Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-04-12

tins put together.
Seth looked down sidewise at her un.
comprehendingly. The iVstinct OF help
fulness was simply one way Of breath
ing with him Liza's Outspoken praise
made him uncomfortable.
."Are you maxim fun Of me, sissy"
"The idea! You are simpleton.
Seth. But what was going ON to say
was more complimentary to myself than
to you. Strong needs me. He does not
need you. He very politely requested
me to stay away from his cabin, and l
have respected his wishes 10 far. Moth
er is afraid of Strong. Any one can see
that" Then, with quick gesture Of
impotence. "What does it mean any
how? What has imbittered the boyl
Does any one know? Do you know,
Seth?''
"Parshully, said Seth mysteriously.
II reckon | know more'n anybody else
does, but that ain t sayin much
He broke off suddenly, shading his
eyes from the sun glare with one long,
brown hand and stared intently across
the broad. fat fields which spread for
more than mile III unbroken cotton
culture OH either side the narrow wagon
road.
Look yonder! Good Lawd! A
runaway. or I'm Dutchman. Kin you
hol' these reins. sissy? The mules is
steady as milk cows"
He flung the heavy reins into her lap,
and springing from the wagon. ran
with the fieetness Of an Indian straight
toward thick rolling cloud Of dust
that was approaching with the impetu-
osity Of whirlwind.
Liza, following his flying motions
with wide eyes, saw him plant himself
sluarely in the road directly in the
pathway Of the advancing danger. saw
him clutch wildly with futile courage
at the foam fecked head stall Of n mcd-
dened brute, saw him dashed aside like
a storm tossed autumn leaf and knew
that but u few rods of the wagon road
now intervened between herself and
that flying terror.
With swift decision she twisted the
heavy leathern reins about her slim
wrists and turned the clumsy cotton
vain broadside to the runaway. He was
already close enough for her TO see the
swaying trace and the loosened single
tree that had caused all the trouble.
Seth was limping belplessly toward
her, far in the rear. He was shouting
something at ber, with both hands held
to his mouth. His words Were lost on
the air. swallowed up III the gathering
of infuriated hoofs and the terrified
snorting Of the brute 80 near at hand.
With an instinct Of self preservation
she stopped and possessed herself Of the
heavy whip Seth had flung from him.
Its thong was of plated rawhide. Its
handle n clumsy combination of wood
and lead. There was no time to plan
her mode Of attack. II was reduced to
q matter of seconds, to question OF
dealing or receiving annihilation. Ris-
ing. the better to deal her blow, she
grasIsd the driving whip by Its plated
thong, swung il tentatively IN both en-
circling hands and aimed IL with tell
ing force at the broad, shining shoulder
Of the beautiful brute, who, swerying
and snorting as he reached the barricad-
ing team. received the full force Of the
loaded handle between his luminous
eyes.
A shiver convulsod his noble frame,
moan almost human III Its expression
Of pain, and he sunk between the shafts
powerless evermorc for evil or for good.
Liza, having performed her act OF
heroism without the tremor Of nerve,
sat down abruptly when there was
nothing more To do and fell Ia crying
in the most womanly fashion imagi-
nable. 1t really seemed the most COM
Portable thing life could offer just then.
She was having good cry.
She was vaguely conscious that Seth
had come up, limping and painting, III
time to help an old gentleman out of
the vehicle.
She was vividly conscious Of the tcr-
rified white face and the flowing white
hair and beard that had helped To nerve
her arm for that death dealing blow.
Its owner had been the sole occupant
of the buggy, and forlonly helpless
one he had been while death seemed
staring him III the face. From behind
her wet pocket handkerchief Liza could
hear him now, his quavering voice pass
ing rapidly through every gradation of
agitation and relief into wordy anger.
He must be addressing Seth. But what
did she care:
1T was well done, sir; well done.
The act of IA heroine! My life was not
worth a pound Of cotton ten minutes
ago. No, sir lie hanged If il was. but,
Randall, what i'll the devil did You
mean by putting that brute into the
shafts when you asked me 10 ride with
youf ard why i'll the devil did you
jump out and leave me to my fate: You
knew he never could see basket Of
cotton on the roadside without going
into commissions. Did you want To muir
der mo-, sir"
A rich, sonorous, lazy voice here in
terposed, making somewhat inconse-
Quent reply to this excited monologue.
"The blow of blacksmith delivered
by sylph, By Jove, the most aston
ishing outcome. am lost i'll Won
der.
Liza emerged just then from behind
her wet handkerchief with crimson
cheeks and sparkling eyes. She had the
rare gilt Of crying without making her
self personally obnoxious Or temporarily
hideous -
Quite a group Of men had by this
time gathered around the fallen brute.
Most Of them were field hands. Seth
and the men to whom the runaway had
belonged were the only white ones
among them.
Seth was ON his knees examining the
horse. The man who had just spoken
of her in connection with a blacksmith
was standing with his back to her.
In his left hand he held his broad
brimmed, wideawake hat, while with
his right he mopped his damp forehead
delicately with handkerchief Of ex-
quisite fineness which exhaled the
merest suggestion Of good cologne.
He was explaining the beginning Of
the accident to Seth in that peculiarly
rich, lazy drawl that had brought Liza
from behind her damp handkerchief
some seconds before the tear storm had
quite subsided. There was something
eminently soothing in his composure in
the midst OF the prevailing excitement