The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-04-16
/ making vain efforts to cross.

Wetik ~. with wild leap. Plunging |
furipusly, he gained the opposite
shofH, but with such a frantic hound,
thai his rider was thrown from his
saddle The horse galIoped off in tine
direetian of Maplethorp, but his
pasterlay motionless.
keIple, looking on breathlessly,
tittefeda low cry, and still clasping
her hihh, darted over the rocks, and
down he shore of the creek. Before
she reaehed him. or looked into his
deafhshke face, some subtle voice
witlsiii.tpld her it was Tom.
z tfss ~ laisfish ishtarmdeabled|
under him the sharp edge of a rock
piercing his temple.
Kelpie raised his head to her bosom,
and held it there for an instant. as a
mother might hold her babe then,
with an unspoken prayer on her
ashed lips, she caught up her lamb,
and darted off through the falling
darkness, with the speed of a swallow.
Help came in very short time,
and the injured man was placed on
litter, and borne across the valley to
his mothers cottage.
He is liot dead !" said Kelpie, con-
fronting Doctor Talcott, when the
brief examination was over.
The young man looked at the
lovely, dusk face, palid with sus-
pense and agony; and in that minute
he understood why it was that Kel,
pie had turned deaf ear to all his
wooing.
"No, he is not dead" he answered,
his eyes softening with pity. II
will save his life for your sake"
1t was after midnight when Tom
recovered Consciousness.
"Where Is Kelpie ?" were his first
words.
"You mustn't talk" said his
mother. But he silenced her with a
gesture.
"Call Kelpie."
And the girl came. He took her
hand in his left one; his right lay
bandaged and disabled by his side.
II was coming to bring you good
news,' he said, a slight quiver STIR
ring bis firm lips. THAT'S what
brouaflt me. KeIpie, have found
your friends. You are no longer a
waif. The man who put you at my
mothers door, is dead. l saw him die
and heard his confession. You stood
between him and a great fortune, and
he wanted you out of the way. He
is dead. and the fortune is yours, and
your mother will be in Maplethorp
tomorrow, to claim you"
The dark southern face grew fairly
dazzling, in its exceeding joy.
20! thank God thank God ~ she
said.
A shadow of intense pain filled
Toms eyes.
"How glad are you," he said.
"Yes, Pm glad, very glad"
"Then I'll try to be glad for your
sake" he answered, hoarsely, and
turned his face away.
Silence fell. The clock licked en- the
mantle. and the cat purred before the
hearth. Kelpie stood irresolute, great
tears standing in her eyes. At last
she stole to the bedside, and her
slender, brown hand. which had
never touched Toms, only with the
shy, coy touch OF bird. fell softly
upon his bandaged head.
He opened his eyes, with a great
start.
"Kelpie ?"
"Yes, Tom! !"
Again there was a silence.
"Tom," the girl began, at last, her
starry eyes downcast, her red lips
quiyering. "Tom, you remember
, that morning we parted cut yondel
by II e sheep fold ~
"Yes, / remember"
"You asked me for a promise then
-"
And you refused it wisely
enough"
"Tom," and the soft futtering hanc
touched his forehead again, if yer
have not changed your mind. ask mt
again, ask me now !"
All bruised and bandaged as he was
, the young fellow struggled up.
"Why, Kelpie, you don't mean
, "Ask me, and you shall see. Tom.'
Something in her down cast face
; gave him courage. He caught thu
, futterlng hand, and held it fast.
ASK you now, Rose? Oh, yol
know / love you. / have loved yol
my whole life long. ] shall love yot
} till my dying day. But Rose
/. "Doyou want my promise, Tom p
) "Want it?" l would die for it
} Kelpie." ff tfoV