The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-04-05

glance at her vival, aud rushed ont Of
the cabin, letting the nailstudded
door bang behind her, and the next
moment Grace could hear her flying
footsteps crash down the tall briers
End thick-growng hazle bushes on
the path below.
She sprapg 80 her feet
"Huicyone, haicyont 80 she cried,
waving her handkerchie, through the
narrow, slitlike window, which WAS
nearly Gu level with her eyes.
Where nre YOU going? Wait for
me. Halcyoue
For one second the other girl
paused Sine SAW that the door had
settled heavily down into the logs of
the threshold. and that Grace Olmcr
WAS II captive in the old witch's cabin
\ sudden exultation throbbed
through her heart-a halt.!ormed
piece of strategy.
"Why not?" she asked herself
"Does it not serve her right, the cold,
passiouless, ilinty hearted thing? Let
her stay there until she comes 10 her
senses, One night on Mount Buckle
won't hurt her, and the coast will be
free for me, :"
II WAS not for some time thtt Grace
DINER realized that she was II prisoner
in this wild spot-that her individual
strength would not suffice 60 stir the
heavy door that had settled SO solidly
down into the mouldering logs of the
threshold, and that the one window
was i.r too small 10 afford any egress
In the west the sun was setting in n
crimson blaze over, Buckle Lake; n
W wind rnstied TN rps. Nbriers out.
le. 10 % rose M
She drew 90 a., ~shuddering
breath then sine tried TO laugh.
81 must be patient, she thought
"Some one will surely come along, if
| only wait long enough There must
be some woodcutter ON the mountain
or perhaps boy, digging ssssafras
roots 80
Eut she waited aud waited, and the
deep red sunset faded into purple and
then into gray, aud still no one came
She thought OF old Betsy Bloom,
che witch, sitting stark and dead
She remembered the stealthy rush of
the red fuS and still she kept assur-
ing herself that this was only a Joke.
Haicyone would surely return, or some
one else would come to her aid.
And then she remembered the rustic
dance Oh the saWmill floor that was
planned for that evening, and won
dered, with rush of blindins tears To
her eyes, il Alexander Dale would
miss ner.
Esicyone Merden looked unusually
beautiful that evening, in white
gown OF some soft. crinkly material.
with II bunch of blue iris at her belt
and carcanet of blue beads around
her white throat.
The band two fiddles and n horn,
played by three energetic colored men
WAS wrestling with Climbing Up
DE Golden Stairs" and about twenty
couples were romping up and down the
floor IN the famous Highland Schot-
AaFN w 'i' "a Hif ~
Where is Miss Olmerg' asked the
master OF ceremonies, II staiwart young
lumberman.
Halcyone made him low courtesy.
cam | Miss DINERS keeper" said
size, satirically.
40, But she boards Mt the same
place, doesn't she?"
"For all that, I'm not answerable
for her moyements!" Halcyone re.
torted
"Will YOU dance with me, Hal
cyone?" called out Ross Duncan.
And with quick glance around the
room to satisfy herself that Mr.. Dale
was not there, Halcyone accepted the
challenge.
81 may as well amuse myself until
he comes, she thought.
Her tawny eyes sparkled, her cheeks
giowed II rich carmine, and her pulses
bounded iOyously TO the time of the
music, Opportunity was all that she
had needed, and surely she should
triumph now!
"And of course, sne added, within
herself, "Grace DINER will know that
1t was all mistake. How was 1 to
know that the door swung shut?"
Slowly the evening passed by.
Dance after dance succeeded each
other; the music clashei loudly; peo-
pie came and went, and Halcyope
reigned the undouoted queen o. the
rustic merry-makers, yet still tue
'maa Of men" did no. dawn upon her
horizon.
And to the universal query, "What
has become of Aleck Dale?" nobody
was ready with "A raioin,Jar