Morris tribune., 1901-08-24


Der the truth and patience and strength
Of her betrothed. He was TOO wei
known to her to be seen through q
| glamour. With austere serenity he In
sisted upon an early marriage day. He
refused apparently to feel any jeaI
ousy at the constant co1npanionship ot
| his sweetheart and Cecil Underwood
And Barbara was angry at him FOL
| this too.
''He has no sensibility," she said tc
herself.
One wild day when the wind cried
through the tree tops and the waters
dashed along as If in stress Of pain
Cecil Underwood came to her in an i'm.
peratiye mood.
You must come walking with me- !
he said. "The day expresses me.
have to speak Of the torment of my
heart, and / will keep still no longer
even at your bidding =
Barbara went out with him. They
walked under the pines, whose roar
filed the world with their lamentings,
They were silent, conscious Of the
4torm within their souls
"Let us take boat" said Barbara
when they had reached the river.
"No, no." he protested, bat she seem
ednot to hear him and united her skift
and leaped into 1t.
Come" she said. He hesitated, but
followed. AS the little boat felt the
lift Of the waves the pain In her heart
seemed to tighten, ana she let the cur
rent carry her along, unconscious Of
the passage Of time. Suddenly Cecil
cried out:
1.-THE rapids, Barbara! The rapidsi
See where you have taken usY' She
glanced behind her 1t was true that
the tossing white name Of the water
horses was not more than half mile
away, and the boat was quivering in
the pull of their great power. Barbara
smiled little 1t would not matter to
her so much, she reflected, if her great
problem were to be solved that way.
But, still, it was cowardly to die. She
set her fine young strength to resist
anee, rowing up stream and inclining
the boat toward the" southern shore.
So absorbed was she in this task that
she didxnot notice the man with her till
she heard him crying, with wild i'm
portunities to his Maker:
Row. Barbara, row! Row, grip
Then, looking at him, she saw his face
was corpse white and quivering with
fear, and the next moment he sank, an
inert heap, at the bottom Of the boat.
"Get up" she commanded, "and take
the tiller! Get up instantly He
obeyed dim1y, shaking and sick with
terror.
Barbara bent to her heavy task and
made by means of brave efforts a lit
tie Roadway. But the wild horses
plunged on and dragged her at their
heels. She was almost on the verge Of
yielding to their relentless strength
when boat shot cut from the bank.
1t came toward her guaMng skiff With
magnificent momentum. Barbara rec
ognized the occupant at once. It was
George Caxton. A hideous humiliation
dlled her soul She was almost tempt
ed to yield to that tugging. of the wild
horses. She looked at the half faint
ing, praying creature beside her and
then at the approaching man: And a
of Gethsemane came to her.
Then, white and courageous, she re-
Eewed her efforts. A moment later a
fine was thrown to her. She made. it |
secure. Then she in her boat and
George Caxton in his began a struggle
against the powers Of the river, in
which they soon conquered.
George helped the trembling CECIL to-
shore; but Barbara leaped lightly to-
and and stood there smiling strangely.
''I am thankful with great thank
sulness that I owe my life to youl /
George" she said. "It is a privilege"
She held out her hand to the other
man.
"Goodby," she whispered.
'tPitR me! Pity me?' he cried!
81 do" she responded. "Goodby:"
He went slowly under tAs pines. /
walking feebly like a man who is old. |;
Ind i'll. George looked after him with \
eyes, but Barbara was
relentless.
'tGive me your ARM" she said with
ender graciousness. 'We will walB
home together. George" Chicago Trib.
Inc.