The Penn's Grove record., 1895-06-14

we're ~expectank Half psstlesx: the,
were anxious. At sevena they wef
alarmed. The sun loitered no more
but rolled swiftly over the opposit
mountain and drew the day with him
They were terrified.
There was no house and no human
,eing in sight. They remembered n,
habitation on the road for miles
True, the log church stood in the bot
tom below, but the darkest shadow
had already gathered there. The,
Jared not enter the profound obscurit,
which enveloped the valley and which
,rept like a living thing up the noun
lain side toward them. They clung I,
each other like little children anG
wept
AT sunset o tall young man was rid
ng soberly along the wide road which
led to town. He stopped suddenly a
The sight Of two harnessed horses graz
ing by the roadside.
'I know that team; what has hap
pened2"
There was no one to answer tn,
question, but he looked about and dis.
covered the driver under the trees.
"Here, vretchi" he exclaimed,
wake up; tell me what is wrong
Wake up, wake up. Where are thu
Iadies2"
But expostulation was in vain. Tn,
iriver was o lump of clay-a log. The
young man mounted his horse again
and galloped furiously back towardt the
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.
IT thank heaven you are safe," HI
nied.
"But we are not safe; We are lost.
lost. Oh, merciful sir, pity us!" ex.
Stained Mrs. Chalmers, hysterically.
she thought the tall stranger was q
brigand.
Miss Chalmers knew better. Shs
recognized the young man, and q feel.
ing of security, almost of happiness,
swept over her.
stHush, mamma" she said, Seftly
I'VE are perfectly safe now. This gem
|tleman will protect us; he has come ia
ielp u.s."
The gentleman lookel his thanks fol
the confidence. It was dark almost,
but she could see that his eyes wer1
gray. She thought they we're iumin.
GUS. but she was looking through her
lears.
care you employed at the hotel.
What happened to our drivera is the
other carriage coming9" The mother
,sked three questions In o breath!
81 am not employed at the hotel.
vas riding to town and found youi
driver In a drunken sleep by the road.
side. You will get no help from him.
[ was afraid there had been o serious
accident and hastened back
SERIOUS" asked Mrs. Chalmers IL
high voice, sis it NOT ssrious2 Oh,
dear, dear, what would you havs?"
"My uncls lives two miles down the
iver," said the stranger. sIt 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" sat Z Miss
JhsImers. 1--WE will go win you
gladly"
"But two miles," protested the
mother al cannot walk two milts."
"It is not necessary; you csA rid.
ny horse. He Is perfectly gentle, and
[ will hold the REIN" said theAk res.
,urer reassnringly and the young
lady may ride behind you, Il abe will
ooh, no; ! would much prefer to
Salk. I can walk two miles easily,
and the dear horse is already very
tired. Indeed, / viii walk" said thc
young lady decidedly.
The young man assisted ths mother
into the Saddle. The daughter chung
lightly to his arm and the little pro-
cession moved slowly down the long
hill and into the starless depths Of tho
bottom. They travelled carefully, for
Mrs. Chalmers was not . good horse
woman. It was an hour before they
veached the farmhouse.
An houri An hour is an epoch, an
age, an eternity. Love, which never
dies, is born, nourished and reaches
maturity in an hour.
There was o camp meeting in
progress at the log house In the valley.
On the last Sunday Of the meeting,
which happened to bealso the last day
OF the Chalmerses' visit In the M oun-
tains, q party from the chief hotel
visited the revival. The party was
composed of Mrs. Chalmers, Miss
Chalmers and a tall young man with o
serious, grand face. The latter had
been q guest at the hotel for only
three weeks, or since the two ladies
had been abandoned on the moantair
hide by their drunken driver.
On the afternoon Of this Sunday the
two younger members of the party
we're half way up the long hill which
leads from the valley to the ridges.
They were standing silently side by
vide looking down into the valley.
There was a great white tent o tab
D 1uu6eu, uobE tuc 4o$ Aoupcy
and score Of smaller white tents about
the large one. Through the trees the
people could be seen moving about
like pigmies.
SIT Is . beautiful and peaceful
scene" said Miss Chalmers, softly.
The young man was silent and she
presently continued, with some hesita-
ton:
'T have never thanked you-l
hardly know how-for your kindness
that first day in the church when
made such an embarrassing mistake
'It was nothing; do not thinJ
of it."
'But / do think of it ; il was q great
deal to me, and want you to remem-
ber--you know we are going away to-
morrow--I wantyou to remember that
I appreciate il. My predicament was
as bad as it was that night
when you again"
al beg you," he broke in, 'not tc
mention those things again"
She was silent, He turned to her
s,I5nnIu ohruofly almnak rnuOhfv