The Penn's Grove record., 1894-01-12

A3$$NT 70 psanB IL inps
%SSsEH-s power.
ID Tho girl, for il
was one, stood Just
on the bank Of . clear, running stream,
which might have been either q river OF
q creek, it was wide, limpid and deep.
Shs was tall aud somewhat angular, a
woman in height, but the short cotton
frock and short red hair, and something
in the way she stood, spoke OF once Of
youthfulness, had not her voice been
heard. She was in her eighteenth year.
With one long brown hand shading
her eyes from the glazing autumn sun.
set. she stood apparently awaiting some
one.
All about her were the forest trees In
their richest colorings, aud the soft rustic
Of the leaves with the ripple OF the water,
was all that was heard for o moment
after tho shrill echo of her voice died
away; then the big black dog lying at
her bare feet growled, and sprang quick.
ly to his own.
"Comin' at last" the girl said in an
undertone, as the dip Of oars, at first
family and then louder, fell upon her
ears.
"You'Ie never tardy," she continued,
with a slight sneer, as a small skiff, con.
tanning one occupant, a young fellow OF
about twenty-three years of age, rounded
the point.
He a suit of blue denims,
rimless straw hat, and his feet were also
bare. He was dark almost to swartiness
and his black eyes gave q CLEAN OF
dissatisfaction for an instant, while the
rich blood suffused his neck and face
until It was fairly purple.
81 amt late" he said slowly, while
Q wide sweep OF the oars with his strong
arm and brawnv shoulders shot thu
little boat far upon the pebbly shore, like
an arrow from a ~catapult.
lawful smart" the girl said
se~ntontiously, giving the huge brute al
her side several sharp cuffs on his ears to
emphasize her words and give vent to hel
temper.
81 wouldn't kill the dog cause ycl
mad at me-" he said.
xiii nuthin'," she CALCULATED
sullenly. "What time dye reckon 1t is,
Beechnut Lord2"
"Nigh onto six, I guess, he answered
quietly, stepping from the boat aud
drawing it still further on shore. sum,
UNI, it's after sevon."
He fastened the little craft, and then
as she started up the path ho followed
her at the heels of the dog, and in much
the same detected way, through The
thick, winding interlacing of leaves and
vines.
4 The faint tinkle Of bells could be
heard in the distance, as the trio
followed in the foot prints of the lowing
kline; and anon the whir of partridges
and twitter of night birds. Darkness
fellas they reached the bars, where the
big eyed COWS stood In the fading cras:
and weeds, quietly waiting.
Beechnut took down the bars and
drove the cows into the yard, Wylie fol-
lowing with her pink sun bonnet on her
arm, her sallow face full of discomfort.
de put up the bars again.
"Good night" he said kindly, sn6
turned away.
The big black dog still skunk at her
heels, and skulked after her as sho on.
tered the low doorway Of an old log
house, and then he crept under q coarse
bed that stood in the corner of the low
ceiiod room, and laid down with a
yawn.
Wylie Adams gave a little start as she
entered the room. A bright fire burned
in tho wide fireplace, over which hung
an iron pot, from which issued savory
doors. ssese
A tall, middle-aged woman was busy
about the room, and ~aStranger sat before
the fire In one Of the few splint. bottomed
chairs the cabin contained. He did not
see Wylie when she entered, as he sat
looking thoughtf6lly into the fire, but
,he tall woman spoke.
"Wall, yer cum at last3"
Wylie made no reply, but a nod. and
for the first time in her life looked down
with q blush at her bare feet, which
were both soiled and bruised.
It was evidently something unusual
for a stranger to DO seen near Silver
Creek, and this stranger was certainly
out Of the ordinary. Wylie's daring
spirit quailed.
he turned and arose as Wylie's mother
spoke, bowling and Offering his chair.
The gawky girl cast furtive glances at
the stranger, and thought how fair and
''good- lookin'" he was, how yellow his
hair and blue his eyosl so different from
Beechnut, and other boys she knew.
Once she discovered him looking
keenly at her, and il she could have read
his thoughts they would have been In
this wise:
mot such o bad looking girl, II she
was we'll dressed aud educated. Nice
eyes. Badly tanned. No, I don't ad.
mire red hair. Most too thin and tall,
and why does sho go b~arefootedf"
After tho young man had been given
a SHALLOW Dip" and shown to the inns,
room, and the rudo door closed after
him for tho night, Wylic crspt to her
fsther's side.
"who is he. rapi an what duz hs
want hyeri
"a young chap as is rich as all gii
out, an Ea's going to build a big, Ana
houso down thar BY this old ford, an ]
reekia holl bring his folks hyer artei
that, tao he didn't say"
Wylie Adams didn't wait for more,
bat hurried awsy aud up the ladder to