, 1886-09-05

the periled roses. Themoon was coming
up, and she could see them distinctly.
She fell to remembering. To this limo
cent, simple-hearted creature, clinging so
closely to old holy loves and loyalties
that she meditated what to her was a
desperate deed in defence OF them' that
fair lead Lucina became visible among
her cinnamon roses.
Elsie for a minute, as she stood there,
was all memory the past seemed to come
back in pity for her agony of regret and
overshine the present.
The light of an old morning lay on
those roses, and young Lucina stood
among them, lovely and triumphant.
She had just set them in the earth with
her W hands.
When Elsie moved again she was ready
for anything.
Oh, those cinnamon rosesl the only
trace which that beautiful. beloved
maiden had left of her presence in the
worldl Oh, those cinnamon rosesl the
one little legacy Of grace which she had
been able to bequeath to it!
When Elsie came out on the road again
she had something covered by her apron,
ltol tnt iiOOh chOuio many BAtt'is
She ran home faster than she had come,
with no watchful pauses. now. But she
had to make another cautious journey to
the Wing barn before she returned to
her room. Finally she gained it success
fully: no one had heard her.
The mex morning some one knocked
while the family were at the breakfast
table. Silas answered it.
THE queerest thing he said, when he
returned. -Hiyers has lost his sickle,
the one he bro ight over last night, an
he wants to borrow mine, an | can't find
that high or low. l would ha' sworn it
was hangin' on the hook in the barn.
He wants to get them cinnamon roses
cut"
"Well, l should think it was queerl"
said his wife. al know l saw it out there
yesterday. Are you sure its gomez
Course am. Don't you s'pose I've
got eyesf'
Elsie said nothing. She bent her head
over her plate and tried to eat. They
did not notice how white she was. She
kept n sharp watch all day; she started
every time any one spoke: she kept close
TO the others; she dreaded to hear what
might be said, but she dreaded more not
to hear.
HAS Mr.. Havers found his sickle yeti"
Mrs. Wing asked, when her husband
came home at night. He had been over
to the village. II see you ridin' home
with him."
mo, he amt. He's gone and bought
a new one. Says he's bound to hev them
roses cut down tomorrow. Amt seen
anything of ourn yet, hev yer"
NO; I've been out myself an looked
We'll, it beats everything-two sickles
right in tho neighborhoodl l ruther
think some one must ha' took EN-"
Land! Silas. nobody's took 'em. l
know all about you. I've known you to
hev things stole before, an it always
turned out you was the thief. When
you lose a thing, it's always stole"
Elsie found it harder to start out to-
night; a little of the first impetus was
wasted. Still, she did not hesitate.
When the house was quiet she crept out
again, and went over to the old place.
She did not stop to reflect over the
roses tonight. She was braced up to dc
her errand; but it must be done quickly,
or she would give way. She went
straight around the house to the wood
shed, where she had found the sickle the
night before. As she came close TO the
open arch which served as entrance
there was a swift rush, and William
Hayers stood beside her holding her arm.
"Ohi" she said, then began feebly
gasping for breath.
Elsie Millsl what in the world are you
doin' here?r
She looked up in his face, but did not
speak.
why, Elsie, what is it2 Don't you be
afraid, you poor little thing. What was
it you wanted? Tell me-"
Let me go."
"Of curse l will, but l think you'd
better tell me what you wanted, an lei
me get it. I'd be glad enough to.
didn't mean TO scare you. | suspected
he'd a sickle stole, an was kinder keepin
a lookout. When / jumped out l didn'
see who twas
Il stole your sickle, an I'll steal i
again if you offer to tech Luciny's roses.
"You-stole my sickle-l offer to tecl
Luciny's rosesl ! guess | don't know
you mean, Elsie"
81 mean Jest what | say. I'll steal YOU
sickle every time you offer to cut dowr
Luciny's roses
you mean them roses out in the from
yard?'
Course l do. Didn't she set then
out?"
Lord l didn't know. l didn't know
nothin' about it. l hadn't no notion O
your feelin' bad. IL | had, | guess
Why didn't you tell me; Why didn'
you come right over! I'd hev mown of
my own fingers before I'd offered to tecl
them roses if I'd known"
do you s'pose l was goin' to com
over here an ask you not to, when
knew you was jest doin it for spite 'caus
Luciny wouldn't hev you?"
"'Cause Luciny wouldn't hev me?"
"Yes, cause Luciny wouldn't he,
you"
Il didn't never ask her to hev me, FL,
sie.r
what"
Il didn't never ask her"
Il don't see what you mean by that.
"Why. l mean l didn't"
what was you hangin' round her s.
fur, then? An what made you act s.
awful cut upf'
Didn't you never know twas you
Elsieir
"Me?"
"Yes, you. | bought this place jes
on you account when | beard the mort
gage was goin' to be foreclosed. / didn'
RELY s'pose you'd be willin' to MARI.
me, you treated me SO indifferent in Lu
cny's day; but ! didn't pay no atten