Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-04

~ D.aVery OF black silky, I'll might
hna somebody to take you. Maybe the
way" -
Drasy gave him a look which he did not
soon forget: Was there not more in it
than bafisd .endeavor, than disappointed
trnst. roor John Barker saw it, and it
fingered in his mind also. 1t was contin.
ua!iy flashing before his vision for years.
"Drusy,"' said John, 81 hadn't no notion
where l Couldn't help overhearin' what
yeou said. Yeou looked kinder faint
~ Lemms take yeou ter Fernald's
camp. l hain't got nothin' to stop here
tur, kin git my boss harnessed in a
Jitfy. Some O. the fellers from eour camp
rid in weth me, but they can git a chance
on other teams-'n' if not, they kin walk.
l hahn got nothin' but Il hoss-sled to offer
We, but guess I kin make it comfortable"
DOM speak of that, John; I shan't
forget your kindness in a hurry" said
Drusy, with trembling lip.
Inc dance went on with jocund care.
lessness. Wetherbee disappeared with a
flushed and frowned countenance.
The horse.sled glided swiftly along
over the crisp white road. The hills wore
showing their barren beauty to the last
look OF the moon, which was sinking
slowly, out of sight. Sudden CLEANS of
silver by the wayside betrayed the abid-
ing-place of frozen streams. A tall maple
tree lifted its bare branches to the sky, like
skeleton fingers clutching a star.
Drusy sat silent and motionless in the
bottom of the sled, while Barker stood,
tall and grim, beside her, holding the
reins with a careful hand. 1t was neces.
sary for him to stand, that he might be
able to see the cradle.holes and humps in
the road ahead of them. he said. The
moon had disappeared when they entered
the woods, and the dense darkness was
only broken by an occasional star.gleam
overhead and the red light OF the lantern
which hung on one of the stakes of the
sled.
"Drusy, did you care fur tibet man
thet's sick out ter the camp-your-hus.
ban'~ said Barker, breaking the silence
in a ~hesitating tone.
"Oh, I did once, John, but he treated
me badly; he" Her voice broke in a
great sob; and after that neither spoke
until they reached the camp, though it
was nearly an hour later.
The way was long and rough. and the
or twice he bent down and tucked the
robes more closely about her. But she!did
not heed the cold; she was lost in her own
thoughts.
The camp, which they reached just be.
fore midnight. made a bright spot in the
darkness Of the woods. The freight
shone through every chink in it's dark
logs, making red bars upon the snow.
The sick man was 5sleeping, and by his
side sat the cook, who was acting as
nurse, an old man who had been a sailor
aud wore gold rings in his ears. He was
sleeping also, and from two hunks on tire
opposite side of the camp came the, aud.
ible evidence that others were in a like
condition..
"Oh, he can't I've so very bad: he can't
be dying" said Drusy, seating herself on
the dea con-seat at the foot Of the sick
mans bed and peering anxiously into his
pinched and pallid face, which was illu.
minated by the rays of the great fire.
"'Pears ter be more comfortable; the
levers kind er left him; but the doctor
says he's goin' fast. Sleeps most all the
time now, but he's mostly out of his head
yit. pore feller! 1 hain't seer him SER
quiet's he is now fur days." said the old
man, drowsily.
Barker, having put up his horse, seated
himself beside the COOK. who speedily re-
lapsed into slumher again, his grizzly head
dropping upon his breast. Drusy crept on
to the edge of the bunk and softly wiped
away the heavy moisture from the diving
mans brow. He tossed uneasily upon his
bed of hemlock boughs, but did not waken;
his breathing was a perpetual moan, his
fingers picked restlessly at the bed.cloth.
ing.
The wind rose and stirred about the camp
like the rustic of mysterious garments, ami
O4cW ullully Uuo VAIleu pipes Ill Tue pine
boughs. The great logs on the fire were
dropping to scarlet Goals, but Barker has.
tened to pile on more tuel, though there
was still sufficient warmth from the huge
pile. And so the night wore on. Toward
morning the sick man opened his eyes and
fixed them steadily upon Drusy's face.
D you know me, Sethw she asked, TAX
ing his hand within her own.
"Drusy, l amt treated you well-but
you'll forgive me?" He spoke slowly and
painfully. making the most of his feeble
breath. cts all over now, m there's a
little property left fur you. Squire Carter,
a down 1. home, N tell you DOL it, It's in
"Oh, Seth," sobbed Drusy. 81 have been
wrong, too. WASN'T half so patient IN
forbearlng as l ought to have been. I laid
up things against you that 1 ought to have
forgot. Forgive me-"
He smiled, holding her hand with a faint
pressure, then closed his eyes YEARLY and
seemed to bs sleeping.
Drusy chokedd down her sobs and watched
him almost breathlessly. His breath grew
fainter and fainter; he was quiet now and
seemed at peace.
The wind died away. The dawn
ing Pickering torches, into the woods.
Tiny hats of flame shot through the
dark pine branches. There was a hustle
and rustic as of light, hurrYing feet. The
clear clarion OF the COCKS from
distant clearings. And with the first rays
of the sun the soul of the sick man de-.
parted into the Unknown.
sAint there nothin' I kin do fur We
'haout the %funeril, Drusy, or kerryin' news
tew the mourners" said Barker, as he was
about to leave her at the door Of the
''tahvern," toward noon OF the same day.
"No, thank We, John; you're as kind as
a b~rctner; but his folks will attend to all
these things. The DOCTORS notified them
already. His father and two brothers are
living down to Greenbush.":
"Then In bid you goodbye. I don't
know when l shell see ye ag'in, Drusy."
fastening back to his own camp, he told
the overseer that he must find another man
to take his place i'll the gang; and, another
being at hand who was ready to take it, he
| started the very next morning on his way
| down the frozen Penobscot.
II must put a good many more'n fifteen
| miles between US, or l can't STAN it" lie said
| to himself. "She'll marry Reube in a year
or tew, IN 1 WON'T never see her face as'in.
l warn't never superstitioned afore, but
when we was a-playin' them cards in that
blarsted old camp l felt how twas all
a. goin' lew turn eour, as plain as A = c."
Four years passed away. Lake and
river were unlocked by the spring rains
and sunshine, anu then locked again by
the winter frosts. Axes Il II in the pine
wood, great logs went floating down the
stream. Life at the settlement logged on
in the same old fashion. The lumbermen
came ont of the woods and hirtad and