Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-11-09

sacks and followed. The light OF morn
Ing was fair and tender. The autumn
colors were exhilarating. White frost
shone ennn the slopes and glimmered
xfsE every Leaf In INC groves.
These were the-manor lands. Esd
spot Edwin Brothertoft remembered as
a scene OF his childhood's discoveries OF
facts and mysteries In nature. They
walked on for an hour. and Brothertoft
grew almost gay with memories OF his
youth.
"Do you see that white shining
through the trees?" said Jierck, halt
ing. ATS the river. Ten steps and
you'll see the house. Now, Major, I'll
go.and look after my boys and CONS 1t
noon for your orders"
Jierck turned back into the wood.
Major Skerrett stepped forward eager
". He had an eye for q landscape. de
had, also, soldiers eye for every new
bit OF possible battlefield.
Ten steps brought him to the edge OF
the slope. A transcendent prospect
suddenly flung out its colors before
him. First was stripe OF undRlatlng
upland thoroughly Octobered. Then q
stripe OF river, bending like belt in
flag that a breeze is twisting between
its fingers. Then beyond highlands,
not so glowing as the foreground, nor
so sparkling blue as the blue water. nor
so simple as the sky, softly combined
and repeated all the elements OF beauty
before him.
He turned to give and take sympathy
from his companion. Mr.. Brothertoft
was not beside him. He had seated
himself within cover Of the wood.
Come out, sir!" called Skerrett with
enthusiasm. "I am so bewildered with
this beautiful prospect that l need to
hear another mans superlstivs to sat
isfy me am not in dream. Come out,
sir! We are quite safe"
The day wore on, and in this pause
of action the two gentlemen opened
their hearts to each other.
1t was the intercourse OF father ana
son. Each wanted what the other gave
him.
The fatherless junior felt his mind
grow deeper with man who had
touched bottom In thought. He was So
bered and softened by the spectacle OF
one so faithful to the truth that was In
him, so gentle, so indulgent, weakened
perhaps by sorrow, but never soured.
The sonless junior said: "Ah, Skier
rett! you are the young oak. II | had
had YOU to lean upon 1 should not have
lost force to climb and bloom. Such a
merry heart as yours makes the whole
world laugh-not empty laughter, but
hearty"
At noon Jierck Dewitt came to re-
port. He and the boys were safely hlo
In his fathers barn.
"Ike mostly sleeps" says Jlerck.
''Sam plays old sledge with dummy
and Hendrecus is writin' something In
short lines all beginning with big let
ters-poetry perhaps. He's an awful
great scholar"
Their plans were again discussed and
orders issued.
"Well," said Jlerck. ':as dusk I'll have
nv men ap4 fathers runt pony for the
prisoner 10 straddle down at the forks
GU road waiting for you. Nothing
can stop US now but one thing"
"And that?" asked the major.
"Is Lady Brothertoit. II she sus-
picions anything before we're ready to
run IL will be all up with us-halter
round our necks and all up among the
acorns."
So Jierck, still "stlff as the lord chan
cellor," and yet timber as a snake In the
grass, took his departure.
Afternoon hours went slower Than
the morning hours. :,
1.-THE sun always seems to me to hold
back in going down hill, Skerrett SAID
al wish he would tumble to bed faster.
am impatient to make our success
sure"
"Your sturdy confidence treasures
me-" returned Brothertoft. 81 am happy
there is one Of US whose heartoeats Will
not unsteady him. lose hope when !
think what failure means to my daugh'
ter"
"I must keep myself the cool out
slider, with only knight Grants share
in this adventure" Peter said.
A hard task he found thisl The
father so charmed him that he felt him
self, for his sake, taking very tender,
fraternal interest in the young lady.
II was so easy TO picture her In her
chamber, not mile away, looking
tearfully for help toward the hills. IL
was so easy to fancy her face-her
fathers, with the bloom OF youth In
stead OF the shades OF sOrrow-and her
character-her fathers, with all this
gentleness that perhaps weakened him,
i'm her but sweet womanliness. Peter
Skerrett perceived TO the full the ro-
nance OF the adventure. He frequently
felt the undeveloped true lover
in him grew FESTIVE. lie thought that
he was all the time putting down that
turbulent parsonage. Perhaps he was.
But IL must be avowed that be often re-
GREETED his mustache, desplsed his Ill
fitting coat and only consoled himself oy
recalling, at will be night and she will
only half see me-" As evening approach
cd Peter Skerrett perceived that his de-
sire TO redeem this fair victim from
among the bad and the base was be-
coma a passion, He also noticed that
its fervor kept him cool aud steady.
Silent sunset came. The crisis drew
near. Doubts began To curdle In Edwin
Brothertoft's mind. He looked over the
broad landscape aad along the solemn
horizon, and all his own past spread be-
fore him, sad colored and dreary.
"Ah, my beautiful childhood" ne
Thought. "Ah my ardent youth, my
aspiring manhood, my defeated prime
NV life utterly defeated, as the world
measures defeat-and all through her
All through her, the woman l loved
with my whole heart! Please God we
NAV not meet tonight Please heaven
we NAV never meet until her dark hour
comesl Please heaven that when the
loneliness OF sin comes upon her ant
- ,-iserv ~ O worse defeat than aDV