The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1898-07-22

ilC was III tuuo SeueS VI hiuu' AhSu
he heard
Light down, light down now, true Thomas,
And lean your head upon my knee;
ABIDE and rest Il little space,
And will show you ferlies thee.
He opened his eyes halfway. They |
were a tidy sort of birds in these
woods. And-snore.
Oh. see you not yon narrow road,
So thick beset wi thorns and briars?
That is the path Of righteousness,
Though after it but few inquiries
He opened his eyes wide. Was
something flame colored flashing
through the lower branches? Were
those dancing eyes turned on him and
turned away again? Was the voice
infinitely sweet, Or
And see you not yon bonnie road
That wind about the fernie brae2
That is the road to fair Eflaud,
Where thou and | this night maun gae.
lie sat up. He looked all round.
Was that a hand beckOnng? He got
up. His dog got up, too. 'Lic STILL"
he said roughly, "and look after the
things"
He went little way unconsciously.
A fame-colored shape seemed to fly
before. He followed where it seemed
to fly. Or was it shaft OF sunlight
that only appeared to fly as the leaves
moved to and fro in the wind? 1t dis
appeared. When it disappeared he
knew it had been there. He went
faster and faster after it. Suddenly
from a clump of bushes bright eyes
looked out on HIM. When he had
wrenched his eager way into and out
Of the clump the shape was far away
in front. He saw her small feet as
she stayed an instant to loosen a
branch of dogrose that held her dress.
There was now no turning back
Still he pursued, and still she flew be-
fore. All at once she leaned down
over Il spring, made cup of her hands
and drank. She shook the drops from
her fingers looking back at him-look-
ing straight back at him, and then
she rose up and danced away again.
A thrill ran all through him. There
was a sudden turn in his blood; he
felt the first faint stir Of the world
old desire to pursue and enjoy--and
perhaps slay. He took his hand out
Of his pocket and walked faster
On she went to the edge OF the
wood, and hesitated an instant on the
brink OF the wide ditch.
"Now she is mine y he cXulted.
Even as he thought it she stood on
the other side and turned and waved
hand. And she smiled. After that
things were different. In his sun
helmet and shooting coat and gaiters
was primeval hunter; in the flame
colored gown that last year had not
dreamed of was the only spoil worth
more than the fercest lion or the fat
| test hind.
Along in the shade of the trees
where the grass was still dew-wet ne
saw only her. Coming nearer and
nearer, he followed. She stopped to
her knees, kissed a lamb she had sur
prised asleep, looked once more be-
hind at him, swiftly rose and flcetcd
on. lie had caught her. No. Once
more she sprang across the ditch and
was gone from his sight into the
wood. With a cry of disappointment
and rage he sprang after her. Sprang,
and stumbled in his haste, and fell
and hurt himself. When he hurt
himself he remembered Mary. with
hanging head, and strange, wild feel
ings surging in him, he tore himself
up and went on. Nothing round him
but green. AS he went he snapped
the twigs with his hands, and wher
anything lay in his path he set his
heel on it and ground his teeth.
In the thickest part Of the wood, IL
a small clearing, at last he saw her
She lay against the big roots OF a tree
and the sunlight hurried backward
and forward over her.
He was thinking Of Mary now.
He went straight up to her, ant
threw himself on the grass beside her
She lay still, her chin resting in he
J hand, her elbow on a thrown-up root
still painting. She did not look a
him, and she did not speak. Hereye
had never moved.
After IA long time, "Why did yo
l. follow me?" she asked.
"You know" he said, "the road +
fair Elnand." And he nodded stup
idly.
He was dimly aware that the eye
we're all at once turned on hlm' an'
that some way beneath them ther'
ran a curving uncertain line OF reo
t through which she spoke.
why did you follow me?" she sa'o
again.
lie had nothing to say.
!, Why?' she asked.
"You know whyW
Her other hand lay in the grass. II
nut his near IL. She did not take
away. A burning heat, a shiverin
cold, possessed him as she still gaze
at him and still: "Why?"
J, He buried his face In the grass. II
could not speak. There was nothiu