Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-06-19

At sunset tall young man was rid
ng soberly along the wide road which
led to town. He stopped suddenly a
She sight of two harnessed horses graz
| lng by the roadside.
II know that team; what has hap
pened?"
There was no one to answer tn,
, question, but he looked about and dis
covered the driver under the trees.
"Here, wretch!" he exclaimed,
wake up; tell me what is wrong
Wake up, wake up. Where are thu
ladies2"
But expostulation was in vain. Tn,
iriver was lump Of clay-a log. The
young man mounted his horse agaiI
and galloped furiously back toward tn.
log church. He looked at each side
Of the road anxiously, but did moi
slacken his pace, and the horse wa.
covered with foam when he reached
the broken carriage and dismounted.
II thank heaven you are safe," ht
:ried.
''But we are not safe: We are lost.
-ost. Oh, merciful sir, pity us!" ex.
,laimed Mrs. Chalmers, Historically.
she thought the tall stranger was q
brigand.
Miss Chalmers knew better. Sh.
recognized the young man, and feel.
ing of security, almost of happiness,
swept over her.
"Hush, mamma" she said, softly
I'VE are perfectly safe now. This gen.
tleman will protect us; he has come to
lelp u.s."
The gentleman locke his thanks fol
the confidence. 1t was dark almost,
but she could see that his eyes werI
gray. She thought they were lumin.
Ous. but she was looking through her
ears.
"Are you employed at the hotel.
What happened to our driver? Is the
other carriage coming?" The mothe,
isked three questions In breath.
81 am not employed ut the hotel.
vas riding to town and found your
driver in drunken sleep by the road.
side. You will get no help from him.
[ was afraid there had been a serious
accident and nastened back"
''Serious," asked Mrs. Chalmers il
high voice, sis it not serious2 Oh,
dear, dear, what would you have?"
"My uncle lives two miles down tn.
:iver," said the stranger. 'Tt is the
nearest house. You will come with
me for the night and tomorrow you
can return to the town"
"You are very kind, sir" said Miss
Chalmers. "We will go with you
gladly"
"But two miles," protested the
mother; II cannot walk two miles"
''It is not necessary; you can ride
ny horse. He is perfectly gentle, and
[ will hold the rein," said their res.
,urer reassurinSly; and the young
lady may ride behind you, If she will.
"Oh, no; would much prefer to
salk- can walk two miles easily,
and the dear horse is already very
tired. Indeed, I will walk" said tho
young lady decidedly.
The young man assisted the mother
into the saddle. The daughter clung
lightly to his arm and the little pro-
cession moved slowly down the long
hill and into the starless depths OF the
bottom. They travelled carefully, for
Mrs. Chalmers WAS not a good horse.
woman. 1t was an hour before they
eeached the farmhouse.
An hour! An hour is an epoch, an
age, an eternity. Love, which never
dies, is born, nourished and reaches
maturity in an hour.
There was camp meeting in
progress at the log house in the valley.
On the last Sunday of the meeting,
which happened to be also the last day
Of the Chalmerses' visit in the noun
tains, q party from the chief hotel
visited the revival. The party was
composed of Mrs. Chalmers, Miss
Chalmers and tall young man with a
serious, grand face. The latter had
been a guest at the hotel for only
three weeks, or since the two ladies
had been abandoned on the mountain
side by their drunken driver.
On the afternoon of this Sunday the
two younger members of the party
were half way up the long hill which
leads from the valley to the ridges.
They were standing silently side by
side looking down into the valley.
There was a great white tent, q tab.
erHacle, indeed, near the log house,
and score Of smaller white tents about
the large one. Through the trees the
people could be seen moving about
like pigmies.
cit is q beautiful and peaceful
scene," said Miss Chalmers, softly.
The young man was silent and she
presently continued, with some hesita.
ton:
IT have never thanked you-I
hardly know how-for your kindness
that first day in the church when
made such an embarrassing mistake. {"
'1t was nothing; do not thinL
of it."
'But I do think of it; it was a great
deal to me, and want you to remem-
ber---you know We are going away to-
morrow---I want you to remember that
I appreciate it. My predicament was
almost as bad as it was that night
when you again"
3