q blaze
of light.
1t was the ami identical man who
had eyed me so keenly on the steps of
the Park Hotel.
Then ! remembered my mothers
words OF caution. Leeman's reit-
Grated ex%hortations, the landlords
friendly words Of warning.
And, in spite of it all, l had deliber-
ately thrust my head into the Jaws OF
danger. There was only n thing for
me to do-to get out of the scrape as
well | could.
l cast about in my mind how to 90
this; and presently with a beating
heart, l dropped the little paper parcel
of blue ribbon into the road.
ooh" l cried, checking up Pomp.
give dropped my parcel. Would you
would you mind getting out after
thatY
Not in the least" said the stranger;
and he climbed laboriously out OF the
wagon.
He had scarcely set his feet on the
ground before | set the whip on old
Pomp with n will, and ratified away
over the long, straight road at a pace
that seemed positively marvellous to me
and Pomp both.
SO we left our passenger behind, IN
the middle of the Red Swamp. lcould
see him standing there, blank and as
founded the sole figure in the long per
spectiye as l ventured to look back; but
l only whipped Pomp the harder, and
never let HIM bate his pace until we
were well out of the Red swamp.
I've out-generaled him. said | to
myself. and I've saved Leeman's 524.
I'm sorry about the blue ribbon, but it
was only a yard and a quarter, after all,
and | can trim Lis hat with something
else"
They were delighted at my prowess
whenyI related my adventure at home.
Leeman declared | was a capital little
market woman; mother shuddered at
the desperate tramp alone with me. in
the tangled wilderness OF the Red
Swamp; and lii declared that | was a
heroine.
"Wan't it a good idea for Kate to
drop the b,ue ribbon and send him after
it 2 said she.
"Kate was a goose ever 20 let him get
in the wsgon," said Leeman, knitting
his brow.
kate must not 60 by herself such a
long distance again. said mother.