The Washington weekly post., 1900-11-20
IND the @oung Avan Sawea.

on as II Eimore had not sDoken. '1 have
decided to burn wood. Now. Mr.. MoTti-
rler. please to mark my words. You and
Agnes win burn a great deal Of wood sit
ting up here together almost every night.
shall not, OF course. expect yeu 10 fur
nlsh this wood. but. Mr.. Mortimer. shall
insist that you saw il"
She rose and swept maiestically out OF
the room. The young man collapsed, con-
vulsed alike by she burden lifted from him
and that laid thereon.
The next moment the light Of his life
came timidiy into the room. Elmore look
ed up weakly.
'Did-did mamma tell your she wais-
pered.
''Ye-yes.' gurgisd Elmore.
Don't desFa.v." she added In a cooling
tone.
Then you know allp' he faltered.
"All. ail." she returned
The young man gazed into the fire lost
In thought. Then he half started Up. and,
turning eyes which cleaned with unnat-
ural briIliaacy upon her. said:
Darling, what can I do? What can l
say?'
"Elmore." she answered, in calm. level
tones-'twas the first time she had ever
called him this-"ElmoTe, say nothing,
but saw woodi''
He sank back again. She rose and sllded
rapidly across the room. Sinking before
the sofa she reached under and drew out
big, red bucksaw, it's long. cleaning.
polished blade quivering In the gas light
every one Of it's myriad Of jagged. savage
teeth flashing like the tooth of serpent.
She held it I'D with both hands. and its
shadow lay across the soul of the young
man.
"See," she cried speaking rapidly. 81
brought It In so as to have II warm for
you. Do not despair, Elmore. Remem-
Der you played center rush on the football
team last year. And see-see what else /
have" She stepped 10 the mantel. slipped
her fingers into a bonbon box and drew
out something which looked like a bit of
rag. See" she said, holding it up; 'this
will help
'Wha-wha-am to chew It as I sawr'
asked the y9ung man.
The girl laughed gayly "No: IT'S a
bacon-Tind-I smuggled it from the break
fast-table this morning Use it to grease
the saw" and she rubbed IL lightly up
and down the murderous blade. "Come.'
she added. hastily, 1--WE waste time. There
IS cord OF it, believe"
Elmore grOaned. but rose and took the
saw. She led the way TO the woodshed
with the lamp. There It lowered before
them. fall cord, indeed, across one side
OF the shed, like a Chinese wall. Il was
shellbark hickory. and rather knotty.
For the Hext three hours no sound was
heard in that woodshed save the ripping
and rasping Of that saw as il leaped like
a living thing through those doomed
sticks of wood. The cool air was foggy
with sawdust. The raucous uproar only
ceased momentarily as the young man
paused and Agnes applied the bacon rind
on the end Of a splinter to the hot and
quivering blade. on which it hissed and
spluttered. AT last, the task was done
| and the saw dropped from Elmore's
hands
"You have done nobly. nobly." whis.
pered the girl. Mamma will be
pleased"
with you by my side," he murmured
I coulL saw fOreverp'
As he gaZed down into the depth of her
great violet eyes he could see no hint OF
ever parting from her. Their joy was
complete
They started to enter the house,
The deep, hoarse growl of a cat fol.
lowed them from the woodshed.
tom has found the bacon-rind." whis
pered the girl
Copyright 1860, Daily Story Publishing Company.)