Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-04-30

Another moment, and they were driv-
ing off together down the maple-shaded
road, whose yellow and crimson boughs
danced overhead against " October's
bright blue weather" There were
peace and calming in the fresh stiffness
Of the early day. Gradually q little
color stole into Lucy's pale cheeks, and
Johns hot mood gave place to wonted
good humor and cheer.
You've had no breakfast, I'll bet, ("
he said, with q smile. "And no more
have /. was so mad with that woman
that couldn't swallow mouthful, but
now 1 begin to feel sharp enough.
Wen stop at the next tavern. South
wick, isn't itP Five miles and half.
Can you hold out till thenP"
"Oh yes, indeed" with a grateful
look out of her blue eyes.
Johns tone grew more and more
friendly.
Gwen have something hot and
hearty there,n he said. "You look
pale. guess you didn't sleep any too
much last night"
"Oh, couldn't sleep at all. Mrs.
Nash told me that L must go the first
thing in the morning, and l felt so
badly"
81 shouldn't think you would want to
stay with a woman like that"
" But it's so dreadful to have nowhere
to go to. And besides" She stopped
abruptly, with look like terror in her
eyes.
Have you no friends, thenp" asked
John.
"No." The tone was very reserved /;
but reserve could hardly fail to melt
under so sunshiny presence as John
Boyd's, and before the long days ride
was done, he had won from her the
main facts of her story.
Lucy Dill was her name. Her mother
had married for the second time when
Lucy was twelve years old, and three
years ago, when the girl was barely
fifteen, had died, leaving her to the pro-
lection of her step-father.
"She didn't know what sort of man
he was," said Lucy. "And he wasn't
that kind of man when she was alive. /
was too young to notice much, and
mother always put herself between him
and me when things went wrong. After
she died twas dreadful. Elkins-that's
his son-came home to live. He never
lived there before, and-and he"
"Wanted to marry youP"
eyes; and his father said must.
But l was afraid of him-of them both.
And people began to come to the house
bad people, not good-and began to
suspect things"
"What kind of thingsP"
1t was not easy to get an answer to
fhfo f,tVaofinO In foot tho foY-,.s nH Il
inexperienced girl had hardly dared to
formulate her own fears; but John
gathered the idea that coming or other
unlawful practices were going on, and
Lucy, only half comprehending, had un-
derstood enough to startle and frighten
her into making her escape. She had
effected this by night, six weeks before,
and her great dread was of being dis
covered and forced to 90 back. John
reassured her as well as he could.
"You'l be just as safe at the farm as
if you were in an iron safe," he pro-
tested.
But, spite of his assurances, the lurk-
ing terror never left Lucy's eyes, though
weeks sped safely by, and nothing oc-
Cured to alarm her. Every sudden
noise made her start; the sight of
strange figure on the road blanched her
roses to paleness. Except for this fear
fulness, she proved an excellent "help"
in all ways-quick, neat-fingered, sweet
tempered. Old Barbara wondered how
ever the farm had got on without her,
and John in his secret heart wondered
also. 1t never should be without her
again-on that he was firmly resolved.
"Lucy," he said one day, three
months after she became his inmate,
sim tired of seeing you jump and
culver and scuttle up stairs whenever
the peddler or the ragman comes along.
It's bad for you, and it worries me
almost to death. Now there's just one
way that'n make all safe, and set your
mind at ease, and that is, that you
should just marry me out of hand, and
give me the right to protect you. Once
my wife, shouldn't care if your step
father and all the gang came after you;
let them lay finger on you at their
peril, while I'm alive and have the right
to interfere. VIII you, Lucy? It's the
best thing to be done, trust my word for
it. | don't mean to pretend that I'm
doing it for your sake entirely" added
John, with broad smile, Z" for amt.
l want you for my own sake the worst
way, but both ways it will be gain; ;
so, unless you have something against
me, say Yes Lucy, and we'll have the
parson over tomorrow, and make all
safe. VIII you, LucyP"
"Oh, how could 1 have any thing
against you!" replied Lucy, with the
sweetest blush.
"Well," declared John, a moment
after, as he raised his head from his first
long lovers kiss, "now forgive Mrs.
Nash !''--Harper' Bazar.