The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-03
stretched his hand toward the sun painted

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there to make my fortune. From this
hour I am going to be man, and, Den
mis- Lowry's luck shall change. I will
come back rich to claim you, Inza. You
will wait for me, darling2"
Words were not needed for his answer;
one look into her dark eyes was enough.
He clasped her in his arms, and for the
first time their lips met in kiss of true
love.
A week later Denny started on his
journey.
Soon she received letters from Denny
hopeful, encouraging letters. She an
swercd them all, trying to cheer him who
was working for fortune-and her. He
was in the mines, toiling, sweating, hop
ing. Others were making big strikes and
securing fortunes; it would be his turn
soon. But slowly year dragged by and
still Denny was as far from fortune as
ever. His old luck hung by him like a
spectre:
Finally he cased to write. INA was
tortured by hope and fear. Had he made
fortunate strike and was coming home,
or was he sick, perhaps dead9 She could
not tell.
Another year wore away and then
INA was married. 1t was match of her
parents making, and she consented, to
please them. Her husband was we'll
to-do young farmer, and he was really
fond of her. Inza found him kind and
affectionate, and she surrendered her life
into his care, feeling that perhaps it was
best that she should do so.
One evening just at sunset, eight years
after Inza's marriage to Joel Gray, a be-
whiskered, footsore, weary appearing
tramp turned into Mr.. Gray's dooryard.
His clothes were ragged and his entire
appearance was that of man who had
seen hard times, indeed. He came along
the path with slow, tired step. Near
the door little dark-eyed girl was play
ing, and the tramp paused to gaze stead
lily at her for several minutes. INA, who
was standing by window with baby
in her arms, regarding the stranger with
some alarm, saw him dash tear from his
eye. Then she knew that there was
nothing to fear from him.
Just then Joel came from the barn yard
with brimming milk pail in either hand.
The stranger turned toward him ss'h he
approached and 9sked ii he could have
something to eat and nights lodging.
IT .asEf3g much, I know" said the
tfa1hp, in an unsteady voice, "but if I do
not find shelter, I must sleep beneath the
open sky with only Gods green grass for
a bed. have seen better days, sir, but
luck always was against me-"
Joel Gray had no particular love for
tramps, yet there was something about
this man that won his sympathy. As
result, the stranger was given some supper
and permission to stop at the farm house
that night.
The tramp ate his bread and milk in
silence, but Inza was conscious that pair
Of sad blue eyes were watching her every
movement.
The man did not eat much for one who
professed to be so hungry, and when
Inza spoke to him he replied in low,
mumbling manner. When he had finished
eating and moved away from the table,
little Lucy, Inza's oldest child, came to
him and deliberately climbed upon bis
knee. He gathered her up in his arms,
while his whole frame trembled with
emotion. The child lay there trustingly,
passing her fingers through the mans
beard and grooming to herself. And thus
he held her while the twilight shadows
gathered and she stopped her soft sing
ing to close her eyes in slumber. The
shadows concealed the tears that ran
silently down the mans face and were
lost in his beard. No one saw him as he
tenderly kissed the sleeping child.
That night Joel Gray's buildings were
burned to the ground. To this day it is
a mystery how the fire caught, but some
time in the night the family was aroused
by the smoke and flames. The fire had
already seized the house in its fatal grasp,
and with difficulty Mr.. Gray and Inza
escaped, the latter with the babe in her
arms. Close behind them the tramp
came staggering out of the burning house.
Joel caught him fercely by the throat.
"This is your work." shouted the
farmer, hoarsely.
The stranger dashed aside his assailant's
hands as he replied:
GAS God is my judge it is notH'
Inza seized her husbands arm, as she
shrieked:
"Lucy! Lucy! Where is she?"
"Great God!" groaned Joel, as he
staggered as if about to fall. "She must
be in there!"
81 will save her," declared the tramp,
quietly, as he turned, sprang up the steps
and vanished through the doorway into
the burning building.
Every moment that followed seemed
like an age of suspense and horror to
Joel Gray and his wife. Suddenly
dark figure appeared at one of the win
dows, and all about him the fierce flames
seemed leaping and curling. He held a
large bundle in his arms. There was
crash of glass, dark mass shooting
downward, a heavy thud, and the tramp
lay at their feet.
Joel sprang forward and unwrapped
the blanket that enveloped the form of
his little daughter, and to his joy found
her alive, though nearly smothered. The
stranger lay quite still where he had fallen.
The farmer bent over the brave rescuer
of his daughter, and as he turned the