Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-03-21

| glance et him nom undcr ner long
lsshes. "By the bye. have you got
match about your
"what on earth do you want II forr'
says he, giving her some wax lights ont
Of o little silver boz ~ he speaks "Go-
ing to have Z cigarcttcy
''Nonsensel feel - II want to set
Gre to some Of those dry little bunches
Of grass: fairy tufts we used to call
them long ago. They would burn bean.
tifully today. the sun Il 20 hot"
"Well, don't set hre to yourself, what
ever You do" says he thoughtlessly.
Once again they kiss and this time real.
ly part.
Letitia stands watching him till he u
out Of sight. standing on tiptoe ~ he
gets over the wall to blow 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 tufts Of grass arc
growing. Lighting one Of her matches,
she kneels down and sets fre to the tuft
nearest her. II used to be an amuse-
ment Of hers In her childhood. and she v
not yet 10 far removed from thoss days
m to have lost all childish fancies. Bit
ting down on the side Of Q tiny hillock
st distance, she watches the dancing
Aames-so small. 20 fickering. 20 harm
less.
She leans back against the bank be-
hind her and crosses her white arms be-
hind her head. What . day II is-most
heavenly sweet-quite drowsy day.
How lovely that light smoke is climbing
slowly uphill and failing away among
the young beech trees above. And the
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
man! No-woman this time. All. sh!
In this case woman has come the front
at all events. She had been reading
about the emancipation Of women last
night and hal laughed II. After all,
she didn't want to be emancipated. She
only wanted Jack to love her always
nothing more. Perhaps the other queer
women only meant that, too, only they
hadn't found their Jacks yet. Pouf!
How warm II Is!
Gradually her head sinks back upon
her arms. her eyelids droop over the soft,
clear eyes. How delicious 1t is here!
How cozyi Again the eyes open. but
very lazily this time. See how the little
insects run to and fro over her white
frock. 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 reso,
lutely: she leans back. Sleep has caught
her.
So sound indeed Is her slunber 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 creep
ing every moment closer to the thin.
white frock. Now they have touched
her foot and have 80 far penetrated the
thin slipper rs to make her unpleasantly
warm. but not enough to waken her.
She only turns q little and sighs; but
now
Now she springs to her feet with an af.
frighted scream. Smoke! Smoke every
where! And what is thiscreeping mp the
front Of her gown A thread Of fire. II
blows upon her face. She recoils from
II, but Il follows her. Madly she lifts
her hands and tries to beat II back. The
men! the men at the fence! Where aro
theyl Alas. they have all gone to din
nerl Once again a frantic cry bursts
from her lips.
Il Ia answered. At this moment Har
linge reaches her. and fingtng of his
coat he catches her In 1t. Folding II
round her, he holds her as II In wise.
What brought him back (beyond the
mercy Of Cody he never knew. except
that those last words Of his, Don't set
tire to yourself. at all events. had seemed
to haunt him after he left her. A fool
ish fear about the words had touched his
lovers heart and compelled him to mount
wall and look back. In moment he
had seen.
He quenched the flames In miracu.
lously short time. Letitia Is able to stand
up and answer family his passionate
questions 10 her safety. when suddenly n
voice strikes upon them that renders
both dumb.
Il Is the voice of Miss cambridge. She
has been toiling up the hill. She looks
almost distraught.
"Oh, sir" cries she. catching Letitia III
her arms, IL saw all. I thought ] should
have died. Oh. my girl. my darling
childr" She spent her whole life tor.
,nenting Letitis. but Letitia for all that
Is the apple OF her eye. "Oh, sir, how
can thank your The gratitude OF my
life Ia yours-the preserver OF my pretty
child" Then the old lady burst out
CRYING. Half an hour ago she would
have died rather than tell 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 moro
service to the immeasurable one you have
already done me-" says she softly. "you
will help me to get my poor child hack
to the house"
"But," begins Hardinge. II seems
wrong to him. even ut this supreme mo-
ment, to deceive the old lady, to 30 into
her house under false pretenses. II she
knew his name. a little pressure from
| the hand of Letitia decides him. How
can he have scruples when she Ii so III.
80 frightenedy
Silently he passes his arm around her,
and with her aunt takes her back tc
the house. They lay her on q sofa. Miss
cambridge filings rug over her burned
iress.
"She must rest here little before 20
ing up stairs" says she.
"Aiiss Cambridge. says the young man,
now turning with determination towar'
her, Ill wish to say
"Sir, II Is what I have to say" say'
Miss Banbridge with emotion. ~ have
not half thanked you. How can II u
there Ia anything can do-any way in
which can show my gratitude to you
pray name II. In the meantime pray
tell me the name Of the brave man who
has delivered my niece from the very
jaws Of deathr'
"Hariinge," says he shortly.
"Whatr' Miss Banbridge has fallen
back In her chair. staring at him With
wild eyes.
.Yes. HardinRe." says the young mar