Middletown transcript., 1881-04-08

1 :
without you P'' she said. Then, after
a pause "Well, here we are at top.
Let's climb the rock, Kitty, and sit
just where we sat that first night when
there was that remarkable yellow sun
set, the night when Ben-Why, what's
the matter P' into changed voice, for
Kitty, stopping, short, had given a
sharp exclamation of pain.
ooh, Judith, how unlucky = that
stone turned under my foot, and I've
twisted my ankle, Pm afraid. Help
me to sit down. Perhaps the pain will
go off in minute or twO.''
But the pain did not quite go, though
Judith unbuttoned the boot, and chafed
the slender ankle in her own warm
hands.
''It's better, though, F." declared Kitty,
after while, "It's decidedly better,
and can walk, 1 think, if you'll let me
hold your arm."
But the first step brought renewed
paleness, and groan.
"What shall we do?" said the troubl-
ed Judith.
my dear goosey, don't look so
terrified. It's simple enough business.
I shall sit here quietly-the ankle does
well enough while keep still-and you
will please go down the hill to the Bar
rett farm, and get Mrs. Barrett to send
little Seth to Mr.. Barrett, wherever he
happens to be, and ask him to tackle
up the carry-all and fetch me- That's
all that's necessary, dear, so don't
be worried. Only you'd better start at
once, for the afternoon is getting on.
Stay, though. Before you go, couldn't
you help me to less conspicuous place
than this ? Somehow / dom fancy the
idea of sitting here alone to be stared
at by the people in the Mountain House
stage as they go by. Oh, l know.
There's the old Pound I'll go there. "
"The old Pound ?''
''Didn't you know that the old thing
over there was the Pound Dear me
I've known about it ever since that
first afternoon. Ben told me, think.
1t always seemed rather interesting,
somehow, but l never took the trouble
to go inside before They haven't used |
it for years, 1 believe, but it will make
a very good retreat till you come back,
just as good as if was cow" And |
laughing gayley, though with brow
twisted by pain, Kitty hoped across
the road, and into the small walled in
closure opposite. "There that is
beautiful p she declared, dropping into
a corner. "This wall makes good
back for me to lean against, and no one
but you will suspect that l am here.
Don't run, and don't heat yourself,
Ditha, or you'll have headache to-
I'm doing very nicely, and
don't mind waiting bit. Take your
time"
With this injunction, Judith depart
I'd. For few moments her footsteps
we're audible on the stony road and
hen they died away, and perfect quiet
5ook possession of the hilltop and the
Did Pound, broken only by the drowsy
'hirr of grasshoppers in the soft yellow
grass. So silent was it that when a
lying bird SKINNED across the wall
with sharp call to his mate, Kitty
quite started in her corner. About her
stretched a carpet Of low aromatic
yrowths = tansy and sweetfern and
hite-blossomed immOrtelles, with here
md there tall spike of golden-rod
haunting its yellow flag. The sun was
rearing the horizon now. Crimson
;ints flushed the soft valley distance,
md little fleets of rose and purple
,loudlets began to feck the pure sky
overhead. After a while Kitty heard
he rattle of the stage wheels and the
map of its drivers whip, as it crunched
oy on the steep road. Then came
iilence again, broken, little later, by
he sound of distant voices, which she
guessed to be those of people on the
over crossroads; but they did not
,ome near her retreat /; nor was she
startled when a soft thud of hoofs drew
lear, till loud Haw p close to her
ar, made her jump, and at the same
big red COW vaulted into the
Pound with bounce and a clatter.
There was rattle of bars, a dance of
)oyish boots ON the road, and before
Kitty could realize the situation, and
cream, it was too late. The boots
we're far down the hill, and there was
he, Kitty Roach, shut-yes, actually
hut into the old Teverton Pound with
! red Ayrshire-she, whose horror from
childhood had been a COW, to whom the
ear of lion was as nothing in COM
'arison /! 1t was too terrible.
Fright, no less than her disabled
mike, kept her perfectly motionless.
even had she been able to stir, nothing
would have Induced her to reduce the
distance by an inch which lay between ,
lerself and the terrific creature which
vas now cropping the immortelles in ,
he immediate neighborhood of the {
'ateway. Frozen by fear, she sat, her {
ne hope being that Judith might re-
urn soon, when suddenly the sound of .
panty footsteps on the road restored I
er faculties of speech, or rather of G
creech, and with wild and desperate |
nergy she screamed, ''Oh, please come I
ere, whoever you are ~
''COme where p asked voice and
bove the wall, close, very close, to
Aitty's corner, appeared head-a we'll
nown, determined, handsome head,
nth thick waYy auburn hair and beard; G
phOse ends melted into warmer color
fill tho hood in vbOrt Of Ron Ho7 |