Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-11-25
My occurred that he might never re-

what TO do. Then she sprang away
from the fence and ran up the road,
a hundred fears taking possession of
her bosom.
80, Zeb!"
The breeze blew the echo of her own
tones back into her face. Tears gushed
from her eyes and she sank down uaon
the roadside to sob away her sudden
heartsicbness.
BY dawn the waters of the Tucka-
siege were high between its banks,
and the boo1n-loggcrs were busy with
their RATS; but Zeb Norton, their for
mer foreman, was not among them.
Six years had slipped away. Nance
Hooper still lived with her father tn
the cabin on the side of the mountain.
She still went out each evening to call
the hogs at the head of the ravine, ard
in her heart still lived the old lo<e
and deep regret.
Zeb Norton had never been heard Ut
since his sudden disappearance. God
had been discovered on the Tuckasiegr.
and the community was wild with ex.
element. But what seemed unfort-l
nate to the prospectors was that the
rich vein had been discovered Oh
body of land belonging to one Zfb
Norton, whose whereabouts were IN
known. They feared to proceed with
mining operations without having fret
secured lease of some kind; and
ci, t1,t- op,t1l l,o n1lf oina1 frnfp
the owner the enterprise was at
standstill.
Half a year passed by. One day
passenger stepped from the morning
train which stopped at Dollsboro, and
stood with his hands rammed down
into his pockets. lie was dressed In
the style of Il westerner. A wide
brimmed sombrero rested on his head,
and a heavy brown mustache orpa-
mentod his upper lip. For a moment
he gazed all around him.
"It's not exactly like it used to L.,
though it amt much changed, either"
he ruttered, as he picked up Lis val:ee
and walked towards a little boarding
house Il few yards away.
After dining the stranger spent sew
eral hours in wandering about the VII
lage. Late in the afternoon he Sun"
pended his valise on a stout staff, whics
he rested on his shoulder and set CT
up the river road afoot. Ever and anU,
as he tramped along the highway hs
would stop at some high point and gaze
away across the hills and valleys.
"Just like they used to be, all juas
the same" he would mutter as ID
turned away and continued his journey
AT last he reached the highest poiu'
in the road, where it turned down til
mountain on the other side toward tkt
river.
Just the same" he said; there's nos
even a change in the road. Wonder il
Mark Hooper lives there yet?" he con.
tinued, as he looked toward the cabi,
OFF to the right.
a little further along he turned away
from the road and walked slowly dowD
to where the fence crossed the ravint.
Here he seated himself on an old, fast
decaying stump, allowing the staff an5
valise to carelessly slip from his shoul'
der. Then, pushing his sombrero back
upon his head, he locked his fingers
across his knee and gazed away
through the opening over the ravins
1t was almost shutdown, and there wer"
n few clouds in the sky.
Just the same" he muttered again
after few moments silence; every.
thing just like it was. | wonder ill.,
Nance did"
At last he arose, and, shouldering his
staff and valise, started back to the
road. And Just as he turned his back
toward the cabin Nance came out with
her apron full of vegetables for the
hogs, and came on slowly down the
path toward the fence.
The Traveller, who had walked on
without looking backward, had scarce
~ disappeared beyond a turn in the
road when his ears caught the sounds:
"pig-pig-pig-oo-eh!" as Nance called
the hogs.
Again the staff and valise slipped
from his shoulder; and, with his hands
rammed down into his pockets, he lis
tened. while his heart beat heavily
against his breast.
At last he turned about and slowly
retraced his steps, leaving his baggage
where il had fallen, in the middle OF the
road. He approached within few feet
Nance before he stopped. Then
!teadying his voice as we'll as he could,
"a ,.niInd her mama
Nance suddenly turned about and
Irazed upon the tall form of the west
,rucr. Then, bursting into tears, she
dropped her apron and impulsively
,ulung toward him.
80, Zeb." she cried through her
tears, 81 didn't mean it; you know |
!idn't! o, why did you go away?"
Nance" said Zeb, at last, Il never
touId think of loving anybody but you.
int when I came back to look after
that gold mine / didn't expect to find
lucll jewel rs this waiting for me. 1t
! ppears like l am mighty rich all of a
tudden."
"Ain't half as rich as I am now, Zer,
for I've got you back again." and,
teaching up, she took his rough cheeks
between her palms and kissed him I'M
Ier his big mustache.-Boston Globe.