The Opelousas courier., 1895-09-28
over every obstacle which lies between

over every OUs tdClc "llCA AACo
Gladys and himself.
Pretty and %imperious, she wants him
always at her side. Can it be-, he
wonders, in a bewilderment of bliss,
that she is learning to care for him,
even ever so little. in return?
With the first faint flush of autumn
that tinges the creepers on the old
stone wall, Mrs. Delaney, who has
fingered at the farm because ''dear
Gladys seemed so happy there" an
pounces that the time is at hand for
their departure.
To Joe the possibility of life without
Gladys means humiliation.
"Will you ride to-day?' he asks the
girl he blindly worships. for he feels
that now or never will come the chance
to speak what is in his heart.
ut looks like rain" says Gladys,
and yet-our last ride! We can't at.
ford to lose it, can we, Joe? Saddle
Brown Bess for me, then, and we will
have n more glorious gallop together
DER hill and daleN
They take their glorious gallop, and
are riding slowly toward home. Joe
has not yet spoken. His inarticulate
passion can find no fitting words. q
What a queer world this Is" says
Gladys, lightly. 'We have been rid
ing together, you and I, all summer
long. and now-this is the end! We
shall probably never see, never even
hear of each other again!"
Joe's lips are white as he faces her.
Life would be worth nothing IL l
thought that he stammers miserably.
Gladys laughs.
II do not mean to stay here-I hate
the farm he goes or rapidly. I'm
going away as soon rs | can, to win my
way as others have done and make my
self worthy of-of the n | love"
"Ah, yes-Mary," she says, with idle
interest. Il guessed it from the first
And now, to return your confidence
I'm going to be married SOC myself!
Mr.. Howard has been In Europe on
business all summer. and that's why
we came to this quiet. out-of-the-way
little place; for. of course" with light
laugh, engaged girls are supposed not
10 SdEc dHN uOIc 1cI u1Eu SOClCtf.
But. Joe. If you really leave the farm
you must come to us, and we'll help
you all we can. All, see the rain is
coming across the hills! Come; We
must ride hard or take a d%renching."
Does Gladys know? Is she willfully
cruel. or only cruelty kind? Whichever
she may be, she has given poor Joe's
lo-1~ <Lotr Ioo4L ,-o,,~J o~l xsx1 "a
smiling face.
The storm continues and increases in
violence. until at niehtfall it has be-
come a furious tempest. Some of the
Trailer farm buildings are unroofed.
The little river is SO swollen that it
threatens to burst Its bounds.
Mary moves to and fro on her even
ing duties like the pallid ghost of the
happy girl she was two months ago;
for Joe has passed her by with wild,
unseeing eyes, and has gone out, with
his weight of trouble, into the uproaE
of the night
But Gladys is as careless as before.
And while the tempest RACES without
she gayly sings her ~favorite Money
Az W WIG olo CpAhC 4AoSS1 Lily
notes.
At noon, next day, there comes lull
in the storm, and Gladys. wrapped in q
large cloak, runs out for a breath OF
the fresh, wild autumn wind.
Her steps urn naturally down the
familiar pathway to the little river,
and she marvels to see a rapid, seeth.
ing torrent in its stead.
She gains the bridge, and pauses
there u moment to secure her futtering
veil. Some heavy logs r drifting
down the river. and yonder is that tru.
ant Joe, reckoning and running toward
her. She laughs at his breathless
haste.
Crash! what is that? The bridge is
swaying under her. Another crash,
and the slight structure is giving way,
and Gladys, screaming with terror,
clings to her frail support.
Joe's ringing voice falls clearly Oh
her ear:
Il am coming, Gladys-Gladys!"
She sees him speeding towards her
down the bank. She sees him plunge