The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-01-12

father was Mrs. Iarrabse's distant
cousin, and when he had gone abroad
on business which would keep him
year he had left his young daughter
with Mrs Larrabce, whose pleasant
home was on the west bank Of Silver
lake. The lake had been a shining blue
IN October when Edna had come; now,
In the heart Of a swapping cold winter.
1t Was a white field Of ice.
We'll" said Mrs. Larrabes, "EduH's
all right. Shes n nice girl, and good
company for me, and I'm glad TO have
her here"
".3:a; ;aa5 SSys," s=.sa &.!s. Lara .s;Sss
"Gllbert and Sid-ihcy don't seem 10
take to her as I'd like to see EN-. not
quite. You see. they're not used 10
girls, and they don't make 90 much of
Edna az wish they would They so
on with their plans aud doingr and
leave her out OF EN-, They have se-
crrls, and won't LET her into 'em. They
have sign for every secret they
cross their limbs, that's one Of their
signs, and Edna does want TO know
that secret the worst way; but they
won't tell he's" Mrs. lArrabee laughed
90 comic despair.
Edna WIS at the sitting-room win
dow. Presently, looking up, she saw
Gilbsri snd SD going out ~ Tho gate.
Edna caught her breath, She went
co; &c Ma. l.=-=ss:=s, whose caller hsa
departed. They've gone" said she.
They've gone down 10 the Csrletts',
aud they didn't wait for me"
"Now thcy hnycutl" Mrs. Larrabee
calculated, with real concern.
Il wanted TO 60" said Edna. "Mrs.
Curlett asked me TO come when the
boys did. She invited me just 40 much
a. she did them"
Il know she did" said Mrs, LARA
bee. Those boysl They'll have 20
base talking to. suppose they
thought, seeing there are no girls at
the Corletts', only Joe, that you didu'i
care much about going.
"l;'s shame. Put on your things
and 20 right along; you'il catch up
with them"
"No. ] guess" said Edna forlornly.
her lip trembling, "I'll go outdoors a
little while" And she pm, on her jacket
and hood her miitens and her rubber
boots, and went out
Outside In the uipping air her
wounded feelings changed by degrees
20 warm and increasing Indignation,
They were perfectly meant They
knew Mrs. Corlett had invited her 10
come with them, and they knew abe
wanted TO go. They kept her out Of
everything purposely. OF course, she
didn't expect to know their secrets
not II they wouldn't tell her; though
there were one or two, notably the one
whose sign was crossed thumbs, that
she did want to know dreadfully. But
when II came 10 their going of TO the
Corletts' without her, Just leaving her
out and forgetting her-thst was too
much.
"It's-it's outlandlshl" said Edna,
that being her strongest word.
She went across the road through
q frozen field and down the path to the
lake. There was nothing to see but the
bleak stretch Of the ice-bound sheet,
four good miles in length. The boys
iCeboat lay moored there, home
made. small affair, but highly Faiis-
factory 20 sgd and Gilbert. That was
one thing that they hadn't been quite
40 mean abou,-they had taken Edna
icvboating several times, and she en-
joyed II hugely.
Edna walked out TO II. Standing
there, her eyes videned OF sudden
and her lips parted Two ihuughts
were In her head, One, that though
she hadn't exactly sailed that iceboat
herself, she was pretty sure she knew
how. And the other, that the boys
had msanly left her at homeland what
fun, ahl what fun II would be 10 sail
down the lake, 20 go down on the boat
alore and get to the Corieiis' before
they dldi To see them come IN gaping
and staring at her. To score the double
triumph Of sailing the lecboat and Of
getting to Mira. Corlctt's In spite Of
them, before they should &c, there.
There was a good breeze from the
right direction. Why hAdn'i they gone
on the boat themselves? Edna won.
dered, but not ktenly. She brimmed
with eagernesS. She united the boat
and turned It,
Yea, abe felt sure she knew all abou,
it, Or, " not quite ali, enough TO make
the three miles down the lake safely.
The two small sails were already
spread, with a Sesf IN the malnsali, and
already the little craft moved. as II In
hurry for start. Edna took her
place on II, leaned on her elbow and
graEped the rudder just as the boys did.
And she was of.
She pointed out from the shore
little, then drove straight down the
lake. Certainly she could do 81. the
boat answered 10 her every turn Of the
ruddrr. II WINS easy enough. II WINS
spiendidl She heard the swift rush
of the shoes" over the smooth ice.
Olancing towards the shore, she knew
by a certain bend that she had sailed
Eali mile. The road to the Coricfts'
followed the lake, and anywhere be-
yond that bend the boys, II they should
look towards the lake, would see her.
The fact added distinctly 10 hsr salts
faeiioa.
She was going too fGss, though The
wind whIsiled around her ears, and II |
was like great strong hands pushing
against the sails. The boats speed |
grew with every moment: II was fair
~ splnnsng. There before her wan q |
rock rising from the Ice; Eaaa rave
Q gasp Of siispay, twisting tbs ruuEer, |
ard when she wss safe pat II aSt
was ssill ipwardiy aasping. For how
se--.. ss SO. SO. -sss =ss- Es.sss; ama siav
didnt know how 10 help u at all.
Ghe knsw how the boys could .run |
hsr iris she wind when they wanted /
10 stop; hat In the same breath she ~
sSembsred how once, ID turning, the |
wind had lifted The bnat on the hind |
runners and slowed her around on the
fore runners. sad bow narrowly fhsy |
bad escarsd being swept clsan Cd |
I. i. .