The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-03-07
"You hersg, she spoke almost asr0s.


roots of his black hair.
What you follerin' me for3' she
asked savagely.
Then he did look surprised, for ia
him it had seemed just the other way
and when he first caught glimpse OF
her dress through the trees, his heart
gave sudden bound, and, for an in
slant only, he hattered himself she
came because he was there; but 1t was
only for an instant. He made no re-
ply as he pushed the boat into the
water and threw the chain in, prepar-
ing to follow.
"Yore allua in my way" she said
roughly.
He looked up quickly.
''Am I?' deeply.
"Yas, allus an allus. / wish you'd
go away so fur t I'd never see you
ag'in."
She sat down and buried her face in
her hands.
do you RELY mean that, Wylie
Adams2" he asked, as he stepped into
his little skiff.
s'Yas," she nodded, s'I do;" and then
she heard tine soft dip of the oars as
the boat went from shore, and NIP
gave low, piteous whine, then all
was still. Presently the head that was
buried in the long, brown hands fell
over to one side and rested against the
trunk of tree, and Wylie Adams slept
while the dog lay doing at her side.
Voices awoke her, and, scrambling to
her feet, she saw her father, with the
handsome stranger, coming towards
her. Again the pitiful blush mounted
her cheeks, and with one bound she
was out of sight, and flying like a
frightened bird through the trees and
thick underbrush. When she reached
her humble home again, she paused at
the watering trough and bathed her
face, hands and feet
Mother she said, coming close tc
her side where she sat in the open
door, I'm sick, can't I put on my
shoes?F
Mrs Adams looked up quickly; she
was rough and uncouth, but the mother
heart was there.
II d'clar fer't, We look sick. Whar ye
bin SO airly, Wylie?"
Down yonder,' the girl answered,
nodding towards the creek; and, gain
ing her mothers consent to don her
footwear, she fastened up to the loft
and put on her one pair of best stock
ings, mixed red and blue wooden,
and her coarse cowhide shoes, changed
her apron, smoothed out her hair and
came back and sat down in a chair
near the fireplace. The weather was
still warm and balmy, but abe felt
chilled through.
None too soon, for her father and Mr..
Howard Arson, the stranger, came in
almost instantly.
Whats up?' her father asked,
seeing his daughter in holiday attire,
while Mr.. Arson, noticing the change,
was too we'll bred to evince any sur.
prise; but he thought:
why, she is quite pretty" and then
forgot all about her.
I'm afeerd she's SICK, Mrs. Adams
answered solicitously, and laid her
coarse hand very gently upon the girls
hot forehead.
.'Oh, reckin not said father, and
turned his attention to his guest, who
began making inquiries about procur-
ing employees to fell the trees and pre-
pare the ground for building
II know Of one, and he's a sumner
for work. Mr.. Adams answered, land
thet's Beechnut Lord. Wylie here kin
tell you that, " he chuckled, while his
daughter frowned and turned her burn
ing face away; then, after filling his
pipe, he continued: 'sAn' there's lots
more. Beech knows lots of fellers up
the creek" while Wylie's flashing eyes
spoke volumes.
''How I hate EN- both, . she thought,
meaning Mr.. Arson and Beechnut
Lord, the young frontiersman, who
would have given his life for hers. with
ali her willful caprices.
Wylie Adams and Beechnut Lord had
grown up side by side on the little
woodland farms owned by their
parents, and each was an only child
Wylie's was a nature always at wal
with itself. and yet, though she stune
him with taunts and treated him worse
than her dog, Beeehnut toiled for her,
waited upon her, and loved her with
dumb, hopeless sort of devotion.
worthy Of any woman's love, one might
have said a better cause: but there
were deep wells In Wylie Adams ne-
ture, all unfathomed, and her capabili-
ties for good and usefulness, and kindly
returns were great. Spoiled in one
sense, she had become little tyrant.
Beechnut Lord would long ago have
turned his eyes and heart in another
direction had it not been for the rare
intervals of kindly liberation which
lifted him to the seventh heaven, only
to make him her willing slave and
adorer again.
That day Wylie learRAa that Mr.. An
SOD Mas to board with her parents for
several weeks, as Mr.. adams house
waa esnearest Of access bis build
ing sfte. and, although everYthing was
Of the plainest and coarsest, Mrs.
Adams was very neat, and the young
millionaire was sensible and content
The next morning Wylie went about
the house as usual. but she still wore
her shoes and stockings. When Mr.
Arson returned to his supper that
evening, there was q different light in
his eyes, and he regarded the girl
curiously.
AS day after day passed by, Wylie's
repugnance to HIM grew less, until she
began to long for his presence. His very
indifference drew her towards him.
She began to do many little favors for
him, which he seemed to take as mat
ter of course.
Poor child, she did not consider
wealth, education, station or power as
anything to be wished for, or as bar
rier between herself and anything that
she desired. She frequently gathered
fresh flowers and placed them in his
room, but he always gave her mother
the thanks for being SO kind, and said
nothing to her Strange to say, she did
not feel piqued-her heart sank and q
great loneliness stole over her.
Child-like and ignorant, and wholly
innocent of any wrong. she began dog
ging his footsteps, and lying in wait
for him as 1t were, only that she might
be near him. If he noticed 1t, he did
not appear to at first. but he began to
frown at her finally, and then the hot
tears sprang to her eyes and she hid in
the bushes, and watched him from her
little window In the loft, fairly devour-
ing him with her gaze.
Matters continued In this way for
some time, Mr.. Arson not being able
TO ret awav as soon as he expected.
Wylie began to droop. and grow pale
and spiritless, and yet in all this time
she had never once given Beechnut
Lord one thought
whats become of BeechnutS" her
mother asked her, and she answered:
II dunno ner don't keer."
"Wall, thet's singler," Mrs. Adams
replied. you RELY don't know"
mo. sharply.
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