The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-07-05
: Then l don't know what's going to be

opouNiAsll. auu ho"f JAM -NO A@eA
better 90. She is sure to come here pres
emily to see how the men are getting on
with that fence. You know what an ex-
cellent weman of business she is. If she
caught you here
There would be wigs on the green, "
says jack, laughing. well, goodby-
for awhile. L suppose if L come back
again this evening shall lind you here
'Yes-oh, yes Jack, DO take care.
The men will see YOU"
Not they" says Jack, kissing her
again. "And you-what are you going
to do while I'm away ="
Think of you,' with little saucy
glance at him from under her long lash
rs. by the bye, have You go, match
about you?"
"What on earth do you want it for?"
saws he, giving her some wax lights out
out of little silver box IS he peaks.
4Going to have cigarette ?"
Nonsense feel as i'll want to set
fire to some of those dry little punches
Of grass; fairy tufts wo used to call them
long ago. They would burn beautifully
to-day, the sun is so hot"
well, don't set lire to yourself, what
ever you do" says he thoughtlessly.
Once again they KISS and this time really
part.
Letitia stands watching him till he is
out Of sight, standing on Gp.oe as he gets
over the wall 10 blow d last kiss To him.
Then coming out from the shelter OF her
trysting place she walks into The old
meadow, now beaten down save where
the Tall, coarse tuiIs OF grass are growing.
Lighting one of her matches, she kneels
down and sets ire 10 the tufI nearest
her. Ii used 10 be an amusement OF hers
IN her childhood, and she is not yet so
lar removed from those days AS to have
lost all childish fancies. sitting down
on the side Of a tiny hiliock at distance,
she watches the dancing flames-so small
50 small, 50 iiickering, 50 harmless.
She leans back against the bank be-
hind her and crosses her white arms be-
hind her head. What day it is-most
heavenly sweet-quite drowsy day.
How lovely that light smoke is climbing
slowly uphill and fading away among
the young beech trees above. And tine
little flames, like fairies dancing. Per
hAps they are fairies who dwell in those
old tufts. No wonder they are dancing
with rage evidently. Their strong
holds are seized, destroyed by the tyrant
mani No-wOman tins time. All, al
In this case woman has come the front
al all events. She had been reading
about the emancipation Of woman last
night and had laughed over it. After all
she didn't want 10 be emaacipated. She
only wanted Jack 10 love her always
nothing more. Perhaps the other queer
women only meant that. too, only they
hadn't found their Jacks yet Poufl
How warm It is
Gradnally her head sinks back upon
her arms, her eyelids droop over the soft,
clear eyes. How delicious it is here
How cozy Again the eyes open, but
very lazily this time. See how the little
insects run to and fro over her white
froek, hither and thither, all in search
of the great want-fOOd-A passing
thought makes her laugh indolently. She
hopes they will not make food Of her.
And then the eyelids close resolutely
she leans back. sleep has caught her.
So sound indeed is her slumber that
she does not know that now the little
black insects are rushing over her, not in
search of food, but of safety-safety from
the tiny hot flames that are creeping
every moment closer TO the thin, white
frock. Now they have touched her foot
and have so far penetrated the thin slip
per as to make her unpleas1ntly warm,
but not enough to waken her. She only
turns little and sighs; but now,
Now she springs to her feet with an az
where And what is this creeping up the
front other gown? \ thread Of lire. u
blows upon her face. She recoils from
it, but it follows her Madly she lifts
her hands and tries to beat it back. The
men the men at the fence Where are
they Alas, they have all gone to din
ner. Once again frantic cry bursts
from her lips.
1t is answered. At this moment Har-
dinge reached her, and finging of his
coat he catches her in it. Folding it
round her, he holds her as if in wise.
What brought him back beyond the
mercy ofGod) he never knew, except
that those last words OF his, Don't set
fire to yourself at all events" had SEEM
ed to haunt him after he left her. A fool
Ish fear about the words had touched his
lovers heart and compelled him to mount
a wall and look back. In a moment he
had seen.
He quenched the flames in a miracu-
lously short time. Letitia is able to
stand up and answer family his passion
ate questions to her safety, when sud-
denly voice strikes upon them that
renders both dumb.
1t is the voice Of Miss Banbridge. She
has been toiling up the hill. She looks
almost distraught.
~0h, sir" cries she, catching Letitia in
her arms, q saw all. l thought l should
have died. Oh, my girl. my darling
child~ She spent her whole life tor
menting Letitia. but Letitia for all that
is the apple Of her eye. ~Oh, sir, how
can thank you? The gratitude of my
life is yours-the preseryer of my pretty
child" Then the old lady bursts out
crying. Half an hou- ago she would have
died rather than told Letitia she was
pretty, but now she lays many offerings
at her feet. Poor feet. They might have /
been burned. "If you will add one more |
service TO the Unreasonable one you have |
already done me-" says she softly, "you |
will help me to get my poor child back |
to the house"
"But," begins Hardinge. 1t seems
wrong to him, even at this supreme mo-
ment, to deceive the old lady, to 90 into /
her house under false pretenses. If she |