Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-03-11

was steady, and could be depend
ed upon; moreover, it was health
full and invigorating. In summer John
never became accustomed to the raw
ages of the black fly, the mosquito and
other insect pests of that season. His
first interview with the black fly left
ms face in such a condition that he was
glad he lived in a wilderness!
At the beginning of the second win
tel John treated himself to luxury.
He bought natty little French Cana
dian horse that was very quick and ac-
customed to the ice, because the ice Of
the river formed the highway by which
he reached Burntpine from the mine.
10 supplement the horse, he also got
"a comfortable little cutter. and with
this turnout he made his frequent jour
neys between the mine and Burntpine
with comfort and speed, wrapped
snugly in buffalo robes.
If London often reverted to his mind,
there was another subject that OBJ
truded itself even more frequently. His
increased prosperity had something to
do with this. He saw that, if .he was
to have n third of the receipts of the
mine, he was not to remain poor man
for very long, and this fact gave him Il
certain courage which had been lacking
lefore. He wondered if she remem-
bered him. Wentworth had said very
little about her in his letters, and Ken-
yon, in spite of the confession he had
made when his case seemed hopeless,
was 10th to write and ask his friend any
thing about her.
Cne day, on n clear, sharp, frosty
winter morning. Kenyon had his little
pony harnessed for his weekly journey
to Burntpipe. After the rougher part
of the journey between the mine and
the river had been left behind and the
pony got down to her work on the ice,
with the two white banks of snow on
either side of the smooth track, John
gave himself up to thinking about the
subject which now so often engrossed
his mind. Wrapped closely in his furs,
with the cutter skimming along the ice,
these thoughts found a pleasant accom-
paniment in the silvery tinl1le of TIE
bells which jingled a.Cund his horses
neck. AS a generai-Nr he met no
one on the icy road froJn the mine to the
village. Sometimes there was a pre-
cession of sleighs bearing supplies fer
his own mine and those beyond, and
when this procession was seen, Ken
yon had to look out for some place by
the side of the track where he could
pull up his horse and cutter and allow
the teams to pass. The snow on each
Of ha I, ~
these bays were shoveled out here and
there to permit teams to get past each
other. He had gone half way to the
village when he saw ahead of him
pair of horses which he at once recog-
nized as those belonging to the hotel
keeper. He drew up in the first bay and
awaited the approach of the sleigh. He
saw that it contained visitors for HIM
self, because the driver, on recognizing
him, had turned round and spoken to
the occupants of the vehicle. AS it came
along the man drew up and nodded
to Kenyon, who, although ordinarily the
most polite of men, did not return the
salutation. He was stricken dumb with
astonishment at seeing who was in the
sleigh. One woman was so bundled up
that not even her nose appeared out
in the cold, but the smiling, rosy face
of the other needed no introduction to
John Kenyon.
"Well, Mr.. Kenyon" cried a laughing
voice, you did not expect to see ME
this morning, did you?.'
II confess did not" said John, "and
yet" here he paused. He was going to
say, "and yet was thinking of you,"
but he checked himself.
Miss Longworth, who had talent
for reading the unspoken thoughts of
John Kenyon, probably did not need tc
be told the end of the sentence. "Are
you going to the village?" she asked.
81 was going; / am not going now"
"That's right. l was just going to
invite you to turn round with us. You
see, we are on our way to look at the
mine, and, L suppose, we shall have to
obtain the consent of the manager be-
fore we can do So" Miss Longworth's
companion had emerged for moment
from her wraps and looked at John
but instantly retired among the furs
again with a shiver. She was not sc
young as her companion, and she con-
sidered this the most frightful climate
she had ever encountered.
"Now." said John, although your
sleigh is very comfortable, think this
cutter Of mine is even more so. 1t is
intended for two. Won't you step out
of the sleigh into the cutter? Then,
il the driver Win move on, l can turn
and we viii follow the Sleigh"
II shall be delighted to do So" said
the young woman, shaking herself free
from the buffalo robe and stepping
lightly from the sleigh to the cutter,
pausing, however, for u moment be-
fore she did so, to put her own wraps
over her companion. John tucked her
in beside himself, and, as the sleigh
jingled on, he slowly turned his pony
round into the road again. 81 have got
a pretty fast pony" he said, "but L
think we viii let them drive on ahead.
1t irritates this little horse to see any
thing in front of her"
"Then we can make up speed" said
Edith, 'and catch them before they
get to the mine. Is it far from here?"
mo, not very far; at least, it doesn't
take long to get there with smart
horse"
Il have enjoyed this experience ever
SO much" she said. you see, my fa-
ther had come to Montreal on business,
so I came with him, as usual, and, be
ing there, I thought l would run up here
and see the mine. l wanted" she
continued, looking at the other side OF
the cutter and trailing her well-gloved
fingers in the snow-''I wanted to know
personally whether my manager was
conducting my property in the way it
ought TO be conducted, notvithstanG-
ing the very satisfactory balance sheets