The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-04-28


to run away, and that would break hel
heart. am all she has in this world
and though she scolds me good deal
love her. 1 wouldn't desert her, Jack"
"You could come back again." says he
"Of course know that. But ther
she would always feel disappointed il
me and hurt and No, no, I shall never
do that She trusts me So"
"Then / don't know what's going tc
be the end of it," said he.
"We must only wait" says Letitia
despondingly. And now, Jack, you
had better 60 She is sure to come here
presently to see how the men are getting
on with that fence. You know what an
excellent woman of business she is. Il
she caught you here"-
"There would be wigs on the green,
says Jack, laughing. "Well, goodby-
for awhile. I suppose if come bach
again this evening shall find you here?'
"Yes-oh, yes! Jack. do take care
The men will see you'll"
"Not they" says Jack, kissing hel
again. "And you-what are you going
to do while I'm away?"
''Think of YOU" with a little saucy
glance at him from under her long
lashes. "By the bye, have you got q
match about your"
"What on earth do you want it for?
says he, giving her some wax lights out
of little silver box as he speaks. go
ing to have cigarette"
''Nonsense! feel as if want to sci
fire to some of those dry little punches
of grass; fairy tufts we used to call
them long ago. They would burn beau
tifully today, the sun is so hot"
"Well, don't set fire 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 is
out of sight, standing on tiptoe as he
gets over the wall to blow last kiss tc
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 are
| growing. Lighting one of her matches
| she kneels down and sets fire to the tuft
nearest her. 1t used to be an amuse.
ment of hers in her childhood, and she is
| not yet so far removed from those days
as to have lost all childish fancies. Sit
ting down on the side of tiny hillock
at distance, she watches the dancing
fames-so small, SO fickering, SO harm
less.
| 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 a drowsy day.
How lovely that light smoke is climbing
slowly uphill and fading 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
mani No-woman this time. All, ah!
In this case woman has come the front
at all events. She had been reading
about the emancipation of women last
night and had laughed over it. 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. Poufl
How warm it isl
Gradually her head sinks back upon
her arms, her eyelids droop over the soft,
clear eyes. How delicious it is herel
How cozy! 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 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 creep
ing every moment closer to the thin,
white frock. Now they have touched
her foot and have so far penetrated the
thin slipper as to make her unpleasantly
warm, but not enough to waken her.
She only turns a little and sighs; but
| now
Now she springs to her feet with an af-
| frighted scream. Smokel Smoke every
where! And what is this creeping up the
| front of her gown? A thread Of fire. 1t
| blows upon her face. She recoils from
it, but it follows her. Madly she lifts
her hands and tries to beat it back. The
menl the men at the fencel Where are
theyl Alas, they have all gone to din
nerl Once again a frantic cry bursts
from her lips.
1t is answered. At this moment Har-
dinge reaches her, and finging off 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 Of God) he never knew, except
that those last words of his, ''Don't set
fire 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 to her safety, when suddenly a
voice strikes upon them that renders
both dumb.
1t is the voice of Miss cambridge. She
has been toiling up the hill. She looks
almost distraught.
"Oh, sir" cries she, catching Letitia in
her arms, 81 saw all. l thought should