The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-02-23

possible To discover whether or not The We
hiclc had. once again. turned from IFS course
down this lane into one Of the numerous and
still smaller by-lanes that led mo it on
either hand.
With patience he still pursued the path,
until II began to ascend abruptly, and ended
al last in clearing.
A broad. grassy plot lay stretched out be-
fore him Beyond it was a huge mass Of
table-rock. Then there seemed to come q
steep precipice.
lie walked 10 the cliff 5 edge.
Was ii a fancyi Or did he hear carriage
wheels crashing over the stones below!
Surely. that was a laugh that smoie upon
his ear, just now. lie listened intonfly.
But, no, he could hear nothing. except the
wind. signing through the pines. and the
splashng waters of brook, babbling in the
vale below.
The moon had now arisen in all its siiycry
splcndor. For miles and miles around he
looked over "A level valley, watcrcd by
streams and dotted with lakes that gittercd
in the moonbcams
AT his feet several yards below. was a
broad terrace that seemed to fringe the side
of the precipicc its entire length. and to
form the basis Of Il rough carriagc-road.
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
not mistaken. Here was the distinct and
fresh mark of wheels. His heart beat more
quickly.
Going to the spot where he had first seen
the sparkle, he found 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
l0nife 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
lace handkerchief
Luck has at last come to me" he said,
aloud. putting the handkerchief i'll his pocket
with the knife.
Then it occurred to him her name might
be upon it. He looked again at it. In the
clear light Of the moon he could distinguish
an IN" woven dellcately i'll the center. N!
For what did Y stand. Nora. Nancy, Nam
ME, Nettie. Nelly. Natalie. He racked his
brain for all the names beginning with N,
but none so 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 doS.:i the road.
that now descended. The brook that he had
heard in the vale below. came nearer. He
had no doubt this was the stream that
fed the pool where first he saw her. Turn
inc sharply to the right, the brook then fol-
lowed the winnings Of the principal
. thoroughfare. Walking briskly along, the
man, as he expected, soon came to the we'll
remembered pool.
| Yes. here il was that she had stood be-
side her horse; there was the stone on
which she had slept. whsn rcmounting hun,
/ two hours before; and yonder, the clump OF
bushes that had concealed her unsupported
| observer.
lie stopped to drink, for he was thirsty,
ana fcverish with excitement.
! As he rose something fell from his pocket
into the water. 1t was the palette-knife.
Eagerly he snatched it 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-knife."
Lying IL III Nso pub ~
carefully away once more, when a moon
beam fell brilliantly upon the knife. Was il
imagination. Or did he see a bar OF music
engraved upon the golden handle.
4 Lighting match, he held the flame over
the knife. Yes. he was right! Engraved
most exquisitcly, in minute characters, were
the first few bars OF his fayoritc Addio. {
song that he had heard many times il
America, and one that always strangely af
fected him. The words seemed to reflect hi!
own nonofonous life:
"IIush voice from the far-awayl
L stem and learn it seems to say;
All the morrows shall be as today"
On the opposite side Of the handle. in jew
clca relief, were the words: Natalie, iron
Olto''
!. s41sn, HE haa~t ,nanaa. uana-.sal
Was correct.