The Worthington advance., 1900-01-05

she WOlI I'LL the StOf1lS C6met ! DlO she
ride on the autumn wind? Was she the
spirit of the faded leaves?
It was foolish of sensible and hard
working young man to be haunted by
these thoughts at night, but because
he was lonesome and not much hap
pened in his life Halderson dreamed
of the matter, and, waking early, de-
voted an hour of reverie to it. The
child was so illusive-that was what d.
verted him.
The morning of the next day wore
away without his seeing her, but just
before the early autumn dusk she came
again. He heard her scuffling in the
leaves before he saw her, but when he
turned, she waved tantalizing hand
at him, and seemed to vanish in the
falling shadows of the day.
"Where does that child come from?''
he asked one of the men as casually as
he could.
"She's the daughter of one of the
graders" replied the man. 'Iknow her
father-he's Dane. His family only
CAME out here two days ago. Jorgen-
son got tired of baching it, suppose.'
That night Halderson drove to the
towns edge and got his supper, and
then he drove back over the prairie
road again, past the orphanage, to
where the tar paper huts were. The
night was crisp, and the stars were out
and beside the bed of the projected
railroad he saw huge camp fire. 1t
looked wild and inviting, and Halderson
urged his horse on. A sound of music
greeted his ears, too-music OF fiddle
and clappers. AS he drew closer he saw
the men and women dancing about the
fire. There were so many more men
| than women that they were under the
necessity of taking each other for part.
ners, and, locked in each others arms
the brawny Scandinavians whirled and
galloped about on the hard earth. Some
tiny children capered about, too
screaming and laughing. And withou,
any partner, quite by herself, went the
leaf girl, circling and bending, tossing
her plant arms-the impersonation OF
the wild, windy night.
Halderson, who had more than his
share of northern blood-considerin
that he always thought of himself as
an American-felt the homesickness 20
out of him suddenly. He waited for nc
welcome. He tied his horse and Joined
in the innocent revel, and presently he
and the leaf-girl were teasing each
other about the fire, he always pursu.
| inr che n 112-nxc rscL
| The women made black coffee after.
ward, and there was bread and meat
upon it for refreshment, and then Hal.
derson drove away in the biting frost
The doors of the little tar paper houses
were closed. But lights cleaned from
the windows and twinkied in friendly
fashion at the architect as he went on
his way.
After that the leaf-girl and he used
to talk together at the edge of the
grove. But she was as coy as SQUIRE
that chatters at one from a loft,
branch. She brought him little mes
sages, such as:
There was ice on the ditch thi!
morning. I tried it with my toe. !,
almost held me. When it is hard
shall skate. Halderson could imagin,
that she would skate like the wind
He thought to himself that he woult
like to build an iceboat and put he1
in it under the stars. Once she said
II cannot laugh any more. I can
not run to-day. Something says tc
me: 'Ingebord, you are not to laugl
and run to-day"
"That is called presentiment.'
said Halderson. "Your people are for
ever having them. But presentiments
never come true. They are old wives
tales"
Il do not know any old wives. ]
only know [ cannot rum" She held
her little head down and walked sadly
among the shadows. Halderson fol.
lowed her, and laid hand on he1
shoulder.
"You must laugh Tomorrow" said
he. 1T is wrong for you to be sad
There are some things, like squirrels
and birds, and you, who ought always
to be gay" But she walked slowl,
with dropping head for all of what be
said.
The next morning brought news te
him of bad dynamite explosion
among the roadmakers. The LEAF
girls father was killed, and his wife
was only Ingebord's stepmother. Al
twilight she had not come, so he wen,
over to her. She was sitting in the
hut beside the dead man, keeping
watch.
II am saying all the prayers" she
said, gravely. II suppose he must be
much afraid at being dead. It mus
be hard getting used to Cod" She fel
to praying again, and Halderson went
out.
But it was he who saw to proper
burial for Jorgenson and the two 9th
er unfortunate victims of the accident
Ingebord was grateful, and came dow1
to tell him SO.
'But what am to do now?" she in
quired. "My stepmother, she mus
work to care for her own children
She cannot also work for me-" Sh,
looked with mournful eyes at tn,
lnurky sky, and the wind blew her sat
little garments about her.
II KNOW" said Halderson, with al
inspiration. "See, tomorrow the gooc
sisters move in the far wing there o1
the orphanage. 1t is ready for them
heated and lighted, and all. You
must be the first orphan. It will bring
luck"
She started at the word orphan, and
she turned red at the thought of the
charity Ho11arson GNU, o,l ,l