The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-31

party in such way that he would come
next to Genevieve; but she evaded him,
by sheer force of desperation. And, as
luck would have it, Hall Balkan came up
1 to her with his fine, hearty good cheer,
1 and asked her to walk with him as far as
a wide-spreading elm at considerable
distance down the high road; and Nellie
Featherly heard him say it. A damask
1 flush all over Genevieve's face made
Balkan glance round to see if the sunset
had begun yet; but the West was as gray
as flag-stone. Genevieve was willing,
and they started off at huge pace,
which the rest tried to initiate; but not
too we'll, as every one of the girls
thought that Balkan wanted to propose
to his companion, and determined to let
him have chance.
At last the two figures in advance
stopped under the delicate tracery of the
great, bare elm-tree, and seemed to be
1 talking earnestly. Then cry went up
from Nellie Featherly, for Genevieve had
sunk to the ground, evidently in faint,
and Belkan kneeled at her side.
"The walk was too rapid for her." ex-
claimed Nellie, off-hand. "Oh, Mr..
Morton, why must you always be asking
us to 90 for constitutionals; they'll be
the death of us!" And Nellie, whom no
one had ever seen really provoked before,
gave him a cross glance; and then went
on run, accompanied by the reproved
Morton, toward her friend, while
the others followed more or less ar
IDENTIFY.
| As faithful Nellie ran, she discerned
strange, black cloud rolling toward them
all, dowr the snowy road. Soon the
motion of two prancing horses became
apparent; and as Nellie reached Gene
vieve's PROSTATE form, in the middle of
the road, over which Balkan was bend
ing in absorbed dismay, the plucky girl
realized that runaway team was in full
swing at few yards distance, and quite
unobserved by any one but herself and
Cecil Morton, VINO shouted to Nellie to
have care and jump aside.
But this Nellie never thought of do
ing. On she ran, beyond Genevieve,
whose danger was so imminent-and
what could she do to avert the danger2
In her muff was ball of snow, which
had been reduced by careful manipula-
ton (under Morton's Instructions to an
icy consistency; capable, as her teacher
had explained, of killing anybody, if
rightly aimed. 1t is by no means easy to
swerve the direction of a maddened
horse. But one of these was running
away because the other wanted to, and
he yet retained some common-sense. At
any rate, Nellie drew forth her icy ball
in o twinkIng, and hurled it, by good
luck, at the saner horse (for they were
now close at hand) with such splendid
vigor and true aim that it hit him furi-
ously on the nose. He plunged aside,
slipped on the hard crust of the old snow
beside the road, and kceled over, carry
ing his rampant mate with him into the
ditch. They were powerful team be-
longing to Nellie's uncle, and were drag
ging an empty wood-sledge. Their
driver was hallooing in the distance, as
| ne ran Wearlly along.
Nellie pondered moment over the
success of her defense and gazed at the
quivering limbs of the foe, and then
turned back to Genevieve, painting. The
girls were on the bank at the other side
of the road.
Meantime, Balkan had but just looked
up, realized the peril and caught Gene
We've in his arms, while Morton threw
his weight wildly upon the young mans
struggling shoulders. It is always in
some such way that a person weak in
emergencies assists the real actors.
So swiftly do runaway horses proceed
that it only seemed an instant since Gen
evieve had tainted.
Now all the girls swooped down from
their perch helpfully, and surrounded
their pale friend, whose swoon was so
much in earnest that she had not stirred
an eyelash. Nellie seized Balkans hand
and told him she must speak with him
instantly.
"Did you offer yourself?" she severely
demanded, when she had led him, per-
emptorily, out of hearing of the others.
"No," he gasped, gazing blsnkly, as q
man does who is confronted with more
Greek than he is prepared for.
''Didn't you PROPOSED" exclaimed Mel
lie, in the same indignant tone, which
showed Balkan that he was criminal,
whichever way he pleaded.
ssDo explain!" he quavered, gently.
But Nellie was off to Genevieve with
impertinent haste, kneeling down at her
side, calling for soft snow from under q
drift and rubbing the beauty's temples
and lips with it, while she explained to
Morton how to get Gencvieve's hands
warm; much to his satisfaction, for she
did not object to his covering them with
kisses.
The teamster came up, and Nellie
found time to scold him for his stupidity.
II know you by sight, Jim," she said.
s:But that shan't save you. Go you shall
from my uncle's service"
"But, NIiss!'
:sNo 'buts'! You might have killed a
dozen people, you goose!"
GAS true as I live, Miss, I've always
heard as how horses will run in winter,
when the moon is near the full, as
its been proved this day! So crisp-like
everywhere, Miss, what can you expect
of them"
"Swear you'll never leave your horses
without tying them tight" commanded