The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-07-13
Our Sons amo Girls.
A Little Girls Adventure.


of trees. and wiped the perspiration
from her heated brow.
1t was warm day, even for the
month of June. Vague thoughts of
sun-stroke and dread of thunderstorm,
which had been coursing through the
child's mind for the last hour or two,
were now almost dispeled by the cool,
grateful shade of hemlocks.
Naomi, Hates sleek bay, appeared
equally thankful for rest, and gave ex-
preston to her feelings by low whin-
ney of satisfaction. The girl dis
mounted and proceeded to brush the
flies from her dumb companions glossy
coat.
Twenty miles from homel" muir.
INJURED she, whereat Naomi turned her
head and gave the speaker an intelli-
gent look out of her great brown eyes,
quite as though she understood the sig
niflcance of the words and had caught
the half-smothered sigh which &C
companied them. 1t was, indeed, a
long way for child of twelve years to
have come alone, and upon such an i'm
portant mission; but Kate was q plucky
girl and not in the least homesick nor
at all afraid of anything but certain
tiny black cloudlet in the west, a cloud
no bigger than mans hand" IL was
the prophecy of storm, and thunder
shower meant unutterable things to
Kate Tynedale.
She wouldn't have started out to-day,
but her father was sick and, Mr.. Stein
felt's note being due, the old gentleman
wanted his money. Securely buttoned
inside the little girls gray basque were
the two hundred dollars which was to
cancel her fathers Indebtedness.
"Quite a fortune" thought she,
feeling very womanly over the trust
reposed in her.
There had been a commotion in the
Tynedale household the previous even
ing, when Kate had announced her
willingness to 90 over to Rydal with
the money. Mrs. Tynedale promptly
declared that such thing wasn't to be
thought of for moment; but her hus-
band laughed in good-natured way,
and asserted that it was capital idea,
and he would sooner trust his boy than
any man in the neighborhood. He
often called Kate " his boy" partly be-
cause of the assistance she rendered
him about the farm work, but chiefly in
consequence of the skilful management
of his horse;
In the end Mr.. Tynedale and Kate
had carried the day. So here she was
at noontide, but ten miles from her des-
tination. She had been over the road
but once before, and that was some
years back; but she remembered every
crook and turn of the entire distance
perfectly. Directly ahead of the place
where she had halted lay long stretch
of unbroken, uninhabited woodland.
A timid person would, doubtless, have
been affrighted at the prospect, but our
young friend hadn't thought of fear.
Her courage was soon to be brought
to test.
After brief pause, she left Naomi
and climbed to the summit of gently
rising knoll beside the way to get bet
ter view of the western sky. Behold
the threatening cloud had entirely dis
appeared, drfted away down behind
the blue hills. Kate drew q breath of
relief and ran back to the foot of the
hill.
You shall have nice, long rest
Naomi!" exclaimed she, patting the
arched neck of her favorite.
Threading the ravine below flowed a
shallow stream, the sparkle of whose
sunlit waves came up through darkly
interlacing branches of evergreen like
CLEANS of silver. Thither Kate led her
steed. After quenching her thirst al
the brook the mare turned about and
began cropping the tender green vege-
tation which fringed its banks, while
her mistress sat down upon a messy
bank to partake of the lunch which
careful mother Tynedale had prepared
for her.
Fully an hour they had remained
there, the little girl stretched at full
length upon her NOISY couch, hall
asleep, Naomi grazing near at hand
Suddenly Kate sat up, very wide
awake. Her quick ear had caught the
sound of horses hoofs. Yonder, ur
the highway, two men were approach,
ing. Both travellers were provided
with horses, though but one was
mounted. The other picked his way
carefully along, evidently searching fol
something. What that something was
interested the child greatly. She fell
of the precious envelope in her bosom
and wished heartily that it were safe il
Mr.. Steinfet's keeping.
Slowly the men neared the group O.
trees under which she had first halted
following her very track, she could hav,
averred. They stopped directly, ant
dismounted. Then began a doubl,
sharp investigation of the ground. GU
brave lass felt that it was high time fo
action. Catching Naomi by the bridl,
she led the unresisting animal dowI
into the stream, resolved that no trace
of their flight should remain. Their
she sprang into the saddle, and, touch
ing her lightly with the whip, guided
the beast as silently as possible up tn,
creek.
A few hundred yards above sh
headed her for low bank on the sid
nearest to the highway. A moment late
she and the horse were safe behind
friendly screen of small trees. Hastil,
tying the halter to sapling she stolI
cautiously through the underbrush to
point near the spot where she had las
seen the men. They were still there
but evidently contemplated a move O