The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-11-23


and fast. No one paid any heed to
her, but we must, for the subject of her
talking affects our story.
There were nine lots. jim"
'.Eh, missee, I'll know that; and nine
have | set the light teu,' refining his
word real ManX fashion.
"Then where are they? Six-seven
eight" she counted.
ats beyond me. missee; but nine'll
be the number | kindled. Sure, by
token, I'd only ten matches in me box
here, an one | left for the pipe. Pfah!"
He blew on to the pipes bowl. Its
, nigh out she'll be. missee, with me
talking an talking"
Here he took a good Whit TO ward
off the fulfillment of his words.
The bows must have matches. I'll
by no means 60 without my nine!
EeSsie was always bit selt-willed.
"Eh, misSee?-let be. l wouldn't
mterferc-'
'.Intcrfere?"
''Sure-"
"What stufr'' Ncssie'S play had no
faith-no faith of the timOrOus sort, at
least. I'm a. strong as the fairies.
If they put the IRE out I'll light it
! Il a%aju. That will.'
/ She ran hacA To- the yOuug men.
| Whercat Jim faced liz" inevitable AMI
/ bestowed his active care upon his pipe.
| He shrugged H. brnt shoulders; per
! hapSi il wa al lhy ipoihardInr>~ q! Young
maids. All al once = new blaze of
! light spranm into IT," gTav night. 81
! came with = >Usiiicu Hash Just behind
where NrSSie AMI the boys stood aud
! talked.
! One golden flash there was; dry
! gOr,r h::! caught Il >mnuidcriug spark,
/ left at th, Yer, tail. one might say, of
Jim's ninth E:Jtc:i. Then he flash died
! down: then another blaze, and a
brighter, more golden blaze. Aquick,
short cry ON the top If ii: An.
Meta'> foot trcadin. OH the unseen
! dry gorse had pushed il toward the
dying match-Eai kindicd the flame,
| and-her dress. soft muslin thing.
had been caught Uv il. There was a
rush. All were first, and all were last.
it seemed. Meta was down upon the
ground before the rush and cry were
done. Every flame was out, every
smoldering spark was hurried out OF
life.
For one moment Meta lost sight
and sound. Then memory flashed
back one sight and one sOund-Doyle
PhilipSon she had seen tear oil his coat
and She had heard him give one cry.
Meta, my Ownr'
How the soft gray night echoed the
words, Had she dreamed them? Was
she dreaming still? There was now
no fire, the Pickering lights of the
distant hills were paling under the
breeze, her father stood over her bid
ding her not to ''be afraid.
.Yuur coat has suffered. This she
heard Mr. Qualtrough say to dim.
shadow figure The voice was low
and such as comes when a man ; inner
self is trembling.
DOYLE made light answer. Men
do answer lightly. even when perhaps
the graveSt question OF their life Is
fighting for its answer within them.
He pushed his arms into his coat
sleeves and all at once found that In
crushing down the rising flame OF
Metals dress he had got his hand
burned. A week hence the young man
had 10 90 away from Man. Willie
Qualtrough was to drive them to
Douglas on the morrow, so as to- be IN
time for boat. A good hours drive
this was, and they must be up be-
times. He and his friends had strOlled
over the fields from his fathers house
they would naturally say goodbye to
the girls and the QualtrOughs of Brae
7 Hill.
Again il was 4 summer night, again
the girls were wandering about the old
garden. Meta was alOft in the 'lOok-
out" Kate was below meeting the
Young men, NeSSie was chasing white
butterfly. Doyle PhilipsOn had, many
,lays back, come TO the solution OF one
grave question. but, not being a rich
man. and being honorable To what
some folks might call an extreme de-
gree he had commanded himself tC
hide the love nc had for Meta DUAL
trough Nav, he IL was who had has
tened the departure from the island be
cause. seeing Meta day by day, hi
could not keep eye and tongue in coo
. obedience.
And the sweet. lazy hours OF evening
had come, and Meta had CHANGED TO b'
: aluof. and the others had CHANGED t'
. drift into the company of each other
VINO talks of chance? The would-bc
maticr-of-fact young artist was mas
, tered. lie told his story, and all M
, wise commands were scattered 10 tn
| winds. What they two said only tn
: night heard. 1t was an old story mad
4 new. and there i always golden orig
inalitv about these old-ncw stories.
Meta and Doyle were coming down
from the lookout the rest were IN
? group.
, 1T is arrant nonsense. Kate, for yol
: TO drive into Douglas AT such an hour.
? So spoke Willie Qualtrough. the girl,
cousin. He and Kate often squabbicd
g Cousins do do ~.
). Thanks. she pouted. But II
{ Judge best for myself. l have shop