The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-03-09

filled with look which told the feeling
tugging at her heart.
She made her way down the ravlne
till she came to a creek, the banks Of
which were clayey and soft.
"Here they are, just where l saw
them week ago" she said aloud, as she
stopped and looked at certain impres-
sions in the yielding ground. "They are
bear tracks, but they wouldn't tell
mother anything in her present state of
mind. Bears visit larders and play
havoc there, and feast of pumpkin pies
would tempt them. But I'll write Josh
not to come to see me till / send for
him, for l don't want him to meet
mother very soon"
Rachel did that that very day. In the
solitude of her little chamber she wrote
a letter to her sweetheart, telling him
that he might postpone his regular visit
for fortnight, aud ended by saying
that she would explain all when they
met again. This letter she entrusted to
her brother Jack, who went to town es-
pecially to post it, and Rachel felt that
she had done her duty.
| In anticipation of the travelling par
sons visit, more pies were baked and
closely guarded. When the parson came
they were set before him, and received
the praise they so well deserved.
"You never have trouble with your
pies, Mrs. Palmer" said the shepherd of
the backwoods flock, as he helped him
self to & second piece.
Eyes, but we have, Brother Linton.
We miss them from the larder before we
are ready to eat them. l regret to say
that we have some unregenerate people
in this neighborhood who are so fond of
pumpkin pies that they are not particu
lar where they find them when they are
hungry" and Aunt Jessamine glanced
at Rachel, who blushed, and for mo-
ment hung her head.
81 would like to have these people
come under the droppings of the sanctu-
ary," replied the parson; but the next
moment he was surprised at RachePs re-
marks.
"You would want a gun to deal with
them, Pm thinking" said the resolute
girl. "You can't convert bear with
soft words and"
"Rachie, Racine, what are you say
ing?" broke in Aunt. Jessamins.
Accustomed to obey her mother, the
fair girl subsidized and in little while
had passed from the house, leaving the
Darson and his host to continue the SUBJ
ject they were on.
Night seemed to come soon after that
meal. The long, soft autumn shadows
stole over the farm house and Rachel
lighted the lamp and carried it to the
sitting room where the parsop was dis.
cussing the needs of his flock.
As for Rachel, she retired to her room
in the gable and sat at the window.
Across the clearing in front OF the house
Law the shadows OF night; but by aud
bye the silvery disk of the moon ap-
peared over the horizons rim. It. was
beautiful sight and one which she had
seen a hundred times from that very
window, and now she watched it as it
seemed to grow in beauty and the whole
earth became bed of silver in the light
of the moon.
All at once there appeared on the
ground toward the ravine something that
came forward, and. Rachel watched it as
it grew larger.
Now and then it stopped and for some
time stood in outline for her inspection,
and the more she watched it, the surer
she became that it was an animal.
Presently Rachel Palmer sprang up,
and leaning on the sill, gazed at the OBJ
iect with eyes that seemed to start from
her head.
ut Is bear," she exclaimed. "What
If it is mothers thief" And as the thing
moved on, Showing the hugh hulk of its
long body, the girl ran to corner and
took from it rifle, which she knew how
TO handle with deadly effect.
When she came back to the window
the bear was gone, and for moment
feeling of disappointment took possess ion
of her, and she feared she had missed
her opportunity. But suddenly the
animal came into view again, and this
time in the vicinity OF ths spring house,
where the larder was.
Rachel looked to the priming of the
gun and again the bear vanished. She
was now almost certain the prowler in
tended raid, and eager to encounter
him and bring his schemes to naught,
she slipped downstairs aud out into the
night.
AS she passed from the house she
could hear the voice of Parson Linton in
conversation in the little parlor, and
thought of Jack, who was paying MS
nightly visit to town three miles away.
The backwoods beauty stopped near
the spring house and watched it with
anxious eyes. The door was reached oy
descent of several steps, and 1t was
common to fasten it with chain, which
could be unloosed without much trouble:
s'Way, the door is open" !" exclaimed
Rachel as she neared the spring house
and ventured to look down the steps.
"Islipped the chain over the staple WITH
nv own hands; but it is OFF now.
The next moment noise startled
Rachel and she fell back a pace, for 1t