Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-10-23

other boys. In any event, he was uI
the tree, and he heard what was sait
underneath his perch, and though
frightened almost out of his wits, HI
did not forget any part of it, and
what was better still, being faithful
boy, he told no one except Mr.. Mel
don. John Meldon had been good tt
the boy, and he was old enough e
know that Mr.. Meldon's course Of
true love was not running smoothly
"An', Mr.. Meldon," said the boy, in
concluding his marvellous tale, Miss
Kitty didn't want to run away TN
git married, but that major man said
as how it was the best way, and she'd
have to. She cried bit, but she said
she'd do 1t and show some peopr.
they couldn't lead her round by the
nose. or somethin' like that"
: Mr.. Meldon WINGED at this, but
smiled family, and gave the boy a
five-dollar bill, with the admomtion
to say nothing to anyone about what
he had heard. The five dollars was
not needed to fix the boys loyalty,
but he put the money in his pocket
because he had other uses for it.
On the appointed night, with every
detail of the proposed elopement clear
before him as reported by the boy. Mr..
Meldon and two friends lay hidden in
the border of raspberry bushes not
far from Kitty's window. The sky was
overcast and the night very dark, but a
faint light shone from the window.
An hour after midnight figure APP
peared under the window, a low whis-
tie went upward and presently Kitty's
eyes peered down into the darkness.
The major was there alone with lad
der, which he placed in position for her
to step out upon.
"Throwe down the money and the
jewelry," whispered the major, land
while I take them around to the car
riage you get ready and I'll come back
for you.'
Kitty dropped couple of packages
out into the darkness, which the ma
jor found with dark lantern, and
started off with toward the lane be-
y
bushes two men suddenly
seized him, and before he could make
any cutlery he was gagged and his
hands were tied. The third man went
to the foot of the ladder and low
whistle, as before, called Kitty to the
window. Bonneted and wrapped, she
came down the frail ladder and
dropped into the arms waiting for her,
was kissed encouragingly and hurried
away to the carriage.
sour driver is gone" whispered her
companion-the two en- who had
looked out for the major had not neg
lected the driver-but that doesn't
matter. "Hurry into the carriage and
I'll drive you around to the church,
where your own pastor is waiting to
marry us, daring," and out of the
darkness came another kiss for Kitty,
who was so dazed by the excitement of
it all that she'scarcely knew what was
happening. But as the carriage
whirled away noiselessly down the
soft road of the lane, she realized
that it was very thoughtful of
the major to have her own pastor take
part in this romantic marriage of hers.
On the drivers box sat three men and
two of them chuckled as if in triumph.
The man with the lines tight in his
hands over the horses was silent as the
grave.
At the church the carriage stopped.
Two of the men went in by side door,
and shortly after them came the third
with Kitty. There was scarcely light
enough to see ones hand before ones
face, but the CHEEKY voice of Kitty be-
loved pastor seemed almost like ray
of sunshine to her, and she heard only
that during the brief ceremony which
followed. Even that was faint and in
distinct in words, but the sound of it
soothed her and seemed to fall Jas a
upon this wild act of hers,
which without It she did not believe
she could have carried to the final ac-
complishment. Regret was coming to
Kitty, but willful people do not wait
upon regrets. She knew at last that
she was Mrs. Hunter; she heard the
words which pronounced the
twain one flesh, and then came little
prayer, and after it a hearty voice out
of the dimness of the chapel.
my very best wishes" Mrs. Meldon,"
it said, and Kitty, as some one turned
the lights on full, saw John Meldon at
her side and near him her pastor and
her only brother. She could do moth
ing at all, thing except to faint away,
which she did promptly.
When she regained consciousness
she was at her own home again with
John Meldon and her mother smiling
down upon her. What had happened
she could not tell, but some thing that
made her cry and put out her hands,
not to her mother, but to John Mel
don.
And the major? Well, after the cere-
mony, when they went to find him in
the grass where they had left him,
they found only the handkerchiefs
with which he had been so hastily
gagged and tied. The money and the
jewelry had gone with the ma ior.
A Former Air Flyer.
In the discussion of the airship of
M. Santos-Dumont, a curious fact has
n11t