The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-22

all kind Of heroine, land it was wor
derful shot. for you were so careful nc
to touch me"
Please don't say any more" he sal
with a slight movement of half av
wardness, half impotence. "It was
rough job, but it's over now"
He stopped and chafed his red hand
abstractedly together. She could Sc
that he had evidently just washed thei
and the glazing ring was more in ev
dence than ever But the thought CAV
her an inspiration.
You'll at least let me shake hand
with you" she said, extending both he
own with childish frankness.
Hold on, Miss Forester" he said, wit |
sudden desperation. 1T amt the squar
thing, Look here. ! can't play this thin
on you--I can't let you play it on me an
longer! You wasn't in any dangcr-yo
never We're! That bear was only a hal
wild thing / helped 10 ra'r myself! 1t
taken sugar from my hand night afte
night at the door -of this cabin as
might have taken il from yours here
it was alive now. 1t slept night ate
night in the brush, not 30 yards ava
The mornings never came yet-till nOvX
he said, hastily, to cover an odd brea
in his voice, when it didn't brush alon
the whole side OF this cabin TO kinda
wake me up and say so long afore
brOwsed away into the canon Their
amt man along the whole Divide VIII
didn't know it; thar amt man alonI
the whole Divide that would have drawI
bead or pulled a trigger on it till novI
It never had an enemy but the bees;
never even knew why horses and cattl
were frightened Of il. 1t wasn't mud
OF a pet you'd say, Miss Forester;
wasn'a much to meet a lady's eye; BID
, we Of the woods must take our friend
whore we find EN- and Of our own kind
1t amt no fault Of yours what happed
ed; but when it comes to your thankful
| me for it, why, it's--it's rather rough vol
| are-and gets me-" lie stopped short al
desperately and as abruptly as he hal
| begun, and stared blankly at the fire.
A wave Of pity and shame swept ovd
| the young girl and left its high tide oil
her cheek. But even then it was closel|
followed by the feminine instinct Of I'D
Tense and defiance. The real hero-th
gentlcman-she reasoned bitterly, woul
have spared her this knowledge.
Bus why she said, with knitte,
brOws, why. if you knew it was so preci
Gus and so harmless-why did you fir
upon it?'
Because" he said almost fercel,
! turning upon her, because you scream
ed, and then | knew it had frightene,
YOU He stopped instantly as she mo
| mentarily recOied from him, but the very
brusqueness of his action had dislodge,
tear from his dark eyes, that fell warn
| on the back Of her hand, and seemed Il
| blot out the indignity. Listen, Miss.
he went on hurriedly, as if to cover up hi
momentary unmanliness, Il knew thu
bear was missing tonight, and when
| heard the horses skreeying about / reck
med what was up. | knew no harm
would come to you, for the horses wer,
embarrassed and away from the wagon
[ pelted down that trail ahead of then
all, like grim death, calkiltin' to ge
there before the bear; they wouldn't hav,
understood me; | was too high up to cal
to the creature when he did come ont
and | kinder hoped you wouldn't see him
Even when he turned towards the wag
on, | knew it wasn't you he was after
but suthing' else, and | kinder hoped
Miss, that you being different and quick
er-minded than the rest. would see 4
too. All the while them folks were yex
IN behind me to fiTe--as if I didn't knot
my work. | was halfway down-anI
then you screamed! And then I forgC1
everything everything but standinf
clear Of hitting you-and / fred. 1t wa
that savage that WANTED to believe tha /
he'd gone mad and would have touched
YOU, till | got down there and found III
honey-pot lying alongside of him. BI
there-it's all over nowl / wouldnN
have let on a word to you only I couldn
bear to take your thanks for it, and
couldn't bear to have you thinking me
brute for dodgin' them" He stOppe \
walked to the fire, leaned against I'll
chimney under the shallow pretext
kicking the dull embers into baz
which, however, had only the effect
revealing his two glistening eyes as
turned back again and came towar
her. We'll, he said, with an ineffectuN
laugh, its all over now, and it were
in the days work, | reckon-and MOI
Miss if you're ready, and will just d
yourself your own way so as to ride cas-
I'll carry you down" And slightly ben
ing his strong figure, he dropped on OF
knee beside her with extended arms.
Now it is one thing to be carried up
! hill in temperate, unconscious fashid
by tall, powerful man with steadfa
| glowering eyes, but quite another thir
| to be carried down again by the SAN
man who has beeen crying, and whe
you are conscious that you are going |
cry too, and your tears may be apt |
mingle. SO Miss Amy Forester sal
"Oh, wait, please! Sit down a mOmen
Oh, Mr.. Tenbrook, l am so very, yer
SORRY" and, clapping her hands to he
eyes, burst into tears.
80, please, please don't, Miss Fores
err" said Jack, sitting down on the en-
of the bunk with frightened eyes, pleas
don't do that! 1t amt worth it. I'm onl
a brute to have said anything
''No, no! You are so noble! so forgiyI
ing!" sobbed Miss Forester, ''and hav
made you go and kill the only thing 20
cared for, that was all your own"
"No, Miss-not all my own, either