Passaic City record., 1891-10-03

from it up toward the moonlighted sky.
The moon itself was not yet in sight.
Safely across we began vending our
way up toward the fire, stopping every
now and then to catch views of the love-
ly picture from between the great tree
trunks or under the arching boughs, as
the fire grew fercer and brighter. The
Squire's man drew great branches down
to the sand spit and the Squire and Lit
tie Musgrave threw them on and kept
the flaming mass in order. Showers OF
sparks and the tremendous cracking
noise gave, as Ellen Bartlett said, ''quite
a 4th Of July effect to the scene" espe-
cially when Frank Barron's blue and
white striped tennis shirt and Lily's
scarlet gown came into view.
"What is Lucia doing2" heard some
one say, and looking upI saw Ned stand
ing on the opposite side of the brook
steadying piece of log which he had
thrown across and upon which Lucia
was balancing herself to make the pas
sage.
1--WE are going around to see the fire
and get view ofyou, too," she called
out when safely landed, and presently I
saw them appear on the little sand spit
beside the fire. They made pretty pic
ture, the fine figures lighted by the
flames, and we stood still watching them
for moment, when suddenly I heard
the Barrons' man call out sharply and
saw the Squire pull Lucia back from the
fire. grew faint as saw the whole
back of the girls light summer habit in
flames. Ned was tearing off his coat to
strife them, and heard Frank Barron
calling out to put her into the water,
while Captain Custer-I have laughed
since in remembering how wild and des-
perate he looked-rushed recklessly
down to the edge of the pool as If about
to swim across to the scene of disaster.
But before any of these feats could be
performed, Little Musgrave seized the
mess of burning cloth, and with one
hand quickly swept the flames down off
it, and in an instant more all was calm
again except for the s'oh's" and 'sah's"
of relieved feeling that resounded from
all sides. I, of course, could not rest
until I had gone round to the spot and
examined Lucia for myself, to see that
she was really uninjured, which proved to
be the case except for little tremble ia
her voice and rather pale cheeks and
lips.
But soon the fire began to die down,
and as we stood watching the lessening
blaze and taking in the beau ty of the
enchanted picture, the Squire gave the
signal for starting, and we re luctantly
turned our back upon the dying embers,
while the moon slowly rose over the tree
tops to fill the place with her cool rays
instead of the ruddy beams of the fire.
As we came up to the starting place l
heard the arrangements being made for
Lily Bartlett to ride home with the Cap
tain and saw Ned Villars helping Lucia
up to the drivers seat, while he clam
bered up after her, the seat holding
three persons.
It was a delicious drive back through
the woods and the moonlighted road
and the vision of that bonfire danced
before my eyes all the way home and
even far into my dreams that night. At
our gate the party separated and Lucia
and going into the house ahead of the
Others, I turned in the hall, aud looked
at the girl. As I caught sight of her
brilliant, cleaning eyes and the tremu-
lous scarlet of her cheeks, could not
resisting putting my hands on her two
arms and exclaiming:
"Lucia, you have done it'll Which
one Is it2 Tell mel"
"Nonsense, you gocsiel neither of
them" And then she tipped my chin
up with her forefnger and kissing me,
turned and ran up stairs to get rid of
the burned and dilapidated habit. I did
not believe her, and when she had come
down, fifteen minutes later, dressed in
soft pearl colored tea-gown, and Tom
had taken his cigar round on the little
side piazza, I slipped into the library
and dropped into the big armchair BY
the window 10 think it over and dream
about the fire. Presently heard foot
fall on the gravel outside, and looking
out from the darkened room, saw two
figures meet and stand beneath the shade
of the TROLLS over the gate. could dis
tinguish the flowing folds of Lucia's
gown, but the deep shadow cast by the
woodbine hid the outlines of the othel
figure. Then I saw Lucia bend hei
pretty head and lift hand-not hes
own-to her lips. I knew was vii
liam, but for the life of me could moi
help looking for that one moment. Ifit
had been light I should have torn my
eyes away; but which was it7 Was il
the Captain, or could Ned Villars have
slipped away and around from the piazza
so quickly7 My conscience fairly pricked
me like needles. started to cover my
eyes, but just then tiny whiff Of wind
blew the leaves of the vine and shower
of silvery moonlight fell through. II
lighted up the other figure. 1t had not
the broad shoulders of the Captain, but
neither had it the blonde beard and
slender height of Ned villars. 1 stared
for one instant and then fell back in my
chair, limp with astonishment. 1t was
Little Musgrave. Farm, Field and