Iron County register., 1897-12-23

considerably. Bright and early the fol-
lowing morning Bools was up to see
Cathy, the cook. Bools generally did
bring the village budgets, but this
morning much turned on his tale, for
had not a matter of two inches or So
the difference in the height of those
two-the Presbyterian spire and the
Methodist steeple. held two hearts apart
for four good years or more? Il was as
tonishing how unbridgeable. by dint of
broOding over and cherishing, this
trifing matter had become. But 10!
the elements had arbitrated. Mr.. Cook
announced his finale at the breakfast
table: Thank tie gods and graces,
odds are even al last; faithful Bools
and warm-hearted Cathy can conscien-
tiously wed"
After this outbreak the weather re-
sumed the even tenor of it's way: charm
ing days rolled by. one so much like
the other that few called them singly
to account. Locust Nest stood in the
midst of a dreamy old garden and the
hum of bee and the drone of insect
sounded by the hour. The doctors
child. when she was not haunting the
stairway and window ledges of the de-
Hghtsome old nest itself. haunted this
garden. She started out of nook or by
path, taking Mrs. Winters often IN
awares, and always with a book in
hand.
Mrs. Winters. liking TO pull beans
herself and TO fuss" among her vege-
tables. stood one day under an apple
tree surveying her store. when some
thing dropped from TIE gnarIed
branches above. ''Mercy. child. where
were you? Why do you always have
that 5Ook?''
at is not that book. it is another
Father and Think schools ase disagree
able, so 1 study by myself. learn all
over just what I wish 20, ana every Fri
day evening father and visit together
ard / tell him what / do not know. You
see when people have not got much
but each other they think a good deal
Of each other. Folks say have lost
my mother. but father said that l am
not real well acquainted with anybody
but old nurse, who looks like your
Cathy, and fathers we cannst stay here
much longer now; I thought I would
tell you- We like corners; you always
find something nice around corner;
the city is full of corners, so think
We will go away soOn." and blue eyes
met blue eyes. At that instant the thud
of hoofs was heard, and away down the
drive and out into the road ran the
child. Mrs. Winters FASTENED into her
kitchen. That evening closed in early
FILL 81
and earth seemed TO shake beneath the
mighty tread of its approach. Light
ming cut the air, thunder rolled; the
creek a quarter mile above the Nest
rose Gefiantly so that fording was made
impossible. and the bridge might easily
be missed in such a night. Grille, who
had been studying up thunderstorms
of late, desired her father to neither
stand nor TO run if ever caught by one
''iaE, pointed objects being fine marks"
Several persons watched from windows
the Increasing gloom and fury without
when dinner was called, but scarcely
were they seated at table when the
waitress appeared at her mistress ell
bow. The school-teacher at the pro-
fe<Aor's was very i'll; no doctor to be
found. Would DIR. Flint accompany the
messenger?
Girlie uttered an involuntary "Oh!"
Mrs. Winters not a word nor even raised
her eyes. Cyrus Flint rose and strobe
from the room. He reappeared be-
capped and beclOaked and opened the
outer door. Bools was there with two
horses and a lantern, under whose red
glover glistened the coats of rider
and horse. y fierce gust of wind met
him, but he made his way out.
Father" the doctor bent from his
saddle; hold this high and sit low"
and the little figure stood on its tip
toes and reached up a small sunshade-
that precious blue silk parasol-sacri-
feed by a warm little heart to cleo
trio greed, confident that surrounding
that beloved head it would be quite
tall" enough and pointed" enough
to avert attack. Bless you, sweetheart!
Take her in he cried; but Cathy's
arms were already about her and she
was carried in while her father rode
away into the wild night
The chime-Iike stroke of the grea,
clock was telling II when a violent
knock came on the kitchen door and
BoOls' voice was heard. Cathy set the
door ajar when BoOls pushed it open
and entered, followed by neighboring
farmhands bearing a rude litter upon
which was stretched form whose gar
ments, as did those Of the other men,
Gripped water which trickled right
and left over the polished floor. The
cook wrung her hands.
'Oh, my! Oh, my! Is he killed or
drowned that you fetch him on raft,
and his fatherless babe above stairs.
Oh, my! Oh, my!"
Hist! Where's the lady?" But Mrs
Winters, her eyes wide and full of
alarm, already stood on a threshold
Bring him this way into
the bedroom, and do you, Bools. watch
all the trains and catch the first doc
tor who comes" Then she and Cathy
worked over the injured man until day
break, with which came Bools and DR..
Hale.
Late in the afternoon DR.. Flint wax
ened. conscious and obServant. An anX-
ious face was bending over him, and
before its owner could withdraw the
doctor grasped two small hands.
"Reta! Ny Reta! l see all now. Some
thing has shadowed me persistently
since the night 1 arrived For two
years l have dreamed of you by night
and searched for you by day. Reta!
my wife!"
Mrs Winters Flint sobbed as she hid
her face on his arm.
Il went directly to Paris where I