The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-08

and the young girls eye watched them
slowly change from one shape to another,
forming to her mind the outlines Of vari-
ous animals and birds.
While Nance was thus lost In her
dreaming and picture making she sud-
denly felt an arm placed around her.
Whirling around, she found herself in the
embrace Of tall young mountaineer, who
held her firmly about the waist and was
looking world Of tenderness down into
her eyes.
"Oh, Zeb, how you scared me! Turn
me loose this minutev' cried Nance,
struggling to free herself. At the same
time two bright tears came into her
eyes.
won't you kiss me, NanceT asked
the young man eagerly.
mo, won't. You didn't have any
business to scare me, that's what you
didn't"
Zeb released her and stood back. For
moment neither Of them spoke. Nance
again stood holding the top rail of the
fence and was gazing away down the
ravine. Zeb stood few fec away, with
his eyes turned toward the ground. AT
last he spoke.
Nance, I'm powerful sorry scared
you."
The girl did not reply. There was an
other long pause, after which Zeb spoke
again.
did big days work yesterday and
another one today, Nance. Put As logs
into the river, nearly all big ones"
He waited moment, during which he
cautiously raised his eyes to level with
the back Of Nances head.
81 got that strip of land paid for
last Saturday, and-and I've got enough
left to build house on it. Nance"
Still no reply.
"Wages are better than they have
been," he went on, "and thought we
might as well get married now. That's
what I've come to see about, Nance.
: think we've waited about long enough"
Silence still. Zeb sat down on an old
stump near by and waited long while.
Finally he rose again and gazed up at
the sky all around.
From the looks of the sky the rver'll
be high enough to float logs in the morn
ing" he said, thrusting his hands down
into the pockets of his pantaloons and
striving hard to clear strange huskiness
from his voice.
They're putting in machinery down
at Dillsboro to start up locust pin fac
tory, Nance. Reckon could get good
many locust blocks off Of that piece Of
land I've bought"
Again Ieb's vision wandered toward
Nance, but she stood still motionless by
the fence, her long hair waving gently in
the slight breeze that was stirring. And
the longer Zeb gazed upon the woman
he loved the fuller grew his bosom, until
he could no longer Withstand the press
ure, and his words were almost in the
tone of n wall as he sank back upon the
old stump.
"Oh, Nance, amt you ever a-goin to
say anything?'
Nance continued as immovable as be-
fore. At last Zeb replaced his big hat up
on his head and arose.
II know what's the matter, Nance" he
said. ~ can see 1t all now. Pole Dor
sey's been a-comin to see you of late, and
-yes--I can see it now. Nance. You
don't love me any more"
Zeb paused to steady his voice, which
had grown little huskv.
Nance" he continue d, "I'd aided for
you any time, and thought you would
have loved me right on, Nance-right on.
But now-I-I can't say any more. Good
by, Nance"
He turned and walked toward the road,
but he had gone only a few steps when
he turned and came back again, going
close up to Nance, where he stopped q
moment. Then he spoke.
Before 60. Nance, won't you tell me,
fair and square, is it me or Pole"
There was no answer.
"Neyer mind, then. l know that you
Just hate to tell me that you don't love
me any more, and won't make you.
Once more. Nance, goodby"
lie stenlthily lifted wisp Of her long
hair and fervently pressed it to his lips,
then walked rapidly away. Nance heard
the sound OF his footsteps growing faint
er and fainter ms he assembled the hard
rUadbed which turned over the hill just
above the cabin. Finally she looked
around. Zeb was just disappearing be-
You'd the turn in the road, and to Nance
1t suddenly occurred that he might never
return. A scared look came into her eyes,
aud for a moment she stood undecided
what to do. Then she sprang away from
the fence and ran up the road, hundred
fears taking possession of her bosom. But
Zeb was gone. "Oh. why did he 60?
Why did he not wait just a moment lon
ger?' She Quickened her pace and when
she reached the top of the hill was almost
out of breath. Zeb had gone out of sight
down the mountain. She tried to call his
name, but her utterance was only wills
per- But at last she managed to call:
"Oh, Zeb"
The breeze blew the echo of her own
tones back into her face. Tears gushed
from her eyes, and she sank down upon
the roadside to sob away her sudden
heartsickness.
The clouds began to gather, and at mid
night rain began to fall in torrents. BY
dawn the waters Of the Tuckasege were
high between its banks, and the boom
loggers were busy with their RATS, but
Zeb Norton, their former foreman, was
not among them.
Six years had slipped away. Nance
Hooper still lived with her father in the
cabin on the side Of the mountain. She
still went out each evening to call the
hogs at the head Of the ravine, and in
her heart she still lived the old love and
deep regret. Zeb Norton had never been
heard of since his sudden disappearance.
Gold had been discovered on the Tucka
siege, and the community was wild with
excitement. But what seemed unfortu-
nate to the prospectors was that the rich
vein had been discovered on land belong
ing to one Zeb Norton, whose where
abouts were unknown. They feared to
proceed with mining operations without
first having secured lease of some kind,
and since this could not be obtained from
the owpnr tho antorariso uras NJ . stand.