The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1896-02-20

have held mp the mirror with right good
will, but he did not know how In those
days he followed the major around with
dogllke devotion. and only eloWered
when Ellie came out 10 the orchard ene
morning with her paints and succeeded
in bringing upon herself a seeldiug from
her oYerndulgent husband She held
her bead very high and stiff. and march
ed oyer the mll -9mc distance a~av.
where sbe seated herself and pretended
10 sketch, but Was IL reality nursing b
injured feelings II keep them alive. Tie
major watched her disappear with
panied expression an hIs cd uaturad
face, and then went drjoetedlv into fhe
house Pete was deeply uceused against
Ellie, and made another solemn yo% L.
desert the ranch. 1t was the ninety and
ninth time that he bad done -, and tins
time he scaled the vow With an cath.
The l1hg grass on the Napa hills vas
burned aud crisp and Ellie vas dauhLs
yellow oebor and burnt lumber over hef
canvas with vicious strokes She Wa
not giving any attention tn her work.
however, fJr an athletic form stood be-
tween her and the landscape. and she
was lndulglHg Ill very foolish ddy
dream. To do the little woman justice.
she WAS hot in love with Brompton. but
her vanity had been stimulated to such
wonderful activity by his youthful ga
lantrles that She fancied ne was deeply
infatuated with her She wondered if lie
would ever tell her that he loved her. #
she could only have some test Of his
love, what satisfaction it would bel
Over on the mountain side half
mile away Pete leaned on bis hoe and
watched thread Of fire crawling like
red snake through the underbrush Of
chaparral and manzanita lie knew only
too we'll that no human power could
| stop it, and that within a few minutes
the gentle breeze would cause a flying
spark to fall upon the long dry grass,
and putf-the crawling snake would
become great swirling, galloping mass
of flame and smoke and would pass over
the very place where Ellie sat sulking
and dreaming. Pete had firmly deter.
mined to leave the ranch. He bad wash.
ed his hands of these people he would
not-but the grass was on fire, and Pete
made a dash for the house, yelling at
the top of his lungs for the major.
The volume Of smoke was rising high
when Ellie rose to her feet and shifted
the air. Before she could gather up her
paints IA thin rim of fire ran along the
top of the little hill above her The
small birds and insects rose from the
ground with a whir and scattered down
the hillside. Ellie glanced quickly back
ward and saw the fire licking up the
grass as ii bore down upon her and the
smoke rolling heayenWard i'll dense.
sooty clouds She did not lose her pres
ence of mind, but remembered small
plowed field a short distance away,
where the flames could not reach her,
and ran nimbly down the hill, with her
f1uttering skirts gathering cookie burs
and sticker weed as she sped.
When she was fairly on the plowed
ground and gssping for breath, she saw
the young Englishman tearing along the
hill at frantic rate. Through the smoke
he looked pale and frightened. Ellie felt
thrill of satisfaction. Here was the
AOl ESh Ali pippl VI illH lONO' Lit luOlipSlit
she was i'll danger and had come to her
rescue. A deep blush mounted to her
cheeks and her heart beat to suffocation.
But he did not seem to see her 1t was
evident to her that he was crazed with
fear and would plunge into the fire in
search of her Merciful God He would
be burned.
4" Brompton she screamed. Dear
! Brompton, | am here-sate.
The fire was very close, and she had
to throw herself flat on the ground to
escape being burned. She gave one mme
despairing cry as she felt the hot breath
scorch her clothing. Brompton
Brompton Brompton !"
\ great wave of smoke and flame
swept around the edges of the plowed
ground and for a minute nothing could
be seen or heard. Fortunately for Ellie
the dry grass burned like finder, and
the fire was soon roaring down the hill
toward the valley.
When Ellie, choked and frightened,
lifted her head, she saw the thin, long,
scantily clad legs of her husband bound
ing over the blackened earth toward her.
His duck troasets were smeared with
SCOT, and he had wet blanket about
his shoulders. He could not speak, but
caught Ellie in his arms and burst into
stifled sobs.
Back of them was heard the voice of
Brompton Edwards. Hello there, ma
jor!" he called Il had IA very narrow
squeak of it. My hammock and books
are burned to finder by this By Jove.
old fellow, you are burned yourself,
aren t you? Your wife was safe enough
knew she could take care of herself.
But Ellie buried her head i'll the wet
blanket with shudder and burst into
tears of shame and eontrition.
well well, gasped Pete, who had
stumbled up the hill with bundle of
wet sacks. 81 never was So plaguey
scared III my life Thought you'd be
burned sure, Miss Ellie Me and the ma
jor II have fine time next week clear
ing -
For Pete had reconsidered his ninety
and ninth vow. Indeed it was only
week later when he was specializing If
there was ever ahappier couple than the
major and his Ellie And Pete beamed
as he thought Of the ignoble part Bromp