The Press., 1884-09-11
A RIGHTEOUS RETRIBUnbON

to all that part of it who might happen to be on the edge of Raven Woods.
 There was Miriam Green up in the top of the old oak-tree, which reared its proud crest, an Absalom among it's gold-leaved brethren, her curls all tangled, her apron filled with treasures of dark green mistle- toe. There was Aunt Jane, standing in the little, open clearing, with hands up- lifted, eyes opened in the widest of disap- proving glares, and sunbonnet fallen over backward on her shoulders.
 ''Your froek's all torn P enunciated the old lady.
 ''I can easily mend it again.
 "And your hair blown into tangle"
 "Oh, Aunt Jane, that is nothing p pleaded Miriam.
 But the old lady would listen to no argu- ment.
 ''You were sixteen yesterday" said she. s'You are old enough to know better. And you shall be made to know better will punish you for this piece of inexcusable hoydenism P
 Miriam's blue eyes grew big.
 Surely Aunt Jane couldn't shake her, or shut her up in the garret with 8 page of "Watt's Hymns" to learn, or-worst alter native of all-put her on short allowance of apple-pie at dinner.
 For pretty Miriam was still child enough to regard any of these occurrences as se- rious misfortune, and one greatly to be deprecated.
 But while she was yet in the agon1es of apprehension, the question was definitely determined by Aunt Jane's advancing to the foot of the oak-tree and pulling away the ladder that had served as means to reach the first bough, ragged mass of foliage some twenty feet up from the roots. Below that, the trunk extended down as perpendicular and free of side growth as a telegraph pole.
 were so anxious to climb the tree after it over at your leisure. I will come back thls evening and put back the ladder"
 Miriam uttered a little cry.
 ''Please, Aunt Jane, don't go off p she appealed. "Ill never do so any more. Please forgive me, just this once p
 But Aunt Jane was inexorable With slow majesty, she strode out of the open ing and was gone, even while Miriam s piteous voice quivered on the air.
 There she sat perched on 8 horizontal bough, clinging to the taper-trunk of the tree, and swayed to and fro in the gentle October breezes. It had beea most fas- cinating position few minutes ago now it was frightful and perilous in the ex- tremest degree.
 Was it an hour-was it ten |? or possibly only fifteen minutes ? Like the Prisoner of Chiffon our poor little captive had lost all power of calculating time. But just as the round sun hung like ball of orange flame above the western woods, there was the sound of quick footsteps crashing over fallen twigs and crisp autumn leaves below
 ''Its John Ford coming home from hunt ing," Miriam said to herself, with quick breath. "Oh, do hope he won't see mel!
 She shrunk close to the trunk of the tree, and tried to seem as much like big bunch of mistletoe as possible. But it was useless. John Ford's keen eyes were toe well used to woodcraft and all pertaining to it, to overlook her. He stopped short at the entrance to the glade. .-r
 Miriam Gneenfr' he exclaimed.
 'Yes, said the girl, laughing little hysterically.
 "Zaccheus he" "And I am Zaccheus, and now I can't get down."
 "Oh p said MT. Ford, "the ladder fell did it?"
 "Y-yes," said Miriam, turning very red. ''The ladder fell down.
 ''Ill put it up for you, said Ford.
 "Do!' said Miriam, laughing to herself as she thought of Aunt Jane.
 Heswung the ladder promptly up against the trunk of the tree.
 "Now It's all right" said he. ssI'll just go over to see that the dogs haven t fri ght ened Mrs. Morey's young turkeys, and wait for you outside the woods.''
 In five minutes Miriam Green was by his side, rosy and breathless, still clingin 2 to her apronful of mistletoe.
 "Oh, am so much obliged to you P said she, earnestly.
 "What will Aunt Jane say ?" said Mir. am, involuntarily.
 ''Shell be very much alarmed, won't she ?" k:z
 "No," confessed Miriam. "she-that is-Oh, MT. Ford, I can't deceive you
 And she told him all.
 .'Of course, it was very wrong to dis. obey her," she added, "but-''
 My poor little Miriam My sweet frightened darling p cried John Ford passing his strong arm around her waist. ''She was perfect dragoness to torment you SO P
 "But I belong to her, said the girl, in nocently. 'sI have no other home but hel house.
 'Then belong to me, henceforward," he said, tenderly looking down into her blue, limpid eyes. Surely, you cannot have failed to discover how deeply I love you Hereafter you are mine y
 Miriam Green, young as she was, had often dreamed of the pathway in which love should come to her, but it had never seemed like this !~- <
 s'But,' she stammered, "what will you, uncle say ?'' .f$e
 "What should he say?" calmly retorted her lover. s'Ford Court is mine. My un cle is only my beloved and honored guest Besides, he loves me so genuinely that my happiness cannot be but his. And-but what is this?'' 4@' h-.
 They had by this time reached the solid stone wall which divided the grounds o1 Ford Court from the woods, and there perched upon it's height-a feminine Styl ites-was Aunt Jane, with basket ia hel hand, half full of the bakeries which sht had gathered from the huge bushes that made scarlet-dotted screen inside, while stretched prone on the grass at the foot o the wall lay old Major Ford's monster blood hound, Gelert He looked around and wag ged his tail slowly at the sight of John, bu did not stir otherwise.
 s'Aunt Jane," said Miriam, swhat are you doing on top of the wall, there?"
 sI-I only wanted few barberries to pu in my cucumber pickles," stammered Aun Jane ready tO burst into tears. ssAnd-anC