The sea coast echo., 1898-07-02

I
neck and leaned against him within
sight of content. He was a rough. bdd
man; but the child trusted him, and be
knew it. He held her gently SO that
she was not shaken by his long strides
In five minutes he was knocking con-
mandingly at the door of shanty at
the end of the street.
Jim Cassock opened the door him.
self. His eyes were red and swollen
but he had not been drinking; the door
swinging back showed bare room,
and q worn, siclsly woman holding
child who was moaning feebly.
whats wanted?" said Jim, fiercely,
81 can't see anybody; my child's dy-
ing"
No thanks to you il sho doesn't"
retorted the other man. "The par
sons sick and sent the medicine: this
child came walking all the way to town
with it." His tone was full of fine
contempt, keener than any rebuke.
toward the miserable creature befor8
him.
Jim stared at the man uncompre-
hendingly; but the woman started up
with q little cry. She put the child
down on the bed and ran across to her
husband.
"Don't you understand, Jim?" she
sobbed. "The medicines come-it's
come, mani"
Jim rubbed his hand across his fore
head and looked from Ruth's tired lit
tie face to his own baby. Then, sud
denly he dashed into the other room.
Ic came back in amoment with pair
of gloves which he thrust into the
child's hands. "Tell the parson that
couldn't wear 'em, that / amt touched
'eml" he said, eagerly. "Tell him to
put 'em on himself; will you tell himp
To put em ON himselfr'
"Yes," answered Ruth, wondering
ly; "I'll tell him.
Jim stood at the door moment; he
tried to say something more, but the
words stuck in his throat; then his
wife called him, and he slammed the
door, shutting them out into the
night.
Ruth's friend grunted, but made no
remark, He picked the child up again,
and she nestled contended in his arms;
she was half asleep from weariness and
only had hazy knowledge of it when
he got horse from somewhere and be-
gan riding across the prairie.
The minister had fallen into n
troubled sleep; but his wife was walk
ing the floor, beating desperately back
the fears that stormed her heart.
Nothing could have happened to the
child; there was not far TO go and she
knew the way perfectly. Mrs. Garnett |
must have kept her until some one |
could bring her home. She would not |
worry--she would not. But as the mo-
ments heightened into one hour, md |
then into another, she could fight her
fears no longer. She knelt down by
the bed where her husband was toss
ing and tried to pray; but only tile
child's name came to her lips.
Suddenly she started and listened. |
There was the beating Of hoofs across
tho prairie, nearer-nearer; now they
were stopping at the door. She
rushed to it and threw it open. In
the sudden blaze Of light, horse and
rider seemed to start up from the
ground. She shranl back with q lit
tie cry as she saw who the man was.
The next minute a child's face was
lifted from his arm, and q child's
voice filled her ears.
Mamma, was afraid; but I went,
and he brought me home. Oh,
1t was SO good of him'
The woman caught the child pas
sionately in her arms, and looked up
at the man, her eyes full of the grat-
tude she could not speak.
The mans voice was gruff. III
want going to see the parsons kid
wandering round alone if L knowed |
it" he said. Then he turned abruptly
away and galloped into the darkness
The sharp blast of cold air woke tie
minister. Through the doorway lie
could see into the other room; his
wife was taking off the child's wraps,
and both the child's face and the |
woman's were strangely moved. He |
called, weakly: |
"Did Jim Cassock get the medicine, |
Annie?" |
His wife ran to him, and she had
something in her hands. eyes, dear,
he has it," she answewed; "and--I |
wronged him, David. He syst the
gloves back to you and wanted you To |
promise to wear them"
The minister's patient eyes bright |
ened. ''Did Jim do that?" he said, |
and there was q thrill of gIadness in |
his tired voice. He took the gloves |
and absently began pulling them OIL. |
Suddenly his face changed.
"Annie," he cried, excitedly; "put |
your hand in herel'
She obeyed him wonderingly, slip |
ping her hand in the warm fleece lin |
ing. Then flash of great JOY illum-
ined her worn face. "Davidw she
cried.
''Take them out" he answered, |
breathlessly.
She slipped her fingers into one |
glove-finger after another and laid the |
pile of bills on the bed; there were ten
in all, and each was for ten dollars.
The woman spoke first; the words
were common, but itw none the less
a thanksgiving. Sand now you can
have the Coffee" she said, "and the |
children" broke off, but her eyes
were shining through tears.
Over the old coverlet the minister's
hand clasped his wife's; but there
.,.l L.