River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-11-12

knot. I'm almost sure-yes. II isl" and
in another instant she was at her sis
tiers side.
Nov We mustn't get 'weepy' DEAR"
for Louise began 10 sob, as she kissed
her, I'm going scythe hunting. though
a scythe blade isn't very pretty thing
TO feel for Ia the dark, with ones hands
beEind ore--I see something glittering
over there nowI" and she CROPPED her
way toward it. "It's only spade" she
called, "but-" as she knelt with her
hack to ii and felt tits pretty SHARP
I'll bring ii there, and slip the handle
behind you, and you can steady il while
] saw my rope back and forth on it."
The tense rope hurt poor ElleIf
wrists as she worked IL back and forth
but she bore the pain bravely, and In
few minutes she was free. AS the last
strands were cracking, Louise spoke
mp suddenly:
20. Ellen! have thought now.
Frisk is q good carrier. if he is a cow
ard. We must send the medicine home
by him He can get 1t there before two
o'clock, and that was the time Jack was
the sickest before"
Louise, you're jewel! That's just
what we will do! But poor mother-it
will brighten her so. IL / could only
send note-have you q pencil? /
haven't" as she felt in her own pocket.
%, forgot. I'll have TO feel for you.
You can't find one?" said Louise,
then ii must go without a note. What
are you doing?" for Ellen had suddenly
darted in the direction from which she
had brought the spade.
I'm going for lantern that struck
my head against when was feeling
for the spade. I'm going to use the
black from the wick"
In a few minutes these words were
scratched with a stick upon the paper
in which the bottle had been wrapped:
Eve are cafe, but detained-will come
by seven, and explain" Ellen read
them aloud, then folded the paper, and
tying both il and the bottle into her
handkerchief, fastened them securely
around Frisk's neck. 'Now," she said,
lifting him out of the window, Ego
home, sir. quick!" and away he sped.
IF these windows were not cut so small.
how quickly we'd follow himi" she ex
claimed, as she turned to Louise. "And
now you poor dear, I'll unite you-youll
be more comfortable, even if we have to
spend the rest of the night here"
IF, said Louise; you're the queerest
girl. What else can we do? And you
yourself SAID seven o'clock, but don't
think IL will be as late as that"
Nor /, but / said seven, because I
could not tell what time Mr.. Flanders
would come to the barn, and didn't
want mother to begin to look for us
too soon-there-you're loose from the
ring now-if my knot had been as tight
as yours, I'd have been fast yet. Now
move a little, so that / can catch the
light on your NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. are
wheels crossing the bridget that is the
doctor. o, don't dare to think of home.
We mustn't" Her tone was brave, but
Louise felt more than one tear on her
hand, before the knot was united. Then
the two girls threw their arms about
each other, and in spite of Ellen's wise
resolve. cried together.
''There!" said Ellen recovering her.
self, perhaps it had to come out, but
we must control ourselves now. The
first thing we must do is to get the hay
window open; We'll have some light TO
think by, then. remember just where
IL is, if | can only get 10 it. We must
feel around the WALL" and she began to
DO so as she spoke, drawing Louise with
her, until we come to the loft ladder
. &c 81 a
go up"
but Ellen, it's terrible dangerous for
you 10 grope around up there in the
dark; you'll go through some trap
door,"
mo, won't. I'm moving at the rate
of an inch an hour" But the hours
were short. or the inches were long, for
It seemed but a minute before Louise
heard the rattle of the hasp. as it fell
from the staple, and the window swung
open.
"Now, If we only had ladder" ex-
claimed Ellen, as Louise's head peered
above the opening That led to the loft
"We'll look up here first, and then we'll
feel around downstairs; but I'm afraid
there isn't one inside"
And so il proved. There was none ex-
cept the one built into the wall. Sud-
denly Ellen threw her arms around her
sister. az have it! have it'll" she cried;
"we'll be home in another hour-well
just throw the hay out, until we get
enough to jump on!"
but, Ellen. it's 20 feet, at least. We
can't possibly"
"Yes, we can; we don't have to jump.
exactly. We can let ourselves down by
our hands and drop-you'll see-just
come and go to work with me-"
And work they did, pushing the hay
before them in great masses, until
enough had fallen out to make a pile
six feet through, below the window.
"Now." said Ellen, "I'll drop first, and
when you see that it don't h ri me you
won't be afraid to follow"