The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-01-01

ana looked upon nm pleadingly.
''Go you alone, Remodel"
"Aye, why not?"
""Tis very brave, know, but tits
dangerous. DO not 60 alone"
'}ut / will. The Lord hath com.
manded me to capture him."
"But not alone. You shall not 20
alone"
81 shall not. Humph! who will pre-.
vail against me?"
81 will. Come. Renold, promise me
to call your company and select from
them some sturdy men; then will let
you 60"
THAT is nonsence. Come, delay me
not" He moved IL bit, but the little
maid stood quickly right in his path,
lifting her blue eyes to his.
''You shall not 90 alone. I've
cannot suffer you to be foolhardy.
All know your bravery. Youneed not
this exploit to prove it."
"l4et me pass, Betty"
II will not"
lie looked upon tremendously. With
one motion OF his powerful arm he
could have overcome her, but he fall
tered. Then he said:
g! would had not met YOU"
"Why, Remodel"
Because OF your constraint of me.
] hate it, yet like it. Truly / do. I
lie not, Betty. And there's the
mystery of it. l hate it, and vet /
like it. Come, it shall be as you say.
l will take companions."
'Then will leave you. You never
tail to keep your promise.
When next she saw him, he was re-
turning with n captive. a strong and
trelcherous savage, whom the COM
panions said the Captain had master
ed single handed.
Then many weeks passed till it was
the dead of winter, and she knew that
he avoided her. One Sunday after
service, he found her, by chance as it
seemed, right i'll his path.
THE Lord be with you Betty" he
said, and then passed on.
"Renold! Remodel" she called gently.
"You spoke. Betty"
"My father is ill, and desires above
all things to see you. Will you not
come tonight? You will find him
alone"
"!f tits to see him, so be it, Betty"
When on that evening he had spent
an hour with Father Lee, the old
man said, "Renold, the maid hath q
sweet voice, and OH the Lords Day
night she reads the Scripture to me.
Stay you and hearher."
Then Capt. Marvin, much as he
wished to go, wished more to stay.
and while thus struggling with himself
i'll nnaccustomed hesitancy, the father
called the girl. She came, Just court
eseying with Indifference that panied
Renold. Then when her father asked
her to read she took the great Bible
in her lap, bent her fair head o,-n;. it's
pages, and began in soft, but clca.re.t,
tones to read t he tale OF Ruth. As
she read on, Capt. Marvin forgot Inn
self and all save this sacred tale SO
sweetly and effectively repeated hy THO
gentle maid. She paused not till she
had finished. Then she rose, babe
them good night, and was about to
go.
"stay, BETTY" he said. "Let me
thank you. Never was sweeter TO-
nance written, but never before knew
that till now"
'''l'is indeed Il beautiful tale" she
said, "but almost wonder that you
liked it. There are others in the Word
more to your liking"
"What others?"
Joshua, for instance, the mighty
warrior"
"Aye, but want q strong man to
to read that"
"Who but yourself should read it
then?'
Would you like me to do SOP"
"Greatly."
So he took up the Bible and read
with strong, resonant voice, of JOSH
u;t's mighty deeds.
~ thank you, Renold. Never before
realized the half of Joshuas valor,
! think he must have been somewhat
like unto you, Renold; and now, good
night"
"stay, Betty. The hour is early
yet"
Nay, ] think It's well ] bid yougooq
She had opened the door, behind
which were abrupt oaken stairs that
led almost perpendicularly to her lit
VIZ StINiipCt lllC IlllpFSy uuQ
with one foot on the lowest step. she
turned her head, looking over her
shoulder to say good night.
NO, but you must not CO." said he,
and he arose and went to detain her,
SEEING her by the hand. Then for an
instant the maid struggled, and some
how: by cha zee it seemed, in the dura-
ton of that struggle the maid became
embraced by his strong arm, so that
he perceived the exceeding suppleness
OF her slight figure; and us her fair
head for the time of one breath rested
upon his broad chest, and he cau,ht
the glance, half modest, hall amused,
from her uplifted eyes, then the
strength he gIoried in seemed to de-
part from him. and the maid, slipping
gracefully, quickly from his OBTAINING
grasp, fled up tile stairway.
The strong man stood there 2 mo:
ment like one bewildered, and then he
heard the father laughing heartily.
Captain" said the old man, "with
all yourstrengththe girl seems strong:
Truly, she did give mo the slip.
My head is in a whirl, and my heart
doth beat: What strange power hath
the maid? ! know it not except with
her, Bid her come back, neighhor
Lee
Not to might, Captain. The girl,
surnlise, is better alone. She hath
said nay, / think, tonight to young
Matthew's avowal, and it panied her
to see his grief"
"Yet Matthew is well favored"
''Not for her, trow."
81 wonder if Matthew ever felt her
soft touch, and hcrhead resting foran
instant on his breast, though by acci.
dent. II so, did it unmun him, and
take his strength away? will not wait
here longer, nci.hbor Lee. | am
strangclyat unrest. wonderifthefe-
yer is creeping in my veins. burn so
hot!y. ! willgo into the cold air with.
out"
With mighty strides the strong-limb-
Cd Captai in went down the Ei:li%aY,
for he was besor with stranger aid
more peculiar excitement than lie had
ever known.