River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-08-07

planned, briefly.
Sarah took the letter, knowing that
it sealed the doom OF the ranch.
Her uncle was wiling to advance
money to bring their home, and adj
vised them to sell the ranch if pos
sible and start at ouce. He would
try to find some employment for Tom
and Bart, and he would let Sarah
keep house for him.
Sarah tried to control her trem-
bling lips.
"Boys," she said, "aren't you will
ing to stay out here till next spring?
We can borrow enough from Uncle
Seth to keep us going"
Next year will be as dry as this"
Bart interrupted.
perhaps rot; let's try it,"
'No; I've had enough"
Sarah rose with sigh and at once
prepared to drive to town and attend
to all necessary business. She went
directly to the office of David judi
son, from whom she had purchased the
ranch, and proposed to him that he
should buy it back.
"Why, what's the matter?" he
asked.
eve can't live there without water.
In all our correspondence you did not
mention the liability that the creek
would go dry. You may have the
place back, with all the improve
ments, for what we paid YOU"
"a bargains bargain, Miss
Morse" said Judson, "and I don't
know as want the ranch back"
Sarah opened the door and then
turned.
''Mr. Judson," she said, "I truly
believe that to induce people to leave
their old homes and come to a
strange country under false hopes is
one of the cruelest crimes in the
world"
When the girl reached home she
found the boys taking down the few
pictures and packing the books.
II guess we can get off by next
Wednesday," Bart said.
On Tuesday evening all their
things were in readiness to be taken
to the station. AS the east-bound
train left at night, all of Wednesday
could be devoted to the moving.
Now, at sunset, Tom was taking
last ride on his horse up and down
in front of the house. Sarah and
Bart sat on the doorstep, watching
him silently. After awhile Bart laid
his hand on Sarah's.
eff only it had proved a SUGGEST"
he said.
The girl sprang up without reply
ing. Her heart was full, and she
waal1ed quickly away from the ranch,
wishing to be alone. AS she moved
toward rise of uncultivated land,
she saw in the distance two or three
antelopes. Of late she had frequent
ly seen the animals at sunrise and
sunset.
She walked on through the sage
brush, with her eyes lowered, and
suddenly stopped. She had come
upon a fertile spot about ten yards
square; it was where the antelopes
had been. The ground looked dark
and moist, and Sarah, STOPPING,
plunged her hands into it. Then she
dropped to her knees and began
eagerly to tear up the grass growing
on thief resh spot. If she dug deep
enough she would come to water!
Suddenly she sprang up and ran
toward the house; the boys saw her
coming.
Bring shovels! Bart, too! Come!''
she cried. breathlessly.
When Tom and Bart arrived at the
spot she was on her knees, digging
with stick; they joined with their
shovels in the work.
1t was moonlight when the water
came trickling fast into the hole:
and then Sarah lay down on the
ground and wept softly.
The Morses borrowed the money
which their uncle had forwarded for
travelling expenses, and developed
their fine well. They engaged work
men to dig bitches which would con-
duct a free supply of water to the
gardens. People who came from the
town to see the we'll congratulated
the owners, and said that the land
had increased tenfold in value.
Among others, David Judson drove
out one day. He said he had recon
sidered Sarah's proposition. and was
quite willing to take the ranch off
her hands on the terms she had of
fered.
''We will not sell to you at any
price, Sarah said, coldly.
When the man had gone Bart came
up to his sister and put his arm
around her.
Sarah" he said, I'm seeing clear
er every day how much we owe you.
1t isn't only that you've led Us into
the promised land; you've kept us
there"
20 Bart" she answered, ''it truly
wasn't for myself SO much that I
wanted to stay; it was for you. IF
you'd gone back. you-you couldn't
have stood it. And now"
tAnd now" he murmured drawing
in a deep breath of the dry, health
giving air, 4 shall get well!"-
Youths Companion.