New-York tribune., 1895-02-10
Mrs. Dalvecker stood in the ploughed heid with

|
As she watched she mechanically pulled from
somewhere in her dress a small paper bag or
snuff. poured a little pile into the dngy palm OF
her hand and then tossed the pile into her month.
| She tossed So dextrously that she did not lose
grain hut It was all done mechanically.
| She wanted consolation. and she applied to her
snuff bag without knowing that she did so.
She did not stand long She turned in the
! direction Of the large barn which was at the top
| Of the field She walked toward 1t with those
| long steps that go often characterized the walk
Of the mountain women.
"N-ha,.s urn" asked Chris Jinks. glad Of an
opportunity TO rest on his hoe handle
| "Nawthin'" was the answer. "Yo' go on er
| plantn.'
links continued to rest his long length on his
tool while he watched Mrs. Dalvecker who dis
appeared in the dark cavern OF the barn She
very soon reappeared, now mounted on tall
roam horse. She cantered off over the field and
was soon out Of sight in the way taken by
Tenn le
"She lied" said Jnks to himself. taking off his
hat and passing his hand over his head. "Sumpin'
is urp Him an her has fought Durned ef |
wanter hev Link Dalvecker turned against me.
He's all right ef he has what he wants. But ef
he don't hev hit%-
neglected to finish his sentence
The long legs Of the roam took him swiftly
over the rough way. Mrs. Davecker was sitting
on n mans saddle. but she maintained her
position with a negligent security that was an
accomplishment possessed by nearly every
woman hereabouts Her little wad OF snuff was
safely lodged beneath her lower lip; her bonnet
was pushed back so that the upper part of her
yellow forehead and the front OF her grzzled
hair were visible but the pas;eboard projected
so that her mouth and chin were concealed
This horsewoman paused and deliberated
moment when she had reas he'd the place where
Temple had appeared less than an hour ago.
Then Mrs Delveckcr turned right into the
woods. she calmly Put her steed over fallen
trees and zg-zag fences, and the gaunt animal
never flnched. r. set h' bony face forward in
a brave way that was habiual with him.
In half an hour this horsewoman came out on
q path that wound upward toward the west.
She stopped her horse and looked down the path
she fnought hey gone, she SAID aloud, |Dut
I reckon she ha;n't"
hardly moment before white pony WIN glrl
on his back came in sight stu further down the
mountain.
Temple was riding slowly. Thimbe going at
his little amblc. The girl had her hat In her
hand and sunlight and shadow were continually
necking her face and figure as she came forward.
Mrs. Dalvccker cantered toward her and
stopped in front Of her.
Thimble stopped Of his own accord, knowing
his manners. ana his rider responded:
"Howdy" in some surprise.
Il curm fur yo'." remarked the woman. per-
emptorily.
WHAT
Il curm fur yc-r low you'll 60 back right
Temple vas silent gazing at Links mother.
who had hitherto been al smiles TO her.
mo" said the eir. I'm not going back"
There was heat in her face and In her eyes.
but she spoke quite calmly she was asking her
self II II were possible that Link had been COM
planning to his mother.
he's or ravin' urp an down thur crlck Hos
bound ter do hs'cf or damage. An I'm bound
ter stop hit. Hyar's you curmin down ter see
him: some gals don't be a cavortin' round ar'eF
their fclleIs I'm this style Some gals waits L.
home FUR thur men 10 curm t. sec un Bui You
iest run arter my boy. an then YOU quarril with
him an he's that mad | shouldn't wonder 81
he'd shot his'ef fore this. You curm long cr me-
now. right smart | amt feared u 10 upsiari
gals as runs arter their men. IN ne laylh DIX
/, was as If the memory Of tho pump was too
much for Mrs Dalveckcr. She bent forward and
put yellow skinny hand on Temples arm
grasping !: tightly.
The girls eyes dila,ed and flush deepenel on
her face and neck. After "A moment she said:
II wish YOU wouldn't touch me don't like 10
She glanced down and saw the nails. with their
black rims. on her companions hahi- Shr
shuddered She was trying to remember thdt
she had religion. Surely this was time when
she ought to make use Of such a possession
"Dnn't like Ter b. touched repeated Mrs Dal-
vecker. II don't knows | care. what YOU ben
doin to my son? My son who's better YOU
TINS any day An he layin' out rug er pump
say you moughi drar water. An yo runnin
Mrs Dalvecker was gradually raising her voice
4 narrow yellow stream was starting from each
corner Of her mouth ard trickling down.
you mustn't touch me-" said Temple again
She was aware that shudder ran over her AT
the contact OF that hand.
Then all AT once a flood of ply ana longing
came into her soul. what did all this matter?
What did ANYTHING in the world matter when
we thought Of the Lord who had loved va and
died for us?
for our sakes And should not she. Temple
Crawford gladly bear such discomfort as this'
Mrs Dal ecker looking In tho girls face.
and she saw the sudden and. TO her. mysterious
change that came 10 i.
In her surprise she released the arm. staring
as she did so.
touched tho woman's shoulder. her fresh young
eyes seeking the faded and sunken ones with
look in them that stirred and strangely moved
She had been like an animal rushing out to pro-
,ect its young. Link was suffering rms girl
had made him suffer. Therefore she sought this
girl that she might make her suffer also. II she
would not restore happiness 10 Link
But now as the eyes of the two women met
Mrs. DalVeCker'5 Indignation began 10 SuDslic
Temple, in her simplicity. went straight to the
thing uppermost I'm her thoughts.
You see" she said. II found the Lord at the
preaching the other night
"Did yo?'
Mrs Dalvecker asked the question gently. She
had been to preaching many times In her youth
and once she thought she had "eNperienced
But il did not last. That was years ago. She
had given up going to preaching. she would
have said that she laid out To have religion be-
fore she died She wanted to die rejoicing"
I'm trying 10 be good" said Temple. "Oh !
am certainly trying, And to live near 20 good
things you know
She removed her hand from the womans shoul-
der and leaned It on the wthers OF the tall roan
bending forward from her saddle as she did So
her whole force seeming TO pour forth the light OF
aspiration and intense belief
''Perhaps you could help me-. she said. her
voice thrilling along the nerves of her listener