The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-02-04

Isr spron q sweet sppies, assks tsr1ed
again TO tha- blaokness Of the forest
path. A
Between this cabin and the nextt the
distance was but Aalf . mile. Her
peEves were now getting 70 we'll steadied
that ne no longer cared for the UUYl-
tny and shifting 6hadows, till &t length
s5shadows distinctly smaller than tiis
reutmade the underbrush rustic audlbly
with its motion. Her heart gave .
most uncomfortable leap, and she
stradghtway thought Of the wolf which
her husband had spoken Of. But, wolf
Or shadow, IL fed away without menace
Ing her; and she came in safety to the
last cabin between her and home.
Here the neighbors were asleep, and
she had to arouse them IN order to beg
another pine-knot. The one which she
had got at the previous house was by no
means burned out, but she feared lest It
should fail before the end Of her jour.
ney. The sleepy neighbots were aston
ished at her appearance. They threat
cped to detain her by force, when she
refused their invitation to stay all night
with them But Mrs. Buckler was by
this time q good deal worked up" as
she afterward expressed herself; and
she treated their kind persuasions with
scant courtesy. She almost ran from
the house; but In her apron, among the
sweet apples, she carried the extra pine
knot, all the same.
10 ward off unpleasant thoughts, she
kept picturing In her mind the way the
children would enjoy the apples in the
morning. She also thought Of the res
monstrances, tempered with ill-con-
cealed admiration, with which her hus-
band would greet her return. Her
blood quite glowed again as she thought
Of. the lofty fashion In which she wo'ild
make light of IL all. Just at this mo-
ment she saw, in the middle Of the path
before her, q large black bear, watching
her curiously. s'tia''''t
Her heart stood still, and she herself
instantly followed this example. Then
she reflected that she mubti appear
calmly Indifferent, If she would hope to
escape. Slowly she moved forward
again, waving her torch; and the bear,
stepping out Of the path, watched her
steadily from among the underbrush
as she went by. Then he stepped back
into the path and followed her.
Her first and most nntural impulse
was to run like the wind for home, but
this, after one startled leap forward,
she checked with mighty effort of her
will. She walked on with swift but
steady steps, watching the bear out OF
| the corner Of her eve, but all the time
clutchinp obstinately at her apronful
Of apples. The bear, very slowly, kept
drawing closer and closer. bent upon at
| tackinQ, but evidently deferred by
dread of the torch.
But the torch. meanwhile. was burn.
! ing low; and Mrs. Buckler, in her ex.
element, failed at ilrst to notice this.
| She was holding the pine-knot over he.
shoulder. as sort of shield against her
pursuer. When, with a shaking at the
knecs. she realized that It was on the
poipt Of fiickeriug out. she tried hastily
to light the other; and in the effort
some OF her treasured apples fell out ot
I her aproa and rolled behind her ON the
oath. Ese5 sA 2fs "
AZ som al the bear came to these
apples he stopped and began devour
Inc them with the keenest relish. x
| "Whvi~ tbourht Mrs. Buckler. with
: sudden licihtAnfnr OF her Load a. ter
| ror: "it's not me he's after. but the
sweet anniesf" and straiohtwav ali he,
| o,a .,,,.nr.., ,..4,.-.oa3 flt,St4
she n..nset3 and took time IN light he,
new nine-knot deliberately and we'll
Than sha hurried ON. and IL was some
| minutes before her pursuer was aeair
at her heels. a
| And now N sudden ara the revul
sions Of = woman,s feelings. abe wa,
concerned onlv for the sweet apples
Thev were the children's apples: and /,
went sorelv apainst her prain to let !
l.