Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-01-24
DON.
py ESTHER sERLE Kenneth.


.You are not afraid Z"
ma, .No. am not afraid"
once Bird Donaldson's eyes were as clear
[opa the starlight under which she stood,
.uphI onder and supple in her black habit,
,tb her lover and two horses. The
~, orse above them loomed silent and
attn, i'll Childreth's face showed pale I'M
osl or the slouched black hat he wore, as
how tossed her into the saddle. She
ressed his hand.
,u,. sDo not fear for me. 1 shall go
osso trough / will go with you any,
enin. there"
.na He held his arm about her in the sad
lie for moment, trying to say some
hing but he did not say it. He
M, ,1 urned and untethered his own horse,
,. ~ |aulted up, and the two stepped quietly
way over the grass. Suddenly Bird
81 rev rein. Her dog was following.
$50 back, Jack-O, go back, dear
70 '' lack" she said, sorrowfully.
s sla, The animal lay down on the ground
'i1' whining. The girls lip quivered in the
80 ~ arkness; the old dog was all she had
WV leave The gate was open, they
assel out
IAN ride on the sods at the side of the
living oa5 wbisneroa Chi16ratb "nn+;l wa
~, So Re out Of hearing; and save your horse
- l'''' much as you can Easy, Don"
ell The horse was large, and black, and
, ''s eautifnl and as he stepped out, the
- Tovpiug figure above his shoulders
open Pemeda part Of him One of the sad
aol les was new, and creaked little; it
nose eemed to Bird that the sound could be
o'''a card long way. When the road
w, ~a"' 1rned, she looked back at the house,
WIZ pd CHILDBIRTH looked back, too, but
A. pere were no lights to be seen, nor any
ged- PNe that sounded like pursuit, to be
las Fard. They broke into gentle lope.
eithe II We can get to the Strangers be-
'ulah re twelve o'clock, We are safe;" said
May lndreth. He was watching her
clio" rough the dusk, anxiously. Gently,
SIX tho on"
What time is it now?"
zen thd Nearly eleven
Jones How far is it?"
death1 Nine miles. Now we NAV ride
say so fter. Lift Don gently at the creeks.
lonsiy Yep nm Looping short and steady, or !
I'd the you cannot hold him"
l lneu1 lhey stretched off across the fields,
ri knew every step of the way.
ng OFT i 'l, 'hey came to the woods, she
u YOU =" nave n told you what every tree
} wood Inc road wound through almost
madam 'afAhess Honeysuckle was wet
, wortl NJ oeW' and they seemed to be in
Ther Ut OF sweets.
aplle :, "s'ef' sad CHILDBIRTH, suddenly.
} road '"e neafd 1t, too, that faint stroke of
oise ) moot In her fear, she was
. enough to touch Don with her
". ip tie plunged and kicked in q
step, 'A VI anger, and then stood still in
u tely defiance.
uoD '' iof Gods sake!" she pleaded.
nme '''' fearful moment she heard fall.
~ '0fhed her head. Childreth's sad
''S empty. She heard him moan
;.;.s, on the ground.
r +n;nI al instant she was on her feet
Get fol aa, among the wet grasses. She
great e. l''s mead to her knee, and kissed
Is aw '1se' Tie had tainted. She broke
lo1. '% ~ of dripping fern, and
that 'l'e dew upon his face. She
=, .om W ''ot see when his ewes onened
pee gony, ' '' ''A' tee'i
his one - 'eS IS broken; your horse kicked
the lor N'o i am helpless, and you
Wv ,y;,, 60 alone"
ere W Nlcre?n
" ''a log house on the banks Of the
;. M 2et An old man lives there who
~ praI ~. ' ~ cure OF you. Send me help
OF DIX ny Golr in agony.
;, c}ildreth" she sobbed
:. .olj io can lind it, for the road is
,s~ yon ON. "nt'l you come to the river"
.o,t pilv ~. vi commanding himself. "Then
posio,l, 7rn, 9l The rein; he has been there a
' 'ines with me. O, NV child,
alck this is dreadful,s
lad" l. Spfang up and vaulted into the
acco1s"' lie. They sped forth like an arrow
over stirred the rein, for no horse