Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-12-14
CHAPTER L.

cn 3D.! Of a girl reading, curled up in
faI, Of q deserted old barn.
Fner :" nngrv tones. she closed her
the a1 a Sigh, and rising slowly,
G Ser way the step-ladder that led
me barn to the yard.
',! .nan stood there-a coarse, stout
W. O With arms akimbo.
E Y, ave you been, idle vagrant
I9' are2" she cried loudly, as the
,rept down the ladder.
't .bn barn" Alice answered.
,bc barn, indeed, indeed. I'll
.h VI. door locked that | will, Or
M INK know the reason why. boy
I've got nothing to do but keep
Good and drink-to let you idle
5 I" through as you like? If
you're mistaken finely, [ can
~ stood silent rs the angry wo-
Dnojdcd on; her small hands We're
Cd tight together, Il mute look
pn her face. 49,.
i hot do YOU want me for::'' she
at last.
conan ceased. Never before
romcmbrance had Alice taken
] c1Hng so quietly.
If on your hat. and carry me this
# NJ to Mrs. Grey at the castle; it
4 to have been there this hour
the castle" faltered Alice,
s kline back; Tonight? Oh, Aunt
5ha,," w
hat, are you frightened?' said
Martha Brown with an angry
What aye YOU tit for, Alice!
heads Just stuffed with all the
rsn Won can Get out of books. Off
r9u, Here's the basket.
(, 50 dark, murmured the girl,
81 her GREAT eyes wander from the
d 10 the deserted country lane.
.heu there's 'Madman's Drift to
s rI. what Of it," asked the other,
inc down the basket-lid vigor-
"A place where Il mailman put
d to his life. Dead men do no
i YOU poor foot"
,rshuddered. but there was no
#otmercy i'll her aunt 5 face.
8 i've me the basket" she said, sud
ANY messages
o unless you ask Mrs. Grey when
ants the next lot of egg. Now,
q stay long; there's the boys sup
Il get, aud I'm worked to death. "
ice turned away without a word.
puIIed her thin cotton Jacket close
her supple young figure, for the
hNuight9truck chilly. and stepped
81 he lane.
ID thoughts were Il tangled mass as
Bwried along: anger and wearie-
Sot spirit, as her mind turned to
haunt, under whose care she had
8 ever since she could remember;
B noiutment at leaving the beautiful
] in her hook, and fright of the
s. oaely path which grew greater
8ery step she took.
n, il sam were only here she
y 10 herself as she hurried on, not
b 10 glance to the right or the
pr fear of seeing phantom forms
i vid imagination supplied.
was one Of the farm helps.
.er any Other circumstances
would have stunned him, but
She would have welcomed him
openar
LETT the lane and approached an
gis.e of land.
& the dreaded Mailman Drift.
lojen break in the road at one
Bowed steep incline and chasm,
which the unfortunate man who
his name 10 the spot had sought
Pa,h.
&c crcpt towards the dreaded
Quivering with tear.
hough grown out of her child
she still lived in a world of
evil spirits, and phantoms.
she stole through the dusk, with
|a!e face pecping from beneath the
Of golden Curls, her small hand
l'ng the basket rs if for support,
cooked almost a fairy herself Il
re trail flower to belong to so
ana common woman as the
i WIFE she called aunt.
me village girls regarded this
slender creature with contempt.
aS SO white and poor-loOking be-
'ner buNom charms fit for
- but books.
= needed not their CONTEMPT.
ouio have been happy with her
~ COOKS, but she had q hard life
lung but seedlings from Martha
l ]eerS from the boys and maids
me farm for her strange, quiet
ana heavy work for her Young
when brought tears often to her
ii" eyes and Il sob from her lonely
- work was over and she was
] III oed, she turned once more to
'o,eu BOOKS, and her mind was
tN0 with weird stories of knights
">'"'ry that pleased and excited
I y'eDt past the Madman's Drift
used eyes, and gave u sigh of
> "hen she was once more safe
arms ached, her limbs trcmbled
v' 'Ncltement and exertion. and
| cps grew slower as she entered
,o0 which led to the back of the
i ~ ,rnIy' as her heart was growing
t.. LED 1t gave one leap into her
SNe clutchcd her basket, stag
~ y " ree, and then waited and
rapid thump, thump. of her
, p"S the only sound in her ears at
s. IA Il came more terrible ones
4 SFoans and confused noises,
i ~ neiore her she saw two men,