Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-12-23
CHAPTER XIII.
OVERTAKEN.

narrow lane, down which was advance
ing a sleek and well-conditioned pony,
at that easy amble, which was evident
ly his accustomed pace, and which he
was, apparently, not to be easily
urged or induced to increase to any
higher rate, though, at his own pace,
he might be safely backed to go any
given distance; the meditative mood,
too, was habitual to him, his head
forward, inclined eyes perusing the
quality of the road, or, it might be,
engaged in curious calculation ofthe
number Of inch es, rods, percheS. &C.,
according to Walkingame.
Upon his back was seated nelderly
woman, dressed in black, a white
beaver hat upon her head, a large
basket slung before her, and attached
to the fore part Of the saddle Ian
tern.
She, too, was sunk in thought: the
pair, SO far, agreed-agreed, too, that,
simultaneously with the pony making
a sudden halt, the dame cried whats
that?" and lifted up her lantern the
better to answer her own question.
The that was a little girl with pale
face and streaming eyes, and long,
black hair hanging wild about her face,
her head uncovered, her dress tumb-
led, her hands stretched out towards
the pony, and sobbing out some
words, which, if that sagacious ami
NAL did comprehend, and had acted
on it was more than his rider did.
She was not, good woman, a believer
in Pucks or fairies, yet more COM
plete realisation of one she had never
seen spring, as it seemed, from the
messy bank Of the hawthorn glade.
But, fairy or human, the exhortation
came natural enough from the amazed
traveller Of
"What's the matter?"
"My motherl my mother! her S dead.
hers dead" sobbed the little appari-
ton, with a voice drowned in tears Of
genuine humanity, though the COM
munication in itself was anything but
encouraging, and changed the suspicion
of pixy to that of a banshee.
'sWhere is she?" came next, natural
ly, too, from the dame, meanwhile
deity disengaging herself from her
trappings and wrappings, and APP
preaching the little figure.
"Where is she, my dear?" sherepeat-
ed, as a touch Of the cold little
hand, and a CLEAN of the helpless,
childish eyes removed the last doubt
of the creatures individuality.
The pony was left to his mathemat-
ical pursuits, apparently to hisperfect
satisfaction, by the wayside, while the
dame followed Ida to where Nelly lay.
She stopped over the senseless form a
few minutes.
"She's not dead, my dear, she is
only in faint" said the old woman;
''but, eh, dear. how white she is, and
cold, too. What must we do? let me
seeH" A very short interval of thought
sufficed for decision.
The stranger gave a peculiar call,
which was instantly recognized and
obeyed by the pony with decorous
elaboration; he came close to where
she stood; then his mistress, lifting
Nelly in her arms, as easily as if she
had been child, deposited her safely
on the seat she had herself occupied,
wrapping the insensible woman round
in her own warm overcoat. She then
took the animal by the bride, and,
giving the lantern to Ida, bidding her
go on in front-for it was now quite
dark--the little party set out, at a
somewhat quicker pace, which the
pony adopted, in compliance with a
hint from his mistress, evidently not
without conjunction at the dis
arrangement of his yet unsolved prob
lem.
So they arrived, in a very short
space of time, at what appeared to
be a large mansion, by the glimpse af-
forded Of heavy iron gates and a wide
extent of wall, but they passed on,
and arrived at a small door in the
side of the edifice, at which the pony
halted at once, and anticipated his
mistress knock by butting with his
head; whereupon the door was opened
by pretty young maid, dressed also
in black, with snow White-neckerchie
and apron.
"Eh, sakes, mistress! whatever have
We there?" she exclaimed.
The dame made no reply, but bade
her come and help.
Together they carried the still in
sensible woman into the house, and
while the girl disburdened the pony,
and led him to the stable-for pony
of so meditative turn it should have
been a study-the elder woman pro-
ceeded to minister to her afflicted
charge.
In few minutes Nelly opened her
eyes upon scene of light and warmth,
and felt the genial touch OF kindly
hands; she put forth her arm, and
raised her head, looking for her child,
whom she found close at her side, and
who hailed her mothers return to life
with a joyful exclamation.
Nelly essayed to speak, ut her voice
failed, her kind benefactress put her
face down to her lips, and caught the
words, while the poor woman's eyes
wandered to her child
"Pray give her something to eat
Tears stood in the eyes of both the
women; the younger had already set
food before the little girl, but she had