Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-12-27


equally certain that they coIia not naY6
turned back unless-here there came over
him dim recollection Of certain, half-eon-
cealed woodpaths, or lanes, leading into the
forest.
It was some distance from his present
position to even the nearest Of these lanes.
He was very much out of breath, and by
the time he reached the first, darkness
would be rapidly falling. Still, he pressed
on AS he hurried past the flock Of sheep
the shepherd started after him, evidently
amazed at the sight Of a gentleman running
along the public road.
lie soon same to q wood-path on his left.
The sheep had nearly ohliterated the wheel
tracks from the highway, but he was posi-
tive that he detected faint and apparently
fresh ruts running into this lane
Onward he plodded, in logged, deter
mined trot. So dark was it among the
trees and so dense the growth of weeds and
grasses along the path that it was quite inn
possible to discover whether or not the We
hicle had once again, turned from its course
down this lane into one of the numerous and
still smaller by-lanes that led into it on
either hand.
With patience he still pursued the path,
until 1t began to ascend abruptly, and ended
at last in clearing
A broad, grassy plot lay stretched out be-
fore him. Beyond it was a huge mass Of
table-roclx. Then there seemed to come q
steep precipice.
He walked to the cliffs edge.
Was it fancy2 Or did he hear carriage
wheels crashing over the stones belows
| Surely, that was laugh that smote upon
his ear, just now. He listened intently.
But, no! he could hear nothing, except the
wind, signing through tho pines, and the
! splashing waters of brook babhling in the
vale below.
The moon had now arisen in all its silyery
splendor For miles and miles around he
looked over q level valley, watered by
streams ana dotted with lakes that glittered
| in the moonbeams
At his feet several yards below, was
broad terrace that seemed to fringe the side
OF the precpice its entire length, and to
! form the basis Of rough carriage-r0ad.
! On the terrace, directly beneath him. lay
something glittering in the moons rays. 1t
attracted his attention and aroused his curl
osity. Slowly, he lowered himself from
rock TO rock, and arriving on the terrace,
started in surprise; for this time he was
1 not mistaken. Here was the distinct ana
/ fresh mark of wheels. His heart beat moro
quickly.
Going to the spot where he had first seen
the sparkle, he found a jewel-handled
palette knife lying in the grass.
With the inspiration Of a man whose mind
was on the alert, he saw all at a glance.
Here it was she had been painting. Those
wheel-tracks were made by the wagon that
had escaped him. This was her palette
| knife which the careless servants had
dropped, or overlooked. He wiped the dew
from the bright blade and put the knife in
his pocket.
Following the wagon-tracks towards the
left, he found, not much farther on, "a dainty
1 lace handkerchief.
''Luok has at last come to me-" he said,
aloud, putting the handkerchief in his pocket
with the knife.
| Then it occurred to him her name might
be upon it. He looked again at il. In the
clear light Of the moon he could distinguish
an M woven dehcately in the center. n
For what did n. standl Nora, Nancy, Nam
ME, Nettie, Nelly, Nataliei He racked his
brain for all the names beginning with N,
but none 50 pleased him as Natalie. In his
excited state, this name would not away
from him, and kept fitting through his
brain, as he passed rapidly down the road,
that now descended. The brook, that he had
heard in the vale below, came nearer. Ho
had no doubt this was the stream that
fed the pool where first ne saw her. Turn
ing sharply to the right, the brook then fol-
lowed the windings Of tho principal
thoronghfare. Walking bliskiy along, the
man, as he expected, soon came to the we'll
remembered pool.
:. a n T.s,
side her horse; there was the stone on
which she had slept, when rcnounting hun,
two hours before; and yonder, the cl--np Of
bushes that had concealed her unsuspected
observer.
lie stopped to drink, for he was thirsty,
and feverish with excitement.
AS he rose something fell from his pocket
into the water. 1t was the palette-knife
Eagerly he snatched il from the grasp Of
his friend, the brook, saying:
''Not SO fast, master brooklet We both
may admire the same woman, but have the
prior claim upon this palette-llnife.N
Drying it again, he was about 10 PIT it
carefully away once more, when moon
beam fell brilliantly upon the knife. Was II
imagination. Or did he see a bar OF music,
engraved upon the golden handled
Lighting q match, ne held the flame over
the knife Yes, he was right! Engraved
most exquisitely, in minute characters. were
the first few bars of his favorite Addio, a
song that he had heard many times in
America, and one that always strangely af-
fected him. The words seemed TO reflect bis
own monotonous life:
Flush! voice from the far-awayl
Listen and learn; il seems to say:
All tho morrows shall be Is to-day
On the opposite side Of the handle, in lew-
eled relief were the words "Natalie, from
Otto"
Nataliei His heart lcaped. Here was
proof positive that his first prescutiment
was correct