Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-08-07

iO71, P--'4 - idoitQ uEc, aDOFc l!!e
eastern hills, sho jumped out of bed and
dressed herself with haste.
Il can't sleep another minute said
she. Its just the very sort of morning
t0 walk out across the woods and look at
the lady-applc-trc with the little spring
gushing out 50 close to its roots, and the
blue asters, and thickets' Of goldcn-rod,
by the stone fence. | won't wake ROSY.
Rosy was up late last night, putting Ia
bells on the ounce jelly. I'll let her
sleep, and 20 by mysclf,'
But Miss Hebron was no more of lag
gard in the morning than was her CITY
cousin. At seven precisely she knocked
at Linnct's door, but the bird had flown.
GLOW provoking" said Rose. 'But
I'll follow her She must have gone to
try to make that sketch Of the old mossy
rock close to the lady-appIe tree Iwon-
der if she knows that my father has pas
tured Ajax in the adjoining ficld2n
"AJax" was savage, gbeautiful bull,
who was at once the pride and torment
Of Farmer Hebron, and thrill Of terror
came into Roses heart as she made all
speed to follow the dcwy track of Lin
nets footsteps over the grass.
AS she reached the belt Of woods close
to the applcorchard, she paused in dis
may at the sound Of sweet, high pitched
voice
It's Lianct," she involuntarly cx-
claimed "And she's scolding some
body: Dear me, whom can it be? Sure
ly not Ajax"
"You arc q thief" she could hear Lin
net cxclaim-''a robbcr, Let that bar
rel of apples alone, say. l don't care
whether you are Squire Sandford or not.
That barrel Of apples is minc!'
And as Rose drew near, she could see
this dimplcd young Amazon rcsolutcIy
defending the barrel of apples, with her
single strength, against Squire Sandford
and his stoutcst farm laborer
She stood there, with one slight hand
on the red checked fruit, which was
brimming over the rcl-hoops, and be-
fore. her the tall squire and his hcrculcan
aid-dc-camp were helpless.
''If you will allow me to explain-n
pacifcally began the squire.
II will allow nothing" declared Lin
net. II repeat, these apples are mine !!
Touch them, at your pcril.'
Thus far the young heroine was a con-
qucror But alas. i'll that very moment
of victory Nemesis was at hand. There
was the dull sound of tranlpIing hoofs,
then sulIcn below, and Ajax himself,
bursting through weak spot in the
fence, was upon them.
Linnct Dcssoir collapsed, so to speak,
at once. She forgot her heroism, her
Misunderstanding but her danger, and
flew; for rescue, to Squire ,SAndford,
shrieking:
Save me! save Mc,'
The farm-hand doggcd behind the
wagon; but Squire Sandford never
quailcd, but held her rcsolutcly in his
arms
''Do not be afraid" he said, almost as
if he had been speaking to a frightened
child Nothing shall harm you, little
orc!"
For an instant, things look very black
then Squire sandford spoke gently one,
more.
''Do not hold my arm so tightly sait
he, let me get at my revolver. l mus
shoot the brute. No, don't be so terri
fed. Do not YOU hear me say that moth
ing should harm you?"
And then the problem resolved itself
as problems often do. Ajax, butting hi
huge head against the barrel of lady-ap
pies, sent them rolling in all directions
and caught his horns in the barrel itself
clTcctually binding him. He set off at
wild gallop down the hill, believing a
lie went, and there he met his fate in tn
shape of two or three men with 4 run
ming moose of rope and q good stou
chain.
'IIcllo, pet" shouted Farmer Heb
ron's voice Whats the matter. Sh
hasn't fsintcd, has she, squire!"
And Linnct, realizing that she was safe