The Red Cloud chief., 1888-08-24

Wis = C3-rG" ocCcl OF I1nl stretching De-
tween -. hills and the titelaads. and there
beside thc brock she had S-thered. early
spriag ~viclets since childhood II she
walked quickly she could easily get there
and back again before the night had closed
down.
To reach the place she had 10 pass through
the business portion Of the town Walking
swiftly along. looking TO neither right nor
left. she va. surprised 10 have some one ac-
cost her:
Miss VanderpooIr"
Il was John Ashton. whom she had not
seen since the dag that she had found her
fathers name dishonorei and herself beg
cared and homeless. He had asked her to
be his wife and she had refused Was IT
because she had Known him as q poor boy,
born n the lowest walks OF society. while
the Vanderpools had inherited the wealth
aud high standing CO many generationsl Or
was il because she elected TO bear her
poverty and disgrace alone: She flushed
BOW As she recognized him
lone minute" he said.
Not now. can not wait" she insisted,
and he stepped back without . word
What could ne wish 70 see her forl She
remembered what he had said that time.
IL you were rich and honored Ishould have
been too proud TO address You" She had
resented the speech then Recalling it now
size could not help admitting that it did
honor {, John Ashton. She WAS thinking
Of John Ashton the boy, b little ragged
fellow who used TO do chores about her
fathers house, picking W an education a.
the public schools. devoting himself to her
service On holidays. John Ashton the man
was q separate entity. and she had never
trusted herself to analyze her Impressions
OF him he was liked and trusted by al
nen, and very probably admired by women
She knew his errand 10 the place. He was
a celebrated engineer low. and had come
down TO take charge Of . great project Tor
reclaiming the tide lands People called the
enterprise the march OF improvement"
but Miss Vanderpool hated the march OF
improvement and did not care for Dement'S
to commerce. bat liked best the wide stretch
Of salt marshes with their rusty vegetation
their black pools and fitting fozs- She
wa coming to them now, for her path Lay
along their border. q soon she was
beside them. and drew a long breath in
nAliaS the fresh ocean air with its oriny
smell. She locked out TO sea. where q luml-
nouS glow along the horizon commenorated
the going down Of the sun. and sUllen
clouds above presaSed the gathering OF a
storm. She hoped. with q feeling Of pity
new 10 her, that il might be clear for An
hour or two on the morrow. that the burial
Of the little child might not De made drear-
Ter by cIoudej skies and a driving rain
Not far away on the marsh, surrounded b.
broad pools which reflected the distant glow
IN the sky. she saw the tall chimney OF a
steam derrick and a low, bsrge-like shape
that seemed TO be anchored in the raud.
She did not give herself much time 10 specu-
late now. Night was fast falling. and .
little ahead she saw the tiny brook she
sought. But think a moment! Was 1t the
right places She hesitated FOR an instant in
doubt and perplexity. :aen looked quickly
about 10 determine her bearings by some
familiar landmarks. There on the blu6
were the sGuare outlines OF her old home,
Just visible against the SKY, and there. on TO
the right. far beyond. were the hArbor lights.
Just . little further on, then a sharp turn 70
the Left. a climb I'd the rocks TO the little
bench that lay between the BLUFFS and shore.
and she should ind the flowers. b pressed
hurriedly on to gain the place before 1t
should b. wholly dark. She knew . way up
the bluffs. = steep and winding path, by
which she could gain the lighted upper
street when she was done II only she
could once ind the flowers. the dewy,
spring flowers. with their faint, swee: odor
and their fresh. shelterinG leaves. AL
worldly thoughts seemed TO fall away from
her. the weight Of disappointment and care
was lifted from her heart n she felt like
an eager child. bent on her innocent quest
But what was thistle solid ground Civ
ing way beneath her feet. every step taking
her deeper and deeper into a bottomless
oo1e, her feet drawn down and held as il by
lsajen waShts. This was not the way it
used to be along the banks OF the little
brook. II a moment the full horror OF the
situation flashed upon her. Deceived by the
light OK rendered careless By her OWE wan
dering thoughts. she had strayed further
from the town than she had supposed. and
what she had mistaken for the little brook
wa really an estuary OF the sea- bordered
by treacherous Dogs. . portion OF the great
waste OF tide-land which the company were
seeking to reclaim Quick and sharp zane
other recolIec.ions. She remembered that
children had been lost there when At play.
She remembered that every now and then
some man or woman had mysteriously dis
appeared from sight q knowledge. and il
bad been whispered about that they had
been last seen walking along the border OF
the tije-lauds- But these We're people OF
the 10 wer classes. about whom the Wander
pools had given themselves little concern
She remembered now-ah, how sharply
that she had read with q curliuglipthat por-
ton OF the young engineers argument be-
fore the har5or commissioners. when be
was Pleading for permission to go on with
his work. wherein he had advanced, a one
OF his strongest pleas. hat many lives
would be saved by the completion Of the en-
t~erprise. And now she. Judith Vanderpool.
the last OF her name. was about 70 succuub
10 bis most unheroic destiny. II vaS bet
Ter 50. She would AVE chosen this very
way of death. IL she might. she had beeu
tortured BY one dread. over and over again
during these years Of poverty and privation,
and she gave a little hysterical laugh as she
remembered it now. II she should have
broken down and died in the midst Of her
unsuccessful struggle she had not the where
withal 10 buy her funeral shrouc. Now no
oae would know. no one would care
y. the terror OF it! Not death Many
were there VINO would know her and greet
her gladly father, mother. brother. friends
OF her c~hildhooj-the only friends she had
kepr But tina. last thought, To drop out
and never be missed; TO leave behind her
not . human being who would care. Why
should she grieve over it now. She had, of