The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-10

z We are merely IDsing time here. | vc are going cD, Iet us % ; If nct, lct us turn back at once."
 E | don't want to turn back,n she TO torted. If you would only be as kind as you were last night l should like to 20 op."
 opened the gate and led the way through the brambles and underwood Miss Spinks followed in melancholy silence. Presently the passage on the level became impossible, and l wal forced to turn up the steep hillside trampIing down the briars as went. to ease the way for my companion. A few seconds later missed the fap- fl fap of hel wet skirts behind me, and turned to in- vestigase. She was standing in an atti. tude of hopeless dejection in my extem- porized path. apparently incapable oi proceeding.
 If you really cared to have me with you, you would have offered to help me up here" she gasped.
 l returned, and holding out the crook of my stick said quietly:
 !" If you will take hold of that, will do my best"
 She grasped it, and proceeded slowly, towing her along, and fervently wishing that tue way were less s.eep or she less heavy. Suddenly the tension relaxed, there was low vail, the sound of a heavy fall, and Miss Spinks had "gone to ground" was at her side in an in- stant.
 What has happened ?" cried in alarm. "You are not hurt ?"
 There was no reply. Miss Spinks sat huddled together in an inelegant mass, rocking herself to and fro, a very nine teenth- century Niobe, in limpness of drapery and copiousness of tears. was at my wits end what to do. Consequently 1 did nothing.
 This state of things lasted for some minutes, but at length seeming to get the better of her paroxysm of weeping, she sobbed forth:
 "Oh dear-oh dearl didn't Sob ] think you could be so cruel (half dozen sobs). You've brought me here (sob) and now you won't even speak to me (sob, sob, sob). And now you'd better go on and leave me here alone to die 1 Boo hoo! boo-hoot"
 This was more than human reason could stand. took her by the arm, drew her hands from her face, and said in my sternest accents:
 Listen to me, Miss Spinks. You are making fool of yourself. Now, either get up at once and cease this nonsense, or must leave you here to get home as you can"
 My resolute attitude had an instanta neous effect Miss Spinks dried her eyes, rose to her feet, and said humbly:
 "Oh, MT. Elastic, Pm very sorry was 50 foolish. won't cry again, but thought, as you wouldn't talk to me, that you were tired of my society, and wished had never come."
 could neither deny nor confess the ruth of this surmise, so held my peace. We resumed our former positions rela. lively to my stick and to one another, and proceeded on our way, l, like Spenser's nero, feigning semely merth," and she coy lookes." Miss Spinks grew more :heerful, and ten minutes rough walking brought us to the further gate.
 Arrived there, looked up stream for he sportsmen. There was not sign of hem. Then for the first time I recol. ected that, just above the entrance to the ;over, the river branched of at a fork. :rossed by plank bridge and it flashed ipon me that the otter hunters had taken he further branch. suggested this so- ution to my companion, who received it with blank dismay.
 How are we to get to them?" she Isked mot back through the wood gain, surely2"
 "We can go out to the middle of this leld," said, "and from there we can ee the other branch, and judge whether is worth our while to try to overtake hem."
 She consented, and we pushed forward. The field sloped more gently than the vood, and left a narrow level space at he edge of the stream which here swept | ound the foot of the hill. This level pace was railed off, and had a gate at ne point, behind which a single plank aid across the river gave access to the ongue of land between the two branches IS we got farther out, and could com land view clear of the wood. the glint f a red coat on the far side of the valley Ao'So AAy tnSOiy CctiCIt. pointed his fact out to Miss Spinks, and she wned at last that pursuit was hopeless. 1t the same time noticed that by cross. ,g the stream and going down the right ank on our return journey, we could :cross by the bridge at the entrance of ie wood, and so avoid scrambling trough the cover My companion gladly greed to this plan, owning that she was red, and even expressing doubts of her ower of reaching the station on foot. allantly offered my stick but Miss Spinks. hose temper had quite recovered its alance, with timid glance and slight suggested:
 1 believe could get on better, if you ould not think me very bold, by taking our arm."
 1 could not refuse, and in another mo- lent was supporting the greater part of CT weight in the descent of the grassy