The Red Cloud chief., 1881-09-29

the fair In Barton. There's only Buell.
at homo, and he's hardly old enough 10
go down there alone"
"No." said john. throwing of his
coat. 81 suppose I've got 10 go with
him. Tell him To get a rope. Well
have tn tie the wretch and then send
for the Sheriff"
Its dreadful you should have TO 90.
dear" said his mother. pityingly. land
just when you are all ready for meet
ing. The girls will be waiting for you.
too. But you'll feel sorry enough for
Maggie, poor thing. when YOU see her.
And there's no time 10 be lost. You
can hear Peter cursing and throwing
things clear up TO our Kitchen door"
As John and Buell. were ready 70
start Maggie said: "Shure, sir. il We
see me COW in the road, wud We phase
drive her back forninst We? Peter left
the gate open when he come in. and i
wa that distracted / didn't see the
craytur till she was gone. The Dyes
will be havin her in the pound in a
City, and sorra a clint is Peter after
LAWN me To get her out again.
John did not see the cow. She was
N IA Atot ". thC i'SttCt ~ dis'A-
pected in her movements. But Jennie
and / saw her. grazing along the road
side, with her head turned the other
way from home. I had a presentiment
of mischief the moment caught sight
Of her. half stopped, saying: There's
Peter McCreery's COW? How could
they let her get out? Now if the boys
put her in the pound they never can
raise fifty cents TO get her out. I've a
great mind To drive her back a little
ways. Jennie. just to get her headed to-
ward home"
But Jennie was too impatient
"Please don't stop, PhUbe," she said.
Its not your place to do it. and we're
so late already"
Ii was so late that all the pews on
the girls side Of the choir gallery were
filled, except the w farthest back.
BY going To the head Of n Of these |
could be among the altos, and Jennie,
by going 10 the head of the other.
could be among the sopranos, while at
the same time we could sit together. l
was glad to be near her that night, and
i knew she was glad to have me, she
was so v / hoped the singing
would quiet her. and so it did for a lit
tie while. But she could not get quite
out of her flutter. Proud as she was
she could not help casting a glance,
now and then. toward the door, and
occasionally she would give q little
sigh. She was uneasy every minute
till he came.
And oh. dear! she was a good deal
more uneasy a terward. For-will you
believe it?-who should walk in that
door beside John but Jessie Sears!
She did look pretty that night.
There was no denying her good looks
ever when you'd lost every bit Of faith
in her. Tonight she wore a new pink
muslin dress a thin. fleecy white
shawl was round her shoulders, and
one point of it WIS laid over the brown
pufrs on her head, but not far enough
to hide the pretty pink rose she had
stuck between them. She was all
smiles and brightness. We usually sat
near the front, but Jessie spied where
we were tonight the moment she came
in. John, however, did not see us
He pushed toward the front row, and
Jessie. of course. followed him. She
tAia " litti IL iitt SNCtN ~ "lS uBoil
her. She was rs composed and com
placcnt as possible.
Somebody moved up TO make room
for her, and John found a place across
the aisle. Before she was fairly seated
she had contrived to drop her handker-
chief. and John was obliged TO stoop
and pick it up for her. | saw his face
then. 1t was not gay and smiling like
Jessie's, but he looked pale and tired.
1t somehow set me considering. When
l had first seen him coming in with
Jessie my heart had stood still, and
then | was so angry | could have shaken
my fist at him. But now l began to be
confused in my thoughts about him.
There he sat, the same old John, and
couldn't believe he was a traitor. Yet,
what had brought him here in Jessie's
company? The more | cooled down,
however. the more sure | was it would
be explained in some way.
But, OF course. my feeling couldn't
help Jennie at all, just now. l knew
she had jumped to her own conclusions.
How she Strengthened up? There were
no signs, and no more turnings of her
head. The color was fixedin two bright
spots upon her cheeks. She looked
right at her book and began to sing SO
clear and strong that L was fairly
startled, and was afraid everybody
would notice the change. John knew
well enough where she was by this
time. He gave n half-glance round,
that vas all. Poor innocent John! He
told us all about it afterward. Well, as
l was saying. Jennie sang firmly for a
verse or two. then she suddenly ceased.
What is the matter?" | whispered,
for l was frightened about her.
I'm too wicked to sing words like
these" she said.
She did not sing another note that
night, but when the meeting was about
to close she whispered to me: "Now
Phoebe. mind you don't loiter. We're
nearest the door; get outside just as fast
as you can, before the people get round
u.s."
Now in my heart l would rather have
fingered a little just for the chance of
learning something that might explain
it all, but of course | couldn't refuse to
do as Jennie said. We got out the door
| quickly-Jennie first, though I hurried
las fast as l could. Once outside she
took hold of my hand and started off
hkeA deer. The sky had become over
cast Apd it was perfectly dark. 1t was
one D NNtAose hushed. breathless nights
that soHetimes precede a summer rain
storm. u seemed as if the very crick-
cts were sh1Qshered by the dark and the
silence. w ran headlong. but we
knew the path>&en enough. and it was
tolerably smooA We got well away
from the crowdX Qping out behind us
and had turned oaS\he msinsstreet and
were halfway dowh ccad hill be-
yond. l wa goingksk ennie to
stop running, Tor 1 was get3Eg out of
breath, when. suddenly, somee etacle in
the path struck our feet frors hder us.
We fell headiong over q mas<5bf some
thing hairy, soft and warn~ and our
heads and hands were throN sharply
against the gravel beyond. could
not recover our senses befor0E he heap
over which we had fallen b.. n to rise
under us. I was rolled to me side,
Jennie to the other. and witt snort of
dismay and ~displeasure, ter Nc
Creery's COW switched her across
my face and galioped OF int he road.