Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-11-15

Likely storyn exclaimed Tom Holmes.
Il knew that mare'd have some trick, and
| now Won see she's unhitched herself. Shall
come and help yousn
'sNo,'' replied Gurley, laughing. II won't
have you. She's just up here in y corner.
Shut the door. Mrs. Holmes will catch
coldn
'sYou better let me help you, repeated
Tom Holmes, with merry laziness, with
drawing into the house as he spoke.
'.We don't want you rolling about here in
our way" responded Gurley. ''Ho, Bess
come here,'p he coaxed, walking towards
his fayorite, as the closing door wiped its
tablet of light from the ground.
But as he approached he traced another
| figure beside Bess, holding the bride.
II have her. said Phoebe.
s1You didn't come out for that'' exclaimed
Gurley.
"Hore she is. Hold tight to her bride,
Mr., Gurleyn
''Oh, Bess is no runaway. At least, she
wasn't before you put premium on her
capers. | am obliged to her for bringing
you down stairs, May be I've been perse-
( cutting you with calls lately.
ssNo'' said Phoebe earnestly.
s'Nos Take my arm back to the house,
old wagon-bed wrecked hereabouts, and the
starlight is hardly strong enough for US to
see it. / know the bearings pretty well,
thought
mir. Gurley, will you do a great, great
| service for metz
Don't you know would do anything in
| the world for your
eBut this is so risky, 50 dangerous, l
ought not to ask it. | want you to take
me to Mr. BarAer's. l am afraid to stay
herer'
"Afraidl' said Gurley. There he stopped,
| without dwelling even in thought upon the
probable cause.
''You are not afraid of Bess, anyhow" he
observed, with a slight laugh. SCR her
present saddle, either. VIII you ride her
and let me leadl"
'Oh, thank you.''
.'Not at all, / assure you. And l know
you can mount from the hand. That's it.
Are you at all comfortable nowln
YES replied Phoebe. l feel safe al
ready"
s.She must learn to walk and she hates
it, - said Gurley as they started, Bess Civ
ing an impatient jerk at her rein. am
having IA lady's saddle made. Psyche
Fawcett offered me-hers, but it Is hardly
modern enough, so I'm having one made
| according to my notions You said you'd
ride with me. But scarcely expected we'd
set out this way"
Phoebe laughed.
s'But I'm glad she hates to walk When
you go home, ride fast There might be
something on the road
Il did have an adventure below here, -
said Gurley, recolecting "Some fellow
4 L..
] marked him, and hen probably get ex-
cused from chapel for a few days"
'.What is that by the gateln breathed
Phoebe shrinking toward the horses neck
Nothing but bush"
@Oh, yes; remember"
20 eyes will soon be accustomed to the
dark don't believe | know the best route
to Barker's. They live off the main road,
| don't they!"
eyes, and if we turn into the woods here
| by the school-house there is a sled road
which win lead u.s.
Into the woods near the schoolhouse they
| accordingly turned. The night air made a
faraway eolian sound among tree limbs,
and beyond the Hollow, Guys dogs could be
| heard barking at intervals.
| Phoebe covered once or twice again, but
| the sentinel object ahead of them always
proved to be a stump instead of Thane. She
glanced backward, suspecting that he had
| followed them; he had disappeared too soon
after Boss overthrow him TO be far off. AS
/ Gurley's and Boss feet trod undisturbed
\ ahead, however, Phebe's confidence re-
/ urned
"If you come to harm on my account"
! she sad, - would not know hoy TO en-
| dure it.n
ado yoa think these woods are fun
| of wolves and robbersl' laughed Gurley.
GAS long ago as my jacket days they hadn't
| even a wildcat to make them interesting.
Painter Is the only monster that is sup
| posed to haunt them now. Have you any
wrap on! Aren't you coldm
''Just a little cold but hadn't noticed it
myself | did not stop fer shawl And
what will they think when they find you are
| gone without any overcoatf'
"Thcy'll think I'm chasing Boss toward
her stable,n replied Gurley, in amusement.
sit was fortunate | snatched up my hat.
! Here: you must let me wrap this around
your shouldersn He halted Bcss.
'What is tn inquired Phoebe, but the
CLEAN of his shirt-sleeves was token enough.
''Indeed, won't take your coat, Mr.. Cur
| ley. Indeed, win not. If you don't put it
on again I'll 60 back in the dark by myself.
/ 1t is not cold night. don't shiver because
am chilly
Gas you please'' said Garlcy throwing it
| across his arm and moving on. sit does
smell Of cigars. feel like grand wood
chopper stalking along this way"
1 ''ft wasn't cigars. You know it wasn't
cigars want you TO put it on, please"
"Here,n said Gurlcy, sis a conflict of
wills. The fine-tempered but firm inelastic
woman's will, and the big brutal mans will.
! IL he gives way he creates dangerous pre-
| ccdent, and in this case makes himself cons
4 temptible.p
1T isn't any conflict" said Phoebe. sim
/ only begging you to do as l want you to-
.Thats the artful way IN which the wom-
j ans win operates laughed Gurley. "But
l win obey you,' he added, with gentle seri-
BUSINESS, s'eyen in this case, because your
slightest wish is going TO have lifelong
4 power over me"
"No,r gasped Phoebe, feeling her heart
close ITS muscles as with q grip.
."Yes. My place is at your bride rein"
He turned his face up toward her, his eyes
smiling through the dark, and threw the
coat around his shoulders, buttoning il un.
der his chin. II don't want to be too warm
while you are not wrapped at all, though"
''And that's a mans obedience" said
/ Ph0be, ia strange voice, which she could
not make playful.
Yves; his loyal obedience"
They moved forward in silence, save the
sound made by walking. Phoebe felt the
blood beat In every part of her body. The
sheltering woods seemed warmer, having a
spice Of odorous barlzs and the breath Of the
first spring flower in the air.
II hever have been on this path before,n
said Gurley Have your
mo, never,n breathed Phoebe. "Oh--
what am sayingi have been through
these woods oftenn
ga Ike it, he CONTINUED, eff we were
going straight on TO Heaven knows where.
Some happy valley, may be- So far as my
interest in the matter is concerned the rest
Of creation may go by the board. This is
an unusual ride, isn't it How keen the
starlight is. Two going down to Egypt to
escape Herod.n
II feel quite safe from Rerod," said
Phoebe, rubbing an agitated palm on Bess'
mech, with you. BQtthere isn't any happy
valley or pleasant end to this ride. It's very
unhappy Valley. And your place rs not al
my bride REIN
THE existing fact disperses that state
menta
But mean any more
Now is always the beginning OF here.
AFTER said Gurley. 81 am here now. Let
astronger man put me out of my place If he
cam
Listen = said Phoebe, sitting alert "And
don you see somebody coming yonderl''