The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1880-06-05
/ declare / am afraid TO advance

n
And she actually paused in he
hurried walk and stood quite still
for n few seconds trying to rail-
her sinking heart before proeeadin
4 on her way;
4 The night was very still, wit
that soft, nullisd "hush" on every
thing TINT snow-lying thick ant
newly fallcn, invariably produces
As Millr stood and listened, til
slightest sounds came distinctly t,
her car, yet SO softly that the,
seemed to touch the silence, with
out eithor broaking or disturbing
First there was tho faint ocl.o-
but that died instantly-of til,
crisp, squsaking noise made by he
own quick estupon the frozen ant
snow.covercd plank road. Ther
there came the @soughing" Of thu
north wind among the pines, wliis
pering to them Of moro snow, ant
the creak and groanof their laden
branches, as ifyainly and wearily
complaining about it. Houses
were few along the lonely road, and
for the most apart, lay out among
the fields. From tho nearest Of
them camo to her q .watch-dog's
bark, alert and listening to her, no
doubt, as she listened to him. She
even thousht'she ceuld catch the
tclank and Iclatter Of his chain, and
told herself that it was Farmer
Wilson's Rover, and wished that
she had him with her now for
company. And then suddenly
| just rs sho was thinking how
peaceful and harmless all these
sounds were, and laughing at her.
self for being afraid Of them-came
to her startled ears n very different
one, that almost made her shrek
and fall from terror.
1t was a deep and hollow groan.
Not loud-sl,o might not have
heard it had she not bean standing
50 still-but prolonged and pain:
fully expressive Of helpless suffer-
ing. That was what struck her in
stantly, and helped TO overcome
her terror-tho tone of anguish,the
need Of aid that soundedin it.
Heaven help usl What was
that2n she broathed, gaspingly, and
clasped iherlittle hands over her
heart, with a brave effort to quiet
its. s.beating. Some one in trouble,
inEpain. Some one, perhaps, to
whom that misliap has conc which
Twas drcading for alf.=Who-
ard Wllere-can.it be 57=5#5i55
8 She looked around quite yainly
because ofthe larkness-anl then
called out, very loudly,it seemed in
the silence:
"What is tho matter2 Is any
one in trouble? Docs any one nsell
help? Who ara YOU, thero?"
The person to whom she spoke
was scarcely in n condition to an
swor her If she could have seon
anything, she would have seen him
lin the ditch (of which she had
been aware, but he had not Ia
handsome fellow, who had fallen
so heavily and sprained an ankle
so severely as to have tainted from
the shock and pain. He was just
recovering consciousness when she
called, and ho heard the words
without understanding them; in
stinctively answering to a human
voice, however, he strove to rise,
and failing, groaned again.
That second groan told Milly
whore he was, and instantly tho
thing was clear to her. All fears
for herself vanished, making way
for sympathy and pity.
"fou're in the ditch, you poor
thing y. thought she. Sand hurt
severely, I'll warrant, since you can
do nothing but groan. Now how
in the world am / 10 help your"
She had a little satchcl on her
arm containing such nccesssrisS
rs ladies carry when visiting, flor
the little governass had been
spending Christmas with her
mother in the city, and she re-
membered a box Of matches lying
snugly therein; in an instant she
had it open, and a sudden, tiny
flame lit up the darkness Of the
night.
Byiit she saw him lying bansath
her III tho snow, and he-startlsd
wholly back to consciousness by
the swift, small light-looksd up
hopefully and anxiously, and saw
her. ~sEs ~
The face Of an angel it seemed to
him-or at least SO he told her af-
terwards. Perhaps, considering
his suffering and insonsilility, and
generally helpless condition, with a
prospect before him Of lying in the
snow all night-psrhaps that
bright, rosy face, with its soft blue
eyes so full Of tonder pity, and its
wealth ofwarm, geldon-brown hair,
did seon 10 the poor fellow who had
boon SO helpless till it bent above
him,liks the face Of q guardian an
gel. She proved little less.
aI'll bring help from the nearest