The Russellville Democrat., 1880-03-11
your left hand, and take firm hold of that bough to the right.n

not turn back, though trembling witl terror
 Grace, from below, helpless burden saw with a sort of pique how well Dor endured the march, and caught Mir. Hor tons admiring glances at the 1.-the figure that was at once so brave and so docile To tell the truth, Grace had intended the handsome young clergyman should be her escort, and was not at all satisfied at being relegated to Ned Schenck's care who was strong and good-tempered, nt doubt, but neither good-looking nor rich It was not from pure desire to tease thai Grace called out, in her soft, drawlins tones:
 Doll, you are really a miracle. never expected to see you mind man so implicitly"
 Dora was indignant. She knew wei that Grace could be spiteful but tho spite did not hurt her as much as the answering consciousness that, in spite oi he fine theories, she had been most i'm plicitly submissive to MT. Horton's escort. The girlish, silly pride that was her great fault rose in arms. She did not answer Grace, but, with resolute look on her fiushen face, sprang onward after her own fashion, stumbling and clinging as well as she could, every moment expecting MT. Horton to advise or remonstrats, but bent on needing his voice no more.
 She expected in vain. He said noth- ing, and the smile on her face would not have pleased her, he only followed fast behind her till they came to little grassy platform at the head of the stream where the rocks retreated and the trees had been swept away directly in front of the last and highest fall, which de- scended here at right angles with the rest of the stream, behind cliff that hid 1t from the lower pool.
 Grace had stopped far below; she was heated and tired, and angry to. Ned Schenck did not care for her; so he sat down on the other end of the log where she had seated herself, and profaned the delicate forest odors with cigar. Dora stopped moment to take breath and admire the beautiful fall before them, which dashed its white water down the sheer black rock, and sprinkled with bright dew the luxuriant ferns and vines that fringed the bank of either side. Then she turned to follow the very slight indication of path upward. MT. Horton was ready to follow; but the moment set her foot on the rock which was her first step, and extended a hand to grasp ledge above. which must be climbed, he cried out in loud, impera- tive voice:
 "Dora, stopl' ,,---4---.
 The voice was so decisive, so power full, so full of that command which is the counterpart of obedience, that, without q thought of rebellion, Dora stood like a statue. In an instant Mir. Horton had put his arm about her, swung her back, and began to strike rapidly and fiercely at something on the crest of the ledge; and in another minute he lifted dead rattlesnake on his cane and flung it far down into the stream. Dora turned sick, and sat down on stone, shuddering and pale. MT. Horton only said:
 Excuse me, Miss Schenck; the danger was too near for me to be less impera- tive"
 Dora shiyered. of you had not, should.be dead now"
 ".tot at all," laughed MT. Horton; q know these woods too well to be ever without the proper alleviations for a snake bite, though have never yet used them, but have met and killed a good many. kattlesnakes are dull creatures unless they coil to spring, and one good blow with a heavy stick will kill them. Very few people die of their bites. 1 have only heard of one case in these re- gions, and that was child who strayed into the woods"
 He purposely heightened his explana- ton, that Dora might calm herself;' he did not know how it was still throbbing through her heart that he had called her Dora" Her natiyely generous instinct but she could not speak yet; she was shyly glad, yet angry with herself for being glad; and, trembling so with the nervous shock, she could not for some minutes speak again.
 Mr. Horton stepped down to the wa ter's edge, and seemed absorbed in look ing at the fall, but his heart beat US wildly as hers; in that moment of dam ger he had discovered what hold Dora had taken of his life. He did not think of herunfitness to De his wife, of her scorn, of her wild impulses, her quick temper. Like many another man III his case, he thought only of her beauty and it's sweetness, and felt that she must love him or he would be miserable. Blessed ordination of things! If men or women choose their mates as they do their shoes or their books, with deliber- ation and cool juc cgment, this dear, de- lightful, naughty old wolll would come to sudden end. It is the wisdom of Providence that they never do.
 Itseemed an hour to those astonished people, vet it was barely five minutes, before DaIa looked at Mir. Horton and said
 q don't know how to thank you. l can acknowledge now it is good to mind man-sometimes."
 There was soft, arch look in the beautiful dark eyes that contradicted the quiyering lips; but the lovely, blush ing face told what Dora never meant to tell Mir Horton knelt down on the grass beside her.
 "0h, Dora, l would not be tyrant." he said. And Dora dropped her head so low that it rested on his shoulder.
 Mrs. Horton also declared her husband never asked her to marry him, which he indignantly denied as otten as she as serted; Lut, however the union came about, it was true-for everybody said so--that no gentler, sweeter, happier minister's wife ever filled that difficult position in the city of Ludlow, where Nr. Horton was settled. Even Grace Hamilton could find no fault with this match, though she had predicted all sorts of sorrows from its radical unfit ness" But time had not softened Graces spite, though she controlled it during her brief visit to the parsonage.