The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-01-08

man voice.
Kate set down her basket and began
TO climb upward, not making very rap
id progress on account Of the steep
ness and the briers.
She paused to utter an answering
cry.
Where are your"
For she could not tell which way to
turn, as the voice had not again spok-
en-.
This way! Make haste!" was the
reply, so near as to surprise the girl
She turned to the right, went down
little declivity where there was an
opening in the trees and underbrush,
and paused in establishment; and, in
spite of herself, there was a good deal
of amusement in her surprise.
Clinging TO the lower branches of a
savin, her hat of, her scarlet shawl
swinging from the bough, was a wo-
man whose handsome face was flushed
ashamed of her fear, but not enough
ashamed to overcome 1t.
At the foot of the tree stood young
COW whose horns just could not reach
the woman.
AS Kate came in sight the COW made
short run at the tree, tossing her
HONS wildly and shaking her head
with great apparent fierceness.
ooh dear!" said Julia Caryl--for the
"treed" one was she. Its only a wo-
man, after all! You can't do anything
with that brute!"
Kate took long switch from birch
tree and advanced, saying:
II know the COW. She's playful and
not malicious. You must have run
from her, and your red shawl excited
her"
Playful" cried Julia, in tone as
furious as 1t could be from her posi-
ton. "She may seem playful to you,
but she doesn't seem that way to me.
You can't do anything with that
switch. You'll have to call a man, and
how / am going to keep in this posi-
ton while you do it, | don't know"
Kate smiled as she said:
"If you really refuse to be rescued
by woman, I'll call some masculine
aid; but there's not the slightest need
of q man."
Julia was too much fiurried to notice
that the newcomer did not speak like
one of the masses" as she scornfully
called them, and Hates humble dress
deceived her, and Julia was one of
those who never cared particularly to
be polite to those below her set"
Don't talk like fool" she said, in
response to Hates words, "but drive
the beast away"
1t was not strange that Kate Purcell
was human enough not to feel like hur.
rying when she was addressed in such
an insolently imperious tone.
IL she had not been very tender
hearted she would have delayed still
more, as 1t was, she only paused an
instant, tinge of anger coming to her
cheeks, But she felt that it. was COM
temptible for her to care for words
like that, and she made a rush with
her stick, at the COW which turned and
scampered down the declivity, kicking
up her heels as she went, as IL she,
too, were laughing at the tricks she
had served the girl in the tree.
you see, she was not malicious, If
you had caught up a stick and turned
upon her she would have run from you
as we'll" said Kate, pleasantly, as she
returned to the tree.
Very likely; bat I don't pretend to
understand cows" was the reply.
Now how In the name of wonder am
| to get down from here? I've torn
my hands already"
Julia's hands were bleeding where
she chung to the tree.
Let go, and let yourself fall" ad-
vised Kate; its but few feet"
But I'm not used to such things;
1t seems a great way How in the
world ever got here don't know"
Kate stood in silence. She had no
other advice to offer, and what she had
suggested was easy enough. She was
looking, In some curiosity and admira-
ton, at the face above her.
She decided to herself that the lady
must be a visitor at some Of the coun-
try houses which the people of Boston
had begun to build not far from there.
We'll, aren't you going to help me?"
GROSSLY cried Julia.
Il can't lift you down. assure you
It's perfectly easy. Just let go, and
you can't help falling on your feet"
julia muttered something, but her
common sense told her that she must
do as the girl said, and finally she
made up her mind to let go her hold.
She came down with very little Of a
Jar; but she was thoroughly out Of
humor now, and, as there was no male
auditor present, she did not try to con-
ceal the fact.
tits easy enough to stand and look
on and see one Jared out of ones
senses" she said, Grossly; "but 1t is
not so easy to the one to be shaken up.
J feel as IL / had displaced every
bone in my body"
The tone was precisely as II Kate
had been the cause Of the whole, and
Kate herself was conscious that she
felt desire, as in childhood, to slap
the girl who talked thus. But Kate
Purcell was lady, a thorough gentle
woman, and overcame her vexation i'm
mediately.
Il am very sorry" she said. "Will
you allow me to bind up that hand?
And let me suggest that you battle it
in arnica as soon as you can"
julia submitted, and preferred her
handkerchief 10 the def fingers that
were very soothing to their touch.
And while Kate bound up the hand
Julia examined her with scrutinizIng
gaze, and found that she possessed a
rare beauty-a beauty that was not
within any set rules, but that might be
all the more attractive. Who was she?
came to Julia's mind now for the first