Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-09-15

Yes" said the girl, pressing Frant's
large, warm palm between her small
hand, 81 like you. Somehow, I de-
pend on you. I like to think how you
dragged me up the hill in the rain and
me. How tired you must have been!
You seem like a dear, kind mother to
met"
Frant's heart sank. " 1t is because"
her heart whispered. "because am SO
old. Oh, am much older than Philly.
1t seems as though grew old faster-a
great deal" And a pang deeper than
she could account for wrung her great,
gentle heart.
The girl went on, unconscious of the
feeling she had aroused. "Yes," she
said, "I'n 60 up to the hotel right
away. You'll 60 with me?''
81 went up yesterday and saw the
housekeeper," said Frant, slowly, "and
she knows all about your being nearly
drowned, and wants to help you; they
all want to help you.''
81 can do fine ironing and all light
work, and can do young ladies' hair
and fine sewing" said Norah Harvey,
eagerly. 81 hope I'll get some money
and be able to pay you Something
"Oh, mol" quickly, "I'm paid to see
you do well.'' The extreme youth of
the girl-she could not have been eight
cen, Frant knew-the way she leaned
upon Frant's strength and goodness,
her honest desire and eagerness to
work. and the beauty of her girlish face
and form appealed more strongly than
ever to the elder woman's feelings.
The girl came in, borrowed Frant's
hat, and started out with steady step
for the hotel.
Frant went to the door and looked
out at the sea; she stepped to the edge
of the gully and looked into its rough,
yawning mouth. How strange that she
should have happened to go down there
on the night of the storm! How strange
that she should have happened to see
that mysterious white burden on the
waves? How strange that any life
should have been left in the tender
young thing! How strange that Philly
and she should have moved just that
day into their new house! An express
sion of quiet joy came over the plain
face of the woman as she thought what a
blessed thing it was to save human life!
just then quick steps came running
around the foot of the headland and
girl flew into the gully and began
to climb wildly up its rugged face. 1t
was Norah Harvey, and, before Frant
could advance to help her trembling
steps, the girl was by her side and hur-
rying her into the little cabin. "Hide
mel" she said, passionately; "oh, hide
me! he is at the hotel-that bad man.
He is coming; oh, know he saw me!
1 ran out as soon as caught a glimpse
of him, and ran down the cliff and kept
close under it, but 1 know he saw me!'
The girl began to cry bitterly. "I told
you it would have been better for me to
die!" she sobbed. "Oh, if l only
dared to throw myself into the SEAL"
"That's wicked" said Frant, soberly,
but with large sympathy in her heart
with the hunted young creature. 81
will 60 up to the hotel,' she continued
kindly, 'and see where he isl
"What if he should come while you
are gone!" cried the girl, her eyes wide
With terror.
81 can get here before he does,
know" said Frant, smiling, Sand he
would have to meet me. Tell me his
name, and I'll find out something about
him.
Norah Harvey told her, and Frant
started off. How ready she felt to help
this girl, who-Frant could not deny it
to herself-was coming to be burden
to her!
81 WONDER" thought the woman, with
dim perception of the angelic quality
in herself, 81 wonder is it rather grand
of me, or haven't 1 spirit, or what ?
Why don't let the man come, and the
girl 90, and not lift fngerp How do
I know that she has told me the truth
But couldn't. I'd fight for the inno-
cent little thing. wonder does Philly
know how 1 feel! wonder does he
understand" The vague pain at the
woman's heart deepened as she thought;
but soon she reached the hotel, and
found the housekeeper. The man, even
then, was going away. Norah Harvey
need not be troubled. He had not seen
her. He had run down from the city
for days fishing, the housekeeper had
learned, as she learned in some inscrut-
able way the business of everybody I'M
der her temporary charge, and Frant
hurried home to tell the good news to
the distracted girl. But the occurrence
made NOrah Harvey very nervous, and
she chung to Frant and Phil with an
almost touching timidity.
As the fall advanced s'the shore" set
tied down into the calm which always
pervaded it except during the heated
term or when an occasional storm
strewed the shore with wrecks. A ham,
mock had been swung for Norah Har-
ney in Frant's little attic, and she had
become regular inmate of the lowly
fisherman's family.
She was happy, bird-like thing, and
looked at Frant and talked with her as
though the unsophisticated woman were
being of superior order. With Fill
she would romp and play, racing with
him through the gully, and even into
the surf 1t did not seem to occur to
her that Frant, sober, elderly Frant,
could ever feel disturbed at the fondness
she undeniably felt for Phil, or at Pills
ardent devotion to her; and every da-
the fresh sea breezes brought a brighte:t
color to her cheeks, deepened the bit
of her liquid eyes, and rounded tt
curves of her light and exquisite figur :
Frant did not wonder that the bad ms 4
had coveted her. She did not wondeN