The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-29
.sCome in r, shontad Jack.

the road, MT. Kingsbury?" queried farmer, stepping into the room.
 "Hasn't she returned yet?" cried Jack, in astonishment.
 "No, and the old lady's a bit ner- vous; but tell her reckon Hester has stopped in to see friend, and, like as not, she's forgot the time, though 'tain't like Hester to do it."
 "She should have been here long ago, MT. Brent," said Jack, springing up and throwing on his coat again. "I fear something has happened to her. I met Miss Hester near Brook Farm on my way home, well-er-she said she would drive me home, and I walked across the fields, so you see she ought to have been home first"
 Farmer Brent's weather beaten face had a puzzled, spprehensive look as he followed Jack down the stairs.
 "Wait a bit-we'll get lanterns !" he shouted as Jack opened the front door. But Jack was already in the road, tearing along by the light of the moon, far ahead of the farmer and some of the farm hands, who followed with lanterns. On he went, lookiY g care- fully about him, until he came to the foot of steep, rough hill. By the moons light he could distinguish large, dark object lying in the middle of the road; the buggy had come to grief. Just then from clump of trees close by came the whinny of a horse. Jack sprang to the spot from which the sound came, and at the foot of tree, with the horse standing close beside her, lay Hester. Stopping, he raised her in his arms and spoke to her, but no sound passed the lips that were as white as her dress. He was 8 powerful young fellow, and, lifting her easily in his arms, set out for the farm just as Farmer Brent came up.
 "She has been stunned" said Jack; "Pll carry her home; but I fear your wagon is smashed, MT. Brent, though the horse is safe. They must have come to grief on the hill."
 What that walk home was to him, Jack Kingsbury never told; but it seemed as if years passed before he laid his lifeless burden on the hard horse- hair sofa in the sitting room.
 "Fool that |" he muttered to himself, in despair. "Oh, Hester! Hester! I loved you and have killed you," and he pressed his lips passion ately against her white forehead. He thought she stirred in his arm once, but he could not be sure, and Mrs. Brent was startled by his haggard face when he brought her in. He helped to administer restoratives un- til there was faint sign of returning consciousness; then he went out and threw himself in hammock on the veranda, only to start up every few minutes for news of her.
 At two o'clock Mrs. Brent stepped out on the veranda. "You must go to bed now, MT. Kingsbury," she said. "Hester's resting quite easy now, and the doctor says there's nothing serious beyond the great bruise on her head. Thank you kindly, sir, for carrying the dear child home. I fear it's been too much for you, you look so white"
 "Thank mew exclaimed Jack, with harsh laugh, "you've little to thank me for, Mrs. Brent. I'll go to bed if there is nothing I can do for Miss Hester or you"
 It was late when he awoke next day, and he hurried through his toilet to get news of the invalid. She was better, her mother said, though the pain in her head was still so bad that she would stay in bed until evening.
 Jack spent solitary day. He took long walk and did great deal of thinking; the upshot of it was that he went to his room and packed up all his belongings; then he came down after supper with a small bag in his hand looking for Farmer Brent. The farmer and all his hands were out in the fields bringing in the last loads of hay, and his wife was putting away the tea things.
 In hammock on the veranda lay Hester, looking very pale as Jack sud- denly came round the corner of the house."
 "Why, Miss Hester, what have they done to your beautiful hair?" cried Jack, forgetting every thing in his as- tonishment as he caught sight of the crop of short, golden brown curls which covered her small head.
 "Oh, they cut it of last night" said Hester, scarcely raising the long, dark iashes which hid her hazel eyes as the color crept slowly into her cheeks.
 Miss Hester" said Jack again, his deep voice trembling, "I did not intend to annoy you again, but forgot for a minute, coming on you so unexpect- edly. No, don't speak," as she opened her lips to reply. "I know all you would say to me; but you cannot cay anything half as bad as what I have said and thought of myself. Yester- day l went of vexed with you and in . beastiy temper, then I drank too