The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1893-05-25

stranger" hesitatingly began Ferril,
overcome by the sternness of her tone.
''You'll find him at the bottom of that
SLOPE" replied Lois, ''where he has
suffered all day with a broken leg.
Any vengeance you want you can
probably get.''
''Come on now" she ordered, when
the men had indicated their surprise.
They followed her and by the light of
hastily improvised torch carried the
stranger to his cabin and laid him on
the bed of pine boughs that the place
afforded.
McGrath was sent on the swiftest
horse in the lot for a physician and the
others remained to watch with the suf-
ferer.
The man had picked up the bundle
dropped beside him by Lois when she
found him. The cover had come off and
the contents were clasped close to his
breast.
Lois noticed the action, as by the,light
of Pickering candle she arranged the
few household appliances of the room.
Then she took the light and turned
to the stranger to see if he needed any,
thing that she could prepare for him.
Ferril did not notice it, the men did
not notice it, but pallor crept over
the woman's face that left it like mar
BILE. She gasped a little for breath,
then withdrew to shadow and watched
the face of the stranger so peculiarly
brought into her life.
When the doctor arrived he found
that he had a pretty sick patient, ex-
posture in the damp ravine having had a
bad effect on the wound.
you've got a siege of it," he re-
marked, land 1 wish you could be
moved to more comfortable quarters -
81 agree with you,' replied the other.
81 would like to be down where these
flowers came from, myself" he added,
caressing the bundle which Lois had
carried. The fragrant roses chung close
: ly to the pale cheek and enhanced the
strength of the fair but manly face.
"Where is that?'
''Down in old Virginia, where grew
to manhood-oh, know these we'll"
Lois had crept closer and closer until
her eager face was at the side of the
rude bed. Her eyes, lighted by strange
longing, seemed to burn into those of
the speaker.
She forgot maidcnly modesty in the
intensity of her feelings and remem-
bered only the personality of the one
before her.
| When she spoke it was hoarselv;
"You lived in Virginia-and your name
is-what?''
Harold Brooks" was the calm reply.
A twinge of pain prevented his looking
directly at her.
''And you do not know MOI"
'Why, You are the woman who found
me in the ravine You have been my very
kind and" Then as his eyes sought
the face so close before his own: 81
know you-yes, Lois! Dotard, that I
did not realize your presence before
1t was perhaps little embarrassing
to the roomful of men to see Lois hide
her face on the shoulder of the patient
while two strong arms embodied her
waist. They were not used to witness
ing reunions of lovers.
Brooks realized it, and, putting the
woman from him, remarked: "Gentle-
men, we two were boy and girl lovers
back among the hills of Virginia. I
went into the union army, her father
sided with the other forces, and have
not seen her for sixteen years."
''Why didn't you come back?'' asked
Lois. This first question that came to
her mind opened the whole story.
Come back? did, but it was after
many years. Wounded and left on the
field of battle, I lay there until the
armies had passed on. Then some kind
hand lifted me, and for weeks was
looked after by thoughtful family of
the neighborhood. When 1 had re-
covered, reentered the service, went
on south, my strength gave out and
again I was dependent on the bounty
OF the warm-hearted people for life
When long after the close of the war l
was myself again made my way north
and searched Tor. you, but you had gone
westr-n0body knew where. became
q prosPector and wanderer, and here I
aM,"
ae reached out hia arm and drew
; LOIS ae'wp beaida him, '',rhsae flowers