The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1897-06-03
FORGIVEN.

Dusk was beginning to fall, and as
looked round over the long level Of
marsh land that surrounded us and saw
no sign of any of our party felt the
first thrill of a not unpleasant uneasi-
ness. l glanced at my companion. She
was walking quite contentedly by my
side, apparently secure in the assump-
tion that knew my way. AS a matter
OF fact, I had the gravest doubt about it
and there seemed no possibility of max
ing sure. For miles on either hand the
marshes stretched to the low horizon.
The dry tracks were few and ill defined
and already light white mist was ris-
ing over the numerous straight water
ways looked at Miss Pascoe again,
and my uneasiness gave place to kind
) of expectant pleasure. Even supposing
we were lost, there was no actual dan
ger, and the great sense Of solitude that
hung about us gave me feeling Of pos
session that was keenly delightful. Miss
Pascoe, unconscious of my doubtful
.cogitations, still walked on as though
her feet were upon familiar road, and
indeed, as far as could judge, we were
making in the right direction. To have
stopped would have been like a confess
sion of incompetence on my part, and
this to an unavowed lover was out of
the question, at any rate until circum-
stances unquestionably had me at dis
advantage. So we went on, and the
twilight deepened, and the mist trailed
in denser wisps across the shivering
,1eed beds.
Suddenly she turned to me.
"What queer place this would be to
get lost in, she said
think the serious possibility of such
a thing had not occurred to her at all
She threw out the remark merely as
contribution to tagging conversation.
YES I said. "But you're not
afraid, are you?''
sob, no; not at all! Of course you
know the way, and that makes all the
difference.
"Of course it does," answered, with
"a glimmering sense of shame.
"How far are we from home now?''
she asked after pause, in which the
darkness had perceptibly increased.
''Three miles, dare say" said at
blind hazard.
"That's nothing" she said. 81
.fhought we must be quite FOUR
"Are you sure you're not tired?" I
asked. "Wouldn't you like to rest?"
But she persisted in walking on at that
swinging pace of hers.
EVEN if I wanted to rest there's
nothing to rest on she said.
'1I'm sure could find fence some
where" said
81 don't believe you could" she
said, but I'm not going to let you try.
I'D much rather get home''
We walked on silently for another
five minutes, and then Miss Pascoe
stopped and listened, leaning forward
slightly, with her hair blowing about
her face.
lis that the sea?" she asked.
1t was the sea Enthusiastically, the
SLOW roll mingled with the rustic of
the wind over the rushes And then it
became quite obvious to me that had
Woefully gone astray, for the sea was
before us instead of almost at our backs.
sit must be the sea-" said, after
show of hard listening.
"But it shouldn t he there she said
"Why not?" answered rather feebly
in order to gain time. 1T always has
been there, suppose.
''Don't be foolish" she said. 'You
know what / mean We must have got
son the wrong path. Mr. Thirlmere,"
she cried, chow could you have been SO
careless?''
my dear Miss Pascoe," said, ''if
4 have made a mistake, am very
sorry"
"And you said all along that you
knew the way" she pouted, trying to
shoot condemnation from her eyes at
sme in the darkness
'You see," said, 81 got my direc-
4ions from your brother-from Jim
and he's often so very inaccurate, isn't
be?''
''Absurdly inaccurate" she admit
ted. IF I'd known you were relying
Hpon Jim, wouldn't have come at
all"
land then should have missed the
most delightful walk I ever had"
She turned away from me little,
with petulant movement Of the shout
ders that pleased me nightly.
II wish we had Jim here" she said
with pretty fierceness.
II DON'T" said.
''Then, perhaps you'll II be good enough
70 find the right path. We can't stay
bere .
ssThere don't seem to be any conven-
fences for camping out, said. will
Tou stay here for a moment while ex-
plofe to the right ! may get up to my