Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-01-12

4 - @-.1@t4f asa turning 1f0m Ulm.
followed her lambs to pasture.
eArs came and wens. 1elpie grew
/ up % womanhood. straight as dart,
and gracsful ~ . young willow.
There waa not man In MapIefhorn
who would not have risked lie and
limb fur smile from her shy, rsd lins.
o. glance Of favor from her lnzni-
nous dnsky eyss. But shs keuf them
AL 90 distance. aEan young Talcott.
Ihera came, = kima sped On. .
epring affernooa wild With storm and
rain. The valley was deIuged, and
he mad winda tosssd and bent the
pines. and tore q ths branches q the
naples.
J mast zss sbaf ihslasABs ass fold-
ed said Kelpie. a. the twilight drew
near.
You'd better stay indoors and let
the creatures shift for themselves
said the widow from the chimney cor
uer.
But Kelpie had will Of her owu.
and went out into ths storm. A little
later she looked in.
Nay, nay + cried the widow. won
must not think Of it. Ten to one it
has strayed beyond the creek. Lett
alone
The water Is rising rapidly and it
may perish. It is poor little stray
lamb. too. said the girl. her bright
eye sOftening. I raised it myself I
cannot leave it to die
Maplethorp was fast closed against
the storm, not creature to be seen
in the streets. Bsyond, in the rayine,
through which the creek ran, the gale
had been fearful. Trees were uproeted
and broken houghs tossed about, and
the swollen stream dashed over the
rocks at mad rate.
Kelpie went resolutely on, calling
her lost lamb in . clear, high voice,
that rang even above the clamor Of
the storm. And at last, away up
amid the laurel cliff, plaintive cry
answered her; and ut the foot of an
old pine she found her lamb.
She caught it up with hushed cry
Of delight. and turned her faca home
ward1 TWILIGHT was falling. and the
rising waters were all about her feet.
She went on carefully. picking her
way, leaping lightly from rock to
rock, the wind tossing her unbound
hair.
A sound Of tremping hoofs, and di-
rectly a mans voice in imperative
command reached her from below
Standing on the slippery rocks, the
swift towing waters beneath her, one
hand resting upon : rough boulder.
the other grasping her lamb, she
peered down the surging stream.
There was o horseman at the lower
ford making vain efforts to cross.
The horse reared and backed, evil
dently frightened at the swollen
stream But his rider urged him on
with whip and spur, and at last he
went in with wild leap. Plunging
furiously. he gained the opposite
shore. but with such frantic Bound
that the rider was thrown from the
saddle. The horse galloped of in the
direction of Maplethorp, but his mas
ter lay motionless.
Kelpie looked on breathlessly, Mt
tering low cry, and still clasping
her lamb darted over the rocks and
down the shore Of the creek. Before
she reached him, or looked into his
deathlike face, some subtle voice with
in told her il was Tom.
There hs lay, his right arm doubled
under him. the sharp edge of rock
piercing his tenn, Ne.
Kelpie raised his head TO her bos
om, and heidi. there for an instant.
as fond mother might hold her babe,
then with On unspoken prayer on her
ashen lips, she caught up her lamb and
darted of through the falling darkness
W tn the speed of q swallow.
Help came in short time, and the
injured man was placed on . litter
and borne across the valley to his
mothers cottage.
He is not dead ? said Kelpie, con-
fronting Doctor Talcott. when the
brief examination was over.
The young man looked at the love-
ly dusk face, pallid with suspense and
agony. and in that minute hs Under
stood why it was that Kelpie had
turned deaf ear 10 all his ardent
wooing.
No, be is not dead he answered,
his eyes sOftening with pity. 4 will
save his life for your sake.
It was after midnight when Tom
recovered consciousness.
Where i KelpieF ? were his frat
words.
You must not talk said his moth
or. But he silenoed her with ges-
ture.
Call Kelpie.'
And the girl came. He took heE
hands in his left one; his right lay
bandaged and disabled by his side.
| I was coming to bring you good
news he said. slight quiver stirring
his firm lips; that's what brought me
| / have found your friends. You ere
| no longer 9 wait. The man who put
you at my mothers door is dead.
saw him die. and heard his confession
/ You stood between him and . greai
fortune, and he wanted you out ofths
way. He is dead, and ths fortune i
yours. and your mother viii be il
] MaplethOrp tomorrow and claiu
you.
The dark southern fass grew fairly
dazzling in il exceeding joy.