Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-05-12

me-" Dan called out to her swinging
himself down from the loft. You
needn't be scared. Gosh, how you can
dance" Without knowing exactly why.
he took her hand. IL wGs the first
womans hand he had ever held IN that
way. His cheeks Redeemed, and he MAS
conscious OF perfumed hair and a white
arm near enough to kiss. Mirnhel
looked up at him. half laughing. half
afraid.
whoa therel whoa, toll youl Where
can the boy hev gut 60. lcnvln' the
horses standin' here like this2' 1t was
Father Keenea voice at the barn door,
| and In the distance screamed the min
istor's children, running down the
yard.
Good Lordr whispered Dan. drop
ping Mirabers hand, ITS the folks
come home from church and / clean
| forgot about EN-. How In thunder did
they get here?"
Mirabel caught his sleeve. "oh.
what shall ! do2 They mustn't see
me like this. They'd think ! was
crazy. You must hide me somewhere.
| quickw Dan looked bianlly at her.
then around the barn. There amt
any place but the hay loft" he said
well, take me there" answered Mir
abel, sweeping various garments into
n hnsty bundle. Dan caught her up In
his arms and sprang for the ladder.
| just as Ine Darn door flu open lHty
dropped behind the ridge OF the hay.
Farmer Keene led in the horses. fol-
| lowed by the three children. ITS
mighty queer he was saying-"tarna-
ton queer Dams always been such a
steady. regular chap. / never knowed
| him to leave the horses alone before
The children rummaged around tho
grain bins Suddenly the youngest
cried out. "oh.' see herel See here,
quick"
Mlrabel peered cautiously over tho
hay. "Oh. Dan" she whispered, ~
dropped my cap and they have found
IT,
Farmer Keene turned to the children
in great excitement. IT'S gypsiea
that's what It Is" he exclaimed. hold
ing up the cap on his finger shame
full critters with their gewgaws that
they be. Let's 20 right in and show II
to mother"
my, but we're In FIX" observed
Dan to Mirabel as the others hurried
off TO the house, She propped her CHR
In her hand obviously.
you must go right In, that's clear
and then while they're all at dinner
I'll slip around by the back way ant
I'll say I've been down In the bi?cl
woods asleep. whom come dowI
stairs"
"But what am going 10 tell them7'
asked Dan. who had never lied In hi
life.
why, you drove home awfully slow
but / didn't" objected Dan.
"Oh. YOU googel Say you did any
> how, and then say you saw some boy
stealing melons down In the patch, AM
left the house to see II you couldn'
catch them. You go around back o
the bnrn and come out toward tn
. house. as II you'd come from the mel
ons. You can say the boys gave you
dreadful chase. Hows that for expla
. nation?"
'its an awful lie" replied Dan frank
ly. Put there's the capt.
Neither of us knows anything abou
IT, answered Mirabel quickly. "NoN
i 20" An hour later the young womal
swept into the dining room, serene an
dainty, with profuse apologies for he
tardlness and great surprise at the won
I derful news of the sypsles and the los
r cap. ,
, Wherever he went there nQated hefor
2 | him tho vision OF beautltul wunln
I dancing and the sound OF silver bell
) II was a kind OF trance. only relieve
> by Afirabel's actual presence ~ I.nothe
The hnrn scene at was an odd moo
: OF mine. you know. and ! felt na n
, must eypress Il. / knew how ahocke
: you'd ali be II you found me dnncin
. ! on Sunday, and 40 meant 70 nave
4 out with myself before you came bom
, | from church. Only you caught me-"
/ Miranda was very much puzzled b
= the whole occurrence. she knew o
4 once Dan was not telling the truti
Z He was too much OF novice IN lyin
4 10 do II well. That there hnd been som
9 woman In the barn. and that Dan ha
seem her she guessed directly. More
r over she knew IL was no ordinar