The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-01-26

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grasp. Her nature was one Of trust. All
this waiting did not help her to learn
one letter Of doubt
'tHe be sick" +" she asserted with sad
conviction. eth long heat, it be alters
bringin fevers. Then she stretched
out her hands, and, though she did not
know that bending the knee meant
anything, she knelt. Her eyes covered
themselves with mist Of tears and re-
fused to see even her beloved mountain.
The next day passed without his COM
ing. Her thoughts grew somber. Her
bright manner intermitted. In the late
afternoon she called the youth to her.
"I be goin t. see him, !" she said.
He was filled with an underlined sense
of terror and tried to dissuade her. She
only insisted the more strenuously that
she must go. At last, grown premature
ly old already, he grew prematurely
wise because he saw that Laurel was in
trouble He went to the grandfather
and wheedled him into letting them
take the beasts and go for long ride
over the old desert trail
They rode swiftly into the "scabby
desert, - with its alternations Of clayey
and sandy soil. On through the gray
sagebrush and the greasewood-hypo-
crite of another and better shrub. The
rocky hollows were dry and empty as il
winser SHOWS had never melted in them
to serve as drink for thousands Of cattle
which the herder turns in winter upon
the desert to crop the bunch grass that
lives for few short months.
The gray and dismal ride was In har-
mony with the thoughts Of both. Laurel
was impelled by a new feeling in which
30 thought of herself stirred, and which
grew into a terrible certainty that some
unknown evil encompassed her beloved,
holding him in thrall.
When they reached McAlvord's Scr-
tile land, they rode more slowly Until
they came upon a stream. Here they dis
mounted, and the youth staid to water
the beasts and to tether them behind a
clump of bushes, where they could
browse the juicy grass upon the borders
Of the stream.
Laurel went swiftly forward alcns
the shaded drive The Sun was soce.
but the afterglow spread its radiance
over the earth. As she neared the ranca-
iera the sound Of happy voices greeted
her. She stopped suddenly as if deter
red from her purpose, bent her head
and peered between the branches Of q
thick shrub.
So fair vision Of life had never be-
fore greeted her eyes, ncr had it enter
ed her happiest dreams. She caught Aer
breath as she looked at the long versc,-
da, gay with fringed hammochs and
great lounging chairs aud dainty vii
low rockers. Bright rugs were strewn
over the floor. Baskets Of flowers de
pended from the outer roof line. Long
vines swung slowly in the evening air.
Human forms were the jewels IN this
enchanting scene-strong men and
graceful women. Her swift glance found
the one she sought. 9TH tall un" was
not there to divert her attention.
! She read with anxious eyes, but saw
no line of care or illness upon the gay
features she had learned so we'll He
was the center of the group and leared
lazily back in great armchair, look
ing up with a smile into the face Of a
girl who stood beside him and who wore
a gown as soft and white as the enc
worn by the snow mountain.
/ He seemed to assent to something
this one asked Of him, for she went
through doorway, upon either side Of
which hung feecy curtains, and re-
turned with o strange something in her
hand-something that she held out to
him and that he took with another
sm;le into her face and q few words
which Laurel could not hear. they were
so low.
The one she had come to see toyed
carelessly with the strange instrument
and, moving his fingers across it, drew
forth a tender sound such as had never
before been heard BY the unseen listen
er. It was not like bird S voice, nor a
choir Of birds. It was not like the sigh
ing of the wind through the frs. 1t was
better and sweetez, Tor it seemed the
spirit of each blending and interchang-
ing and softened until fitted to minister
to that fair company.
He began to sing some words In an
unknown tongue which thrilled her
through and through Something that,
because of the look upon the face Of
that other girl, Laurel knew he was
singing to her out Of all that happy
group.
And this was girl young like her
self, tall and slight, with proudly car
ried head, but fair instead Of dark
heavenly fair, with hair that cleaned
like ga bit O. wheatfeld when tn sun
be shinin," poor Laurel said to herself.
She had never before seen any one
with golden hair. That of the child was
fa1en, but dun of color like the fog
that sometimes lay dank and cold about
the mountains in winter, while this
was glcriously warm like the sunlight
IL. G.: E..