Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1896-04-03
lEANDER IN A MASK.
ny r1riF ROGERS


by a dull young moon.
A strip Of deserted road, winding
between undulafing fields, which were
dotted with black pine. and naked - ca.
niorcs
Al turn Of The roed these fields
sIoped downward % the thiekly wooded
baoksof shallow stream. now frozen
pu!seiess, mute
SGT the fainted sigh Of breeze. not
The smallest gufgle from the frost tan
sled creek non ihe auuer Of a dead leaf
disturbed the slmost uneathly silence
81 ha' lonely spot
'Iiis more lonely than thought or
perhap. ava more Of a coward. for
begin e regret not having stayed with
Lucie tonight Natalie Ewing said AN
easily 10 herself
She looked wisifally across the wide.
undulasing fields, which showed no sign |
Of human habitation a vague dread Of
possible danger oppressed her senses,
and She urged her pretty, dappled brown
pony 20 a faster pace.
She had spent the afternoon and early
evening with dear girl intimate, who
was il
II was getting rather late when she
started for her hone four or five miles
distant
But she was familiar With the road,
and the idea Of being afraid, or of hav.
ing any cause for fear, had never occur
red to her. 4
You had better stay with me till
morning, Nat Several people have been /
annoyed by trsmps out In your direction S
lately And that Sycamore Hollow is a II
wretchedly lonesome spot am sure
shouldn't dare go through there alone
after dark" her friend demonstrated.
Nonsense" said Natalie, putting on
her driving gloves with serene uncon- n
Germ. Ny pony, small though he may N
be Is feet enough to carry me away from s.
danger If any knight Of the road should
attempt 10 stop me" a
We'll, ] quite agree with our friend" b,
inicrposed an attractive looking young ol
fellow who stood ready 20 escort Natalie VI
out tc her cart. ] think Sycamore
Hollow decidedly unsafe after nighttal. "
And If you viii permit me to do So. he
shall be happy TO drive home with you" sy
Natalie turned her pretty head with a
quick, surprised movement &c
There was gleam of mockery in her
arge, luminous gray eyes. nm
"You, Stevie1' she cried with mere
utility, real or pretended. 81 thought It
vas your creed to run away from dan r. r.
ere" ii'
- do not believe one ought to run 90,
ito danger needlessly," Stephen Ran ~,
olph explained with a slight flush on -.
is manly young face. "ro risk life or ,a,
NIB for the sake OF another is very -,
aerent thing" 200
"Oh, that's II is it3" Natalie replied A
It'll the faintcst gliding note in her soft, con
-etty voice but never mind, Stevie, 90,
don't think there's any need for you to thal
sk life or limb on this occasion" .he
He bowed in silent, courteous submits :
on to her decree, but his flushed face :,
rned very pale at her rsilery an,
N"''he 'housn' Oh u now as she uroVe and
rough the weird shadows of Sycamore "a
ollow.
u wonder what makes me say such hin,
teful things to poor old Steve" she a
,hed remorsefully. II could be as fond ,obs
him as he is Of me II only he was of rein
iuea OF nero esteem MN more own
an any other man know But the ii
IN love must be a Leander for bra war,
rs" A,
'ne mao reached the o'idge which ing
AIMED the frozen creek w
The pony's feet small hoofs clattered ,ake
er the loose planks of the crazy old am,
ucture; the low wheels of her little hr,,v
Id-cart bumped and jerked across the go
ges and burrows, and the noise Jared How
angely upon the intense stiffness of love
solemn night what
Satslie could distinguish every object find
the way side IN the ghostly light Of lie
rshine and noonshiue reflected by and d
streaks and patches OF frozen snow. hin,
he had reached the top OF the short 90
ent at the further end of the bridge e,,
ca she heard stealthy footsteps some onde,
ere just beyond her, and a moment C.,
" she saw mans figure skulking thino
and a clump of stunted bushy pines. yin :
GO on, Dappie, Oh. dy. Dapplep the Sc
cried ia a low startled voice To- her r,i