Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-02-12

was thinking. Nov, Tn sure, ef Tom
Watkins hears I'm keepin' Abby away
from that city Teller on his account, he'll
speak right up soon, or he amt the hon
est chap | took him fer. He amt goin'
To lose herg don't think, but, oh, nv |!
be 10 slow, to be sure, in comm to tie
pint" As for Pa Tookius, he was Ut
| terly bewildered, and 50 held his peace
EMahad said Abby was goin' to the party
and then that she wasn't goin' Pa
Toxins believed these facts and asked
no questions. Abby. too, was silent.
She was listening TO the occasional rum
bic Of wheels and the sound of merry
voices, as some Of the village folks
drove by on their way out to the Wat
kinses, besides, Abby was thinking.
| At 8 o'clock that evening, after Pa
Toxins had read the prayers and Mother
Toxins bad said loud "Amen." Abby
babe them good night. yes" she knew
Il was early, but she was tired, so of
she went to her little room over the best
parlor, leaving her father aud mother
comfortably ensconced in the big Kitchen
armchairs. For awhile they talked and
nodded, nodded and talked, till finally
both fell into doze.
Half an hour later light step on the
front stair, that stair so seld ON used in
the old farmhouse, and an ominous creak-
ing OF the front door, opened hardly
from one years end to the other, told
that some one had gone out into the
uight.
IL was Abby, dressed in all her 6nory,
going to tho party. She would not let
all the other girls have Tom, when She
ah she knew how pretty she looked as
she stood before the little glass 10 her
room. This she had not forgotten to do,
in spite Of hor hurry---in spite of the
dread of being discovered, SO here she
was, walking alone on this dark, cloudy
night the mile between her own house
and neighbSr Watkins.
For awhile oil went we'll as she hur-
ried along the we'll known road. Then,
as she left the open country and entered
the wood, n gentle signing Of the trees
overhead and the occasional sound Of a
dead limb falling told this country girl
that storm was coming up.
She hurried on, breathless. excited.
thinking now of but one object: Of that
one purpose which for n week had filed
her whole soul--of seeing Tom that
night and having him see her; of hav-
ing him look Of her, know how beauti-
full she was, and then--of having him
tell her that he loved her; that she was
the only one he loved. Aud now the
wind was bowling through the trees aud
beating her back with terrific force.
Fiercer and isrcor it blew, until it
seemed as il the great trees were doing
battle, swaying. bending their mighty
trunks and pelting each other with their
shattered branches. On the girl went
through the storm, on, on, wild now,
hardly needing the fury about hor, de-
termined
Crash a falling limb struck her fall
upon the forehead. She sank with
cry, and then lay upon the road, quiet,
insensible to tho furious blasts of wind
and fearful sounds that filed the forest
Soon after, during lull in the storm,
rumble Of wheels sounded up tho road
a wagon drove up; in II were two men.
As they reached the dark form lying so
still, they stopped. One Of them, leap
ing 10 the ground, bent over the young
girl and lifted her head.
Here, driver" no said, get out and
help me lift this girl into tho wagon;
she's hurt. Thank heaven I didn't wait
IN the village all night How much
farther is il to this Watkins farm p no
added impatiently. as he tried to mako
the girl comfortable
Quarter Of a mile, SIR" the driver
replied, and once more they started on.
Five minutes later the wagon drew up
before the Watkins house. The merry
company within was disturbed by loud
knocking at the door. Mrs. Watkins
opened it, aud seeing who her visitor
was said Hospitality
ooh. you've come, sir! Why, We
thought you must ha' missed the night
train. Come right 10 out Of the
There's trouble out here" he inter.
rupted her.
What! young man coming from
the inner room exclaimed, and, without
waiting for coat and hat, be went out
with the stranger to the wagon.
And then be saw who il was that lay
there. Taking her in his strong arms,
he carried her gently into the house,
As the warmth and light touched her
Abby opened her eyes. For moment
she looked lovisgly into the young mans
face, and then said half dresmily.
"Oh. Tom is it you came TO SEQ
you through the storm. and now-I'm
happy" The little head fell upon bis
and again tho girl became ua-
conscious.
The next day Mrs. Toxins, her faco
lighted with happy smile, said TO Mrs.
Hopping, who came in TO inquire after
that dear child, Abby, "And 10 think
that II should oil hav ben brought bous
by that city chap"
mo-" says Mrs Sharp 10 her hu,-
band, ''yoa cannot fool me; il was |