Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-08-30

PAINTING HEAVILY.
stranger; and have asked of you more
than one should even require of an old,
old friend"
'Please, Mrs. Minny, don't. / am
silent because I'm thinking of your
journey, if we should miss the train, II
the washerwoman should be dead or
moved-for washerwomen are migra-
tory-if even Aunt Hannah should fail
you"
But the town will be there, and Mr.
Perkins, the depotmaster, Is neigh
bor-his wife takes care of Aunt Han
nah's cat and parrot when she goes
visiting"
THAT, of course, alters things"
"The only thing / fear from Aunt
Hannah" she said, obviously, els a
long moral lecture about the duties of
married women and their having
chosen path-she says parth; they do
down there-and ought to walk In it.
She wouldn't let me run away with
her."
"Show her your bruises, Oliver said,
hoarsely.
az will; for she told me II he struck
me could come to her; and some
times, honestly, Mr.. Oliver, I used to
tease him so he would and I might
have my chance"
Oliver whistled softly under his
breath; he would not have liked DR..
John to hear that last speech. You
must not tell her," he said, quickly,
"about this ride and coming to my
house"
"Why not? Iwould like her to know
how good you were"
There was no need, but he slashed
his horses angrily; then he said, ourtly:
~ am sorry you cannot understand.
Could you explain it satisfactorily to
Mr.. de Restaud?'
"How cross you arel and / know you
look just as you did when talked
mean about him-a sort of disgusted
impatience. But he is not reasona-
BILE being. Other people may be-"
Would you have gone to those ami
able friends of his for assistance to get
to the railroad?"
'Of course not. You know that"
"Well, how is the world to know
am any better?"
81 suppose being lawyer makes you
so smart" she said, in a melancholy
tone; she assured her dog in a whisper
he was the only being who loved her,
her only friend; that she was silly and
frivolous, Aunt Hannah said, and
seemed to be a great trouble to mere
strangers of good dispositions Oliver
said never a word; little smile curved
his lips, but he did not turn his head.
Soon she grew quiet, and her head
dropped against his shoulder, the soft
wind lifting her curls to blow across
his cheek The dog, ornamented with
the doctors cap, slept in her lap.
Across the level land before them
crept the gray glimmer of the dawn.
Rose-colored light famed in the far
east, rejecting on the new snow on
distant mountain-peaks. Prairie dogs
hoped out of their holes and sat on
their hind legs discussing local politics
and happenings, the bill to abolish
free rents for rattlesnakes, and the ex-
tortions of horned owls. The Skye
terrier disgustedly flung off the doc
tors cap and barked angrily at the
small dogs. Mrs. de Restaud lifted her
head with little start, blushed and
slapped the Skye terrier.
"Do be quiet, Skye. I am afraid l
tired you, Mr.. Oliver"
He would have liked to say a sweet
thing to her-to most women he would
but his role now was that of benev-
oient friend; so he only answered
vaguely: mot at ALL" AS If he did not
know to what she referred. The horses
dragged themselves wearily forward;
it was six o'clock, and they had come
fifty miles over difficult road in less
than seven hours. Two parallel lines
of iron stretched far in the distance;
the clumsy outline of q water-tank
loomed up just ahead. The goal was
reached, and away in the north a rib
bon of smoke outlined on the sky pro-
claimed the coming train. Oliver lifted
Mrs de Restaud down. Skye rushed
madly to the hole of a ven turesome
prairie dog who had taken up resi-
lence near the tank and was out en-
joying the morning air. The terrier
found only vanishing, and vented his
annoyance at this and all the other
vagrant dogs In shrill barks. His mis-
tress was vastly amused; the strange
ness of her undertaking had quite
gone out of her head.
Oliver, In some concern, gave ner ad-
vice regarding her journey; he was un-
certain of his horses about the train,
and had to stand by their heads; so
Mrs. Minny frisked about with her
dog, entirely confident her difficulties
were over.
You must send me word to Denver
when you get to Maine" he said, "and
be sure and make no acquaintance ON
the cars"