The Minneapolis journal., 1901-11-02
Gee II billings

7 first to give in. One word from Milly would
have brought him over to the Carter farm
| house on the Jump, but backed by feeling
| of injury and her mother she refused to
speak It. 1t thus came about that the 'tiff''
threatened to have disastrous consequences,
and there was a possibility of two lives
being wrecked. One evening, when she was
forced to realize this, Nancy quietly asked
of her husband:
John, did you see Silas anywhere around
when you was passin' the farm the other
day?"
Eyes" was the reply. HE was buildin'
fence jest beyond the barn. Is it all off be-
tween Milly and him?'
Cant say whether tits. or or not. Did you
| ever know our old gray mare to run away"
| Lands, mol Nothin on earth would scare
| her."
but If something did, John? If Milly was
! drivin her to town and she ran away, what
would happen?"
Shed probably stop for breath after going
about five rods" laughed the husband.
"She would kick the wagon to pieces or kill
Milly?"
''she might fetch up in fence corner and
bump her own head; but guess that would
be the worst of it. What's up, Nancy?"
'Nothin' for you to know. You jest keep
quiet and lemme work this thing out by my
self. Milly's goin' to town after darnin'-
needle and a spool of black thread after din
ner to-morrer, and she'll drive the old mare"
After dinner next day the horse was hitched
! to light wagon and left standing under a
shed in the barnyard until wanted. When
! Milly was ready for her trip the mother
/ brought the outfit around, taking much more
time than seemed necessary. Moreover, when
the old mare, who had passed her twentieth
birthday, was brought up at the gate she
was what Milly called ''wriggly" That is,
| she was nervous and restless and evidently
| full Of go. She had to be held by the bit
until the girl got in and secured the lines.
''She acts real colty to-day" said the
mother as she patted the mares nose, "but
she'll steady down before you get to the
schoolhouse. She has never run away in her
life, but if she should do so now
! Il guess won't CO." interrupted Milly.
ssYou go right along. AS sayin', If
she should run away you hold her steady in
| the middle of the road and scream for help.
| Now let her glang."
The old gray mare moved off with a rush.
| and for a quarter of a mile she maintained
a pace to surprise her driver. Then she sud
! denly gave a squeal and broke into run.
Milly dropped the lines and clung to the seat,
and she also remembered her mothers in
| junction to scream. Silas Johnson still
working on the fence ''jest beyond the barn"
| He was also calling himself fool and think
| ing he would give five years of his life to
make up Win Mllly, Wnen ne noarQ screams
and clatter down the road He grasped the
situation at a glance.
1t is none of the readers affair whether he
resolved to do or die; whether he made
hero Of himself or not whether the ''wrig
! gly'' old mare was glad OF an excuse to stop,
or made frantic efforts to continue her wild
| flight. 1t is sufficient that he stopped her;
that the screaming Milly fell into his arms;
that after a time he drove her back home and
didn't return to his fence building again that
day.
The main point Of interest shifts to that
side veranda again. Nancy is sitting there
| alone with a smile of triumph her face,
| when John comes up from the barn and
holds up to view a dozen burrs and inno-
Gently says:
| Nancy, this is mighty curious. I found
! all these burrs under the harness, and they
must have been what made the old mare run
| away"
Very likely she replied without look
/ ing up.
"And somebody must have put EN- there"
Yes"
"And-and-it was-?"
'Silas says he thinks they ought to be mar
| ried next month"; says Nancy as she looks
| up and almost winks at the puzzled face
above her.