Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-10-10

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equal to managing .ae most unruly OF
animals"
AT dusk the Squares long wagon rolled
up to the gate, the two great bays driven
by Little Musgrave, the Squire himself
being down to the spring to receive us.
We were last TO be picked up, the rest
having been collected on the way.
Ellen Bartlett was up on the high driver
seat, Lily and the widow either side of
Frank Barron and the rest piled in any
way. Tom gave one glance at Ellen and
sat down beside Lily, as nearest the rose,
probably, and Ned came next to me.
Then off we bowled at such a pace as
might have quickened the pulses of a
timid soul, but was acquainted with the
horses as well as the driver, SO it was
simply delightful and exhilarating.
"Who is this astonishing. Captain,
anyway" asked Ned, when the others
were busy chattering aro1nd us.
"Oh, he is an acquaintance of Aunt
Susanna's, whom Lucia met this winter
he is spending his leave of absence here
this year.
'Hml These army men are lucky
fellows with their vacationsl l wish
some of the rest of US had their chances, ~
, and Ned leaned forward with his hands
on his knees and gazed grimly down in
to the floor of the wagon. But he came
back with jerk when the jingle of the
horses bits came again close to our ears
for a moment, anl wanted to laugh,
but didn't dare to.
After two or three miles of straight
road we came to a stop before a gateway
IN the fence and then, turning abruptly,
plunged down little steep place into
deep woods. Here the road was narrow
and rather rongh, and the wagon gave
various lurches, calling forth slight
shrieks from Lily Bartlett and causing
the widow to pu. her hand on Frank
Barron's arm and to ask, in low tones, if
he was ''sure Mr.. Barron could manage
those great horses2'
"Little MAsgrave3 Why, he is the
crack whip of us all, Mrs. laramie; he
can manage any horse there is going"
"But he seems SO slight" WITH
glance up at Franks own broad shout
ders.
"0b, he's little fellow, bit he has
plenty Of muscle and pluck, too. Bat
you needn't worry, there isn't any
danger, anyway
Presently we saw a light cleaning
among the tree trunks before us aud the
horses coming to standstill, Little Mus
grave gave the word for disnou1ting.
The light proved to be a lantern hung
up for our benefit, and by its light we
picked our way slowly along, Indian
file, in the little path leading to the
brook. A few steps led US to the edge
of the bank, quite steep and higa just
here, and another lantern swinging from
the bough of tree showed us the Squirrels
huge figure standing at the foot of the
path waiting to give us each helping
hand as we clambarcd down to the step
ping s,ones, for we were to cross here to
the opposite side of the brook. Beyond,
on one OF the stones, midway the stream,
now stood Little Musgrave, Johnnie, as
his father always called him, his baptis-
nal name being John. How he ever
came to be Little Musgrave is more than
| know, except on account of his size.
The father and son were to see us safely
across the brook These two ALWAYS
worked together and strange contrast
they made, the Squire with his tall mas
siyc figune and handsome face, and Little
Musgrave, short and muscular, but with
out trace of beauty, unless it were in
the pleasant gray eyes, which always
seemed to be looking out for everybo iy's
wants. John was third of the five Bar
ron boys and he had been in his junior
year at Harvard, when the Squlre's health
gave out and he had come home to see
to things GA the place. That was five
years ago and John hal managed the
farm ever since, AMI beel chief of the
Barron establishment, Think there was
not n detail of the old place that Little
Musgrave did not know better than even
the Squire himself. But now they stool
ready for US to cross. Lucia was the
first Of the girls to start, aud az she can3
down the bank, aided by the Captain,
the Squire caught her hand and laaded
her safely on the rock beside him.
"All right, Captain, now just look ont
for Mrs. Laramie, will youi" aud the
Captain was forced to step back to the
widows assistance.
Lucia was usually wonderfully steady
on her feet, but to night, whether it was
the uncertain light, or the sight OF Ned
Villars, waiting TO give her his hand just
beyond, don't know, but she slipped
and would have gone headlony into the
brook, had not Little MusgraYe luckily
caught her arm and held her by dint OF
a good deal of ducking for himself.
Never mind that little bath! I'll dry
eff by the fire, you know" said he, 10
answer to Lucia's exclamation OF dismay,
as he shook himself aud handed her on
to Ned.
The rest of US went over without acct
dent and while we were crossing, there
came little cracking sound from up the
stream, and down the surface of the
water little dashes of yellow light began
to dance between the rocks. Looking
up to where the brook widened out into
large, clear pool of water, we gave a
shout as we saw, on a tiny spit of land
running ont from the wooded dge of
the pool, huge, dark pile of branches
with little ton cues of flame stretching
from it up to ward the moonligatcd sky.
The moon itself was not yet in sight.
Safely across we began vending oar
way up toward the fire, stopping every
now aud then to catch views of the love-
ly picture from between the great tree
trunks or under the arcaing boughs, as
the fire grew fcrcer and brighter. The
Squire's man drew great branches down
to the sand spit aal the Squire and Lit
tie Musgrave threw then on and kept
the flaming mass in order. Showers of
SPARKS an the tremendous cracking
noise gave, rs Ellen Bartlett said, 'sauite
4th of July effect to the scene" espe-
cially when Frank Barren's blue and
white striped tennis shirt and Lily's
scarlet gown came into view.
"What is Lucia doing7' heard some
one say, aud looking upl saw Ned stand
Ing on the opposite side of the brook
steadying a piece of log which he had
thrown across and upon which Lucia
was balancing herself to make the pas
sage.
I'VE arc going around to see the fire
and get view ofyou, too" she called
out when safely landed, and presently 1
saw them appear on the little sand spit
beside the fire. They made a pretty pic
ture, the fine figures lighted by the
flames, and we stood still watching them