The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-15

evils arising from fighting with strangers.
| Niger and Ruby winked In an apoio9eoc
! manner, and wagged their talIs III way
suggestive of comprehension ana cohph-
ance. and Ella bravely tried 70 uites' ; Her 1e,
mind of tramps, troubles and cousins 4Or
the nonce. She walked quickly, her nerves
at their highest tension, until she became
obliyious of time or distance. Even Ngger
and Ruby showed signs OF WEAKNESS, anu
looked up appealingly to their young mis-
tress, who as yet showed no sign Oh reIui 81 u
ing. She was walking down steep IN
cline, an old watercourse, where rougn
stones and fragments of rock made every
step hazardous. She was in deep thougnt,
and, taking little heed of her surround,
| ings. stepped upon a bowlder, which looked
firmly enough imbedded in the ground. IL
| turned eacberouslv, and she was thrown
| heavily forward. In attempting to rise
she found to her dismay that her ankle was
sprained.
There was little prospect of help in that
| desolate place, and she wondered despair
| ingly what would become Of her. In her
| extremity she clung to Niger, who
whined piteously in sympathy with her.
As if he realized the helplessness OF the
| case, he soon changed his whine to
dismal and prolonged howl, which was
had he known 1.-THE most effectual mode
| of assistance he could have rendered, for II
luckily reached the ears of a solitary per-
l
! quarters for the night. For moment he
| stood still. Again came the melancholy
wall, this time more distinctly on the night
| breeze. He started quickly in the direction
of the sound, and was soon beside our un-
lucky heroine, who looked up gratefully to
find the tramp bending over her.
| "Oh! Pm so glad you came," she began,
| brokenly, II think l should have died here
all alone"
You are hurt?" he asked, with tender
! compassion in his voice, as he knelt beside
| her and lifted her to an easier position,
| with a womanly tenderness in his touch
| that filled her with sense of rest and pro-
| lection. She was absolutely obliged to
lean against him. No thought of her COM
| promised dignity ever entered her head.
| Looking up at him wonderingly she noted
| now a great contrast between him and her
whilom gardener.
| Together they discussed the best means
of getting home. She suggested that he go
| to the cottage for the basket carriage, to
which he agreed after some remonstrance.
! Then she illogically refused to be alone,
! and finally consented to be carried home in
| his arms.
If there is any one virtue in this mum
| dane sphere of ours sufficient in itself to
make saint, it is the self-abnegation of
the ordinary young man who could bear
such a precious burden for fully two
! miles, and not tighten his bold even the
| smallest perceptible bit. Whether Ella
| took this fact into consideration or not
| does not transpire, but when he laid her
| tenderly and almost reverently upon her
mothers lounge little later she thanked
him with a look in her ewes which spoke
| palmer than words her deep respect for
| him.
| Willie Gaynor is coming tomorrow.
| Ella is confined to her bed. Mrs. Winters
feels anxious and worried. Next morning
| Jane says that the "hired man" is not to
| be found, but at the same time declares
| that every thing is in the best of order.
| Mrs. Winters draws sigh of relief, and
Ella says nothing. No one suggests a
| fresh flower for the parlor. and there is
| everything but spirit of gladness in the
| house.
They have to carry Ella to the parlor
| lounge, where they prop her up with
| pillows. She looks like sad, sweet pict
| ure, with her golden brown hair floating
loosely, and forming a framework for the
| fair young face.
At five O'Clock grinding of wheels was
| heard on the gravel outside, and minute
later Mrs. Winters was holding out both
hands to tall, grayhaired man-Willie's
father: The greeting over, he looked
| around as il expecting to see some one else,
and at last to every ones surprise, asked:
"Where is Willie?" "Just what was GO
ing to ask you," replied Mrs. Winters.
| 81 suppose the young rascal will want
| an extension of leave" continued Mr.. Gay
| nor, not seeming to notice Mrs. Winters
| remark, and with a sly glance at Ella.
| Ella returned his glance with one of blank
bewilderment, and while they were all
| looking askance at each other the door-bell
! received very peremptory tug, which
nearly startled them to their feet.
THAT'S his ring" said Mr.. Gaynor; 'he
| always will turn it into a fire-alarm."
Jane opened the door promptly, but stood
| rooted to the spot. in astonishment as
young man stalked past her, and went,
sanf ceremony, toward the parlor door.
| Then, returning to her domain in sort
| of stupor which took away even the power
| of thought, she sank helplessly into chair.
| Meanwhile, the cause of her perplexity
was endeavoring to explain how his ire
| pressibIe love of adventure prompted him
to adopt the role of tramp ,and trying to
| look as contrite as the laugh in his mis-
| chievous brown eyes would permit.
81 should have cautioned you against
| him, Margaret" said Mr.. Gaynor, trying
| to look severe. 81 might have guessed that
| he would play some trick on you. Even
| his own father is not free from mis- jokes"
continued the old man, trying to concen-
| trate ferocious glare upon the culprit.
Mrs. Winters protested valiantly that
| ''she knew him all the time" As for Ella,
she just flashed one reproachful glance at
MIN ana then Dnrled very crimson race
| among the pillows.
Willie Gaynor sat down beside her. made
| an unsuccessful effort to obtain her hand,
| and tried to read her face, which was not
an easy task, owing to the different feel
| ings which had been depicted thereon dur
| ing the last half hour. But her heart,
which had been eddying round in distress
| for the past month, was fast settling down
to a sense of rest, and great peace was
| stealing upon her. A little throb of venge-
| ance marred this happiness. Sheregistered
a silent and determined little VOW to have
satisfaction for this joke, of which she had
| clearly been the victim.
| "He shall never, never know that l cared
| for him: he shall not think that fell in
| love with a tramp" she thought, with
| determination which was clearly EN-
! phasized by the firm closing of the small,
| red lips, and her face grew crimson at her
own thoughts.
"You will not send me away?" said
| Willie in low tone, as he tried to take
| Eer hand. 81 claim pardon on the merits
| of at least one good turn. What would
have become of you if l had not been play
| ing my role the evening of your accident?
Even tramps can be useful sometimes" he
added, with mock humility.
Her color came and went beneath his
! glance. She was sorely nonplussed-van-
quished.
"Shall go home with father to- morrow,
Ella?" he inquired, looking straight into
the eyes which vainly sought to evade him.
"You ought to-" she replied, petulantly.
you've lost a whole month for nothing,
and scared US almost to death into the
| bargain"
| "I don't think it was time lost" he an
swered musingly, half to himself. "And
think l saved one little girl from dire de-
| struction."
"What will people Think" she went on,
| NOT dei 1ninp t0 notice his last words
"What will Jane say:" Here q faint smile
betrayed itself around the corners of her
mouth as the extreme ludicrousness of the
| situation became more apparent.