The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-03-29

grasp and passed beyond her reach, but
tempt to regain it, and with her weight
on one side, the boat gave lurch and
she was sprecipitated into the water
One wild effort to regain the boat, then
all was blank.
When she c .me back to consciousness,
it was to find. herself on shore with Dom
aid En- erson's strong arms about her,
and her head resting upon his breast
while with grave, anxious face he was
looking for some sign of life.
my darling" he murmured; softly,
and pressed kiss upon her pale brow,
while Myrtle made an effort to spring
up, but her st. ength was gone and she
sank back powerless.
Then gathering her up in bis arms as
he would q child, he bore her to the
house and laid her upon the lounge in
the sitting-room, and when, he had
called Mrs. Murray, he went to his
chamber. .''
Aunt Fannie proceeded to put a very
helpless, meek little girl into dry cloth
ing; then give her hot draught and
sent her to bed two hours before sun.
set.
The vigorous treatment averted any
unpleasant results of the immersion in
the pond, and next day Myrtle was near
ly recovered from the shock, little
paler that usual, triae ]anguisbed, but
a very interesting convalescent, Mr..
Emerson thought, when he entered the
sitting-room, and found her reclining
upon the lounge.
"Mr. Emerson, I owe my life to You"
Martie said. with emotion when became
forward and took her hand in his. 'How
can ever repay you?' and her dark
expressive eyes filled with tears.
-"Dare l claim 4 reward?"
Donald Emerson looked earnestly
down in the young face, pure as the fra
grant Water-lilies in the vase on the
table.
The look in his clear, gray eyes asked
the question he feared to put in words,
and a bright glow Stance the iale cheek
Of the girl, but when he asked with
voice husky with intense feeling, "will
you be my Wife?" she answered frank
ly:
never thought of such a thing, Mr.
Emerson. I am very grateful for your
kindness, and respect you highly, but
do not love you. | am only little
GIRL" she said, speaking nervously, "and
never loved any one like that" then
the tears began to sparkle in her dark
~ will not distress you," Donald En-
erson said; "it foolish to think that you
could care for me. We may be friends
| still?" he asked, holding out his hand as
he was about to leave the room.
be my yI firien,d,S Myrtle exclaimed s' inn n
pulsively.
"Always, mvlittle girl" he answered,
grayely, holding for single instant bel
little hand in his firm clasp, and then
| he left the room, while Myrtle, though
! she did not love Donald Emerson the
least bit, though it was rather nice to be
| loved.
An hour afterward Mrs. Murray came
in to find Myrtie's o. Is very bright and
her cheeks very red and questioned her
anxious]y, for she feared she was fever.
ish.
"Not at ALL" Myrtie told Aunt Fannie
.'she was much better"
| ''Mr. Emerson has gone away very
suddenly" Mrs. Murray remarked after
little pause, Ito be gone an indefinite
period, I should think, for he said it
might be for a month or perhaps year.
Do you know any reason for his going,
Myrtle De Forest?" Aunt Fanny ques-
toned, with the sternness of a judge.
"No-yes-we!l it might be what I
said," Myrtle answered, with flushed
face, and fearful eyes.
Then she told her aunt what Mr.. En-
erson had asked, and her answer.
"Foolish child" Mrs. Murray said, as
she shut the door and left Myrtle to in
duIge ms fit ofcrying.
| September came, clear and crisp, with
its invigorating air, its breath of frosti-
| ness.
Myrtle would soon go home; somehow
she did not care as much for the country
as she used to, she told Aunt Fanny,
and perhaps she should not come next
summer, at which Mrs. Murray smiled,
when .Myrtie's back was turned.
"a letter from Mr.. Emerson" Myrtie's
aunt remarked, carelessly, at the din
ner table: 'he has beer ~>rv i'll since lie
went away. He writes that he shall re-
turn when Miss De Forest goes back to
the city, but he will not come to annoy
her with his presence"
"Auntie," Myrtle said, in a very per-
suasive tone, "Write and tell him to
come straight back. I don't want to
keep him away from his homeland tell
at-that-Myrtie De Forest wants him
to come; there, will that be an unmai-
denly message, Aunt Fannie?"
"Qnite the reverse, l should say"
| Mrs. Murray replied, with CLEAN of
mirthfulness in her pleasant black eyes.
| Donald Emerson came back, and Myr-
tie, with the fickleness ascribed to wo-
men, had changed her mind, for to the
same question again asked, she answered
| yes.