Iron County register., 1888-11-22

she observed to neighbor in strict
confidence ssthat it did beat all how
| that young man staid out nights. !"
Possibly she was right, but
| it was not upon Barbara I was
calling, although in those long
night vigils often haunted the neigh
borhood of the Wolf shanty. when all
its inmates should have been in bed
The secret of it lay in little slip cut
from the columns Of our nearest news
paper. which read: Reports from
Washington speak OF a very dangerous
counterfeit ten-dollar bill being in cir
culation. 1t is believed to originate
somewhere in the Bald Mountain dis
trict, and the notorious Jack Talcott is
! believed to be connected with the gang,
| but the officers have thus far been un-
able to locate them or get on the track
of Talcott." Some way, by what line
of argument / need not stop to show,
had become convinced of VOLTS con-
nection with this gang, and from it /
saw faint hope for Barbara's free
dom. I watched an opportunity to un-
mask the man for the sake of saving
the girl.
One night in the early spring, dark,
gloomy night / had been down to
Edgewood, the nearest railway station.
and was on my way home. was driv-
ing blooded and spirited colt, the
property OF my landlady, and, in spite
of bad roads and cloudy sky, was MAX
ing rapid time. Over the covered
bridge and up the long hill l drove,
the horse in hurry for his comfort
able quarters in the stable at home,
and his driver humming to himself the
words of an old Scotch love song. As
we mounted the hill On trot noticed
a bright light cleaning from an upper
window of the Wolf shanty. and rubbed
my eyes clearer in order to look at it,
muttering, earnestly:
Hello! Can they be at it, at last, to-
night?"
Scarcely had I spoken the words
when, with sudden snort of fear, the
colt I was driving sprang to one side
and started on run. With the use of
all my strength / succeeded in holding
the excited an imal dancing in the air,
and peered anxiously forward to learn
the cause of his fright.
''Whoa, Tiger! Stand still, sirr' I
spoke to the restless animal; then
called out: What is there?"
Out of the weeds close beside the
road, as if in answer to me, a figure
moved quickly-a figure ghostly in the
darkness, and scarcely more than a
glimmer of something white. The
colt saw it at the same moment and
became unmanageable from fright,
jumping, plunging, rearing and shying
in spite of every effort could make to
hold him in check. Finally, with
spring of terror, he whirled in the
shafts, and cramping the wheels, hurl-
ed me headlong over them into the
road.
For moment 1 was stunned by the
shock of the heavy fall. and lay there
without movement, as the colt and
wagon dashed away; then, as if in
dream, felt some one kneel in the dirt
by my side, and soft hand touched
my face.
"Thank God, he is not deadm A
low voice spoke the words, and l knew
its sound.
''Barbarar' / cried, looking up into
her clear face as she bent over me, a
white mantle twined about her head
and shoulders. She started back at
my voice.
'.Merciful Heaven, was it you?" she
exclaimed. '.Oh, am so sorry!-and
it was all my fault
Someway, hardly know how, 1 be-
hands, and held it tightly.
"Why are you sorry to see me so?'
asked, looking up eagerly into the
bowed and troubled face.
'Because-why, because it was all
my fault"
''And is that the only reason?"
She was silent. sitting there with
her eyes turned away from mine.
won't you tell me. Barbara?" per-
sisted, warmly.
Because" and she spoke the words
almost in a whisper-''because you are
my friend-my only friend"
1 could be silent no longer. The
truth of my own heart burst over me
in moment. Her down-cast eyes,
her evident embarrassment, her trem-
bling words, spoke more eloquently
than her lips would dare. lifted my
self up beside her, and whispered,
earnestly: Barbara, my darling, I
am not sorry, for it has opened my
heart, and 1 know love you
She started hastily to her feet, and
drew her hand from my clasp.
mo! Oh, no, you must not-you
shall not say itr' she cried out, implor-
ingly. She would have added more,
but stopped her.
Listen first to mer' cried, eager
ly. 81 love you truly have been
learning that lesson for a year-and
would make you my wife; would take
you away from the past, and would
give you brighter future. 1 know
what you would say-that you are
poor, young, uneducated and parent
less-that 1 know but little of you or
your history. True, but you know
still less of mine. 1t is enough that l
love you. The rest, time can rem edy.
Barbara, will you be my wife?-not
now, but sometime in the future?" and
gained possession of her hand again.
She did not answer, but / could feel