The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-07-19


stranger; and I have asked of you more
than one should even require of an old,
old friend"
'Please, Mrs. Minny, don't. I am
silent because I'm thinking of your
journey, if we should miss the train, if
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 a neigh
bor-his wife takes care of Aun t Han
nah's cat and parrot when she goes
visiting."
''That. of course, alters things"
''The only thing l fear from Aunt
Hannah" she said, obviously, ''is a
long moral lecture about the duties of
married women and their having
chosen a 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.
II will; for she told me if he struck
me could come to her; and some
times, honestly, Mr.. Oliver, I used to
tease him so he would and l 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 nv
house."
"Why not? Iwould like her to know
how good you were"
his horses angrily; then he said, curtly:
81 am sorry you cannot understand.
Could you explain it satisfactorily to
Mr.. de Restaud?''
''How cross you are! and know you
look just as you did when talked
mean about him-a sort of disguised
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 a lawyer makes you
so smart" she said, in melancholy
tone; she assured her dog in 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 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-
olent friend; SO he only answered
vaguely: ''Not 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 water-tank
loomed up just ahead. The goal was
reached and awav in the north n yih.