Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-04-06

huu ueIlClOuS aU inc lOOt OF g1ani
planetree. contributed its largess tc
this end. A little square of wet earth
just below the spring was almost con-
stantly marked by footprints.
An expert rider, swinging downward
from his seat, could easily grasp the
long-handled gourd that hung from
the trees brown bole and refresh him
self and his horse at the same time
DEFY had spread the long breadths
of cotton sheeting, which had just
come from her loom, on the grass to
bleach, and seemed now to be study.
ing the footprints. Her eyes wan
dered from them to the farmhouse
on the hill, and again to the mountain
which lifted its blue shoulder above
the crest OF the nearest hill
sit do pintedly seem like ma gifts
wusser and wusser the hull time. I
amt he'd G mite of peace all summer, -
said Dely, addressing the footprints.
"Nhy she should suspicion at them
ar hootmarks war made by Alec Pen
lan's horse l cayn't surmise. An Bob
Wilson a-comin' reg'lar an the license
got an everything"
"Oh, Miss Dely, Miss Dely !" called
a soft, drawing voice. ~.
DEFY faced quickly around.
"That you, Bud Harris? What yer
want? Don't holler theta way ?" with
u iurtive glance at the house..
She looked at the boy as calmly as
if he had been post. And yet he
was picture. He set all hygienic
theories at defiance. Cornbread and
bacon, sodden biscuit and buttermilk,
stewed beans plentifNlly seasoned"
with bacon, made the menu by which
Bud had come to such o glory of
1atiny, olive skin, clear eyes and
sturdy growth.
"What yer want?" repeated Miss
Dely, pertnrbably.
Bud was only eight and DEFY was
twenty-nine.
Hes over yon-baok O. the spring
waitin' ter see yer," said Bud,
breathlessly.
Looks of pleasure and fright
chased each other over Mss Dely s
face.
"You go along, Bud, an don't tell
nobody !" she said.
Bud giggled, caught his breath and
then gazed soberly after Miss Delv,
who went at once to the springhouse.
She opened the door and entered.
TWAS clean and sweet and cool, and
pervaded by soft gloom, only broken
by the streaks of light that marked
where the chinking had fallen from
between the logs. The stone floor
was damp and mossy. Jars OF milk
and butter stood in deep trough
along one side, and the water went
purling between them, dripped from
the trough into channel and went
gurgling of into the branch.
Miss DEFY bent her face to the wild
est crevice between the logs.
"What you want, Alec?" 1t was a
shaggy head that approached hers and
n pair OF keen blue eyes, trimmed by
blond brows, already trihe frosted,
that were frammed in by the edges OF
the logs.
''Jest ter see yer, Dely!" was the re.
ply, in softest tones. "Jest ter see
yer once't more. I cayn't come ter
the weddin'-yer couldn't expect
that"
"Why not?" interrupted Dely.
"She axes me whyl" groaned Alec.
"Come ont hyar, Dely. 1t amt COM
fable ter talk wi them logs atween us. "
"I cayn't," answered Dely. "Ma'll
sea me. And don't reckon hits any
use talkin'."
'Hit's the last time" pleaded Alec,
"When [ give yer up ter Bob Will
SON"
eyer didn't give me up" inter
rupted DEFY, almost angrily. eyer
couldn't, cause yer never he'd me-"
"An' why didn't I hev yer?" de-
manded Alec, piteously. 81 lowed
'twere all settled, only we he'd ter
brek it ter yer ma gradooal--Miss
Towdshend's SO sensitive. Oh, Dely,
come out hyar."
81 amt ergoin' ter. You war eleven
year n breakin' it an Bob Wilson only
TUX two months" said Miss Dely, the
wild apple tint in her cheeks growing
roster.
can it never war all settled, no.
how. Ye had yer chance an ye didn't
TEX il. [ dunno why. Ef you RELY
he'd cared for"
"Ef 1 he'd cared fer YEP said Alec.
''Don't yer know I cared for YEP"
He gave her look OF such intense
affection that she grew pale and felt
like fainting. Then, like the man he
was, he lost his advantage by begin
ming to tramp up and down the narrow
space in the rear of the spring house,
groaning and gesticulating.
81 wish I'd fit him. vow I wish
I'd fit him !"
DEFY watched him, at first curiously
and, no doubt, with certain pleasure.