Evening star., 1896-12-26

| been seQuestered with herss But one morn
| ing, as Johnny was bringing his wood from
intense delight, a picket Of the road fence
slipped aside by small led hand, and
| moment after Florry sGueezed herself
| through the narrow opel1 hg. Her round
/ cheeks were slightly fusheX$ end there was
| a scrap Of red flannel arSpnd her plump
/ skin.
My. said Johnny, with Half real half af-
fected admiration. ''how sntendiferousv'
Sore froat," said Florry, in whisper
| trying to insert her two chubby fingers be-
tween the bandage and hiher chin 81
mussent go out of the garden patch, T
outer bed!' s3fs
Outer bed? repeated Johnny, with in
tense admiration, as he perceived for the
| first time that Florry was in a flannel
"Ess'
Whereunon these two delightful imps
chuckled and wagged their heads with sin
csre enjoyment that this mere world could
not give. Johnny slipped off his shoes and
STOCKINGS and hurriediy put them on the
indant FIorry, securing them from falling
on with thick cord. This added to their
enjoyment; a%a ean n,o ,
hea p whispered Florry.
Hof on till I tote in this wood" said
johnny. You hide till come back,
johnny swiftly delivered his load with ~,
alacrity he had never shown before Then
sney played 'cubby house not fifty feet
iao iaom the cabin, with hushed but guilty
sads1act on. But presently it palled Their
u1main was too circumscrfbed for variety.
Ropinson Crusoe up the tree" was irnpos-
s.ole, s, as being visible from: the house win
was fretful and fastidious Then a great
thought struck him and left him cold.
II snow you a show, you won't tell?''
he said, suddenly.
WIS Wish yer-ma-die?"
Got any pennyr'
Got any slate pencil?" -
No"
Amt got any pins nor nothin? You kin
go in for pin'' NH
But Florry had none of childhood,s 1uc-
tuating currency with her, having. so to
speak, no pockets.
Kin go in for luy"
The child clipped him with her small
arms and smiled, and, Johnny leading the
way, they crept on all fours through the
thlck ferns until they paused before a deep
nssure in the soil half overgrown with
oramble. In its depths they could hear the
monotonous trickle Of water 1t was really
the source of the sprlpg that afterward
reappeared fifty yards nearer the road and
trlckled into an unfailng pool known as the
Burnt Spring, from the brown color of the
surrounding bracken. 1t was the water
supply OF the ranch, and the reason for
MI Medliker's original selection of that
sue Johnny fingered for an instant look
ed carefully around, and then lowered him
self into the iSsure. A moment later he
reached up his arms to F'lorry, lowered her
also, and both disappeared from view Yet
from time to time their voices came faint
iy from below-with the gurgle Of water.
DIS OF festive gnomes at play
AT the end OF ten minutes they reappeared
a little muddy, little bedraggled, but
n1 and h.,rN,
spots on Florry's cheeks and she clasped
something tightly in her little red fist.
mere, SAID Johnny, when they We're
seated IN the straw again; now mind you
But here suddenly Florry s. lips began to
q9lvel, and she gave vent To- "a small howl
You ant bit by traat ler. nor nothin'?,
No-o-o! But -
But what?' said Johnny
Mar said l must tell! Mar said was to
mn m out where you get the truly gold! Mar
SAID was to get you to. take me- howIed
florry, in an agony of reruorSe.
Johnny gasped. You 1nJifl!' he began.
But l won't, Jonnhy!',. said Florry
clutchlng his leg franucaIly. Il won't and
l snan t. l amt no InJin.'
Then, between her sobs. she. told him how
her mother and MIR. Staples, had said that
she was to ask Johnny the fiext time they
met to take her where fpes fotnd the ..trulv
gold, and she Was to remember where il
was and TO tell them. And they We're going
to give her a new dolly and hunk of GIN
gerbread. But wontAartdi I shan'tr' she
said passionately. She was quite pale
again.
Johnny was convinced, but thoughtful
Tell en-" he said hoarsely, tell 'em
big yhtopper' They won't know no better
They'll never guess where" And ne briefly
recounted the wild-goose chase he had Civ
en- the minister.
And get the dolly and the cake" said
Fiarry lori her. her Eyes shining through her tears
the dolly back, but you kin have eated the
cake first" They looked at each other. and
their eyes danced together over this heaven
Sent inspiration; Then Johnny took of her
shoes and stockings. rubbed her cold feet
with his dirty handkerchief, and said:
Now you trot over to your mar!'
- ne helped her through the loose picket
her faint voice again called to him
"Johnny!'
He turned back; she was standing on
the other side of the fence holding out
shining eyes, lifted her up, and from her
hot but loving little lips took fatal kiss.
For. only an hour later, Mrs fraser
found Florry in her bed, tossing with a
ing OF Johnny and gold" and had a
flake of the metal in her tiny fist When
Mr.. Staples was sent for, and with the
mother and father, hung anxlously atove
|hoA ooo' " lHclT eager questioning they
could only find out that Florry had been
to high mountain, ever so far away, and
on the top of it there was gold lying
around, and shining figure was giving
1t away to the people.
And who were the people, Florry dear?''
said Mr. Staples, persuasively; anybody
We know here?'' a
They .voz angels" said Florry, with
frightened glance over her sh houlder.
l grieve to say that Mr.. Staples did not
look as pleased at the celestial vision as he
might have. and poor Mrs. Fraser prob
ably saw that In her childs face " hich
drove other things from her mind. Yet Mr.
Staples persisted.
And who led you to this beautiful noun
tain? Was 1t johnny"
NO"
'Who them"
Florry opened her eyes on the speaker
Il find it was Dod," she said, and closed
them again.
But here DR.. Duchesne hurried in, and
after single glance at the child hustled
Mr.. Staples from the room, for there were
grave complications that puzzled him.
Florry seemed easier and quieter under his
kindly voice and touch, but did not speak
again-and so, slowly sinking passed away
that night in dreamless sleep. This was
followed by mad panic at Burnt Spring