Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-03-06
CHAPTER VIII.
TIE HOP.pANCH.

IN attack by "'Whiskers," the tramp
CHAPTER VIII.
THE HoP-DANCB.
That Miss Merton should regard
her cousin and Rossiter with amaze.
nent was but natural. On both their
faces something unusual was writ
ten, on Miss Densmore's exhaustion
and the lingering traces of dread
full fear, on Registers mingled
sternness and solicitude.
what has happened?" Miss Mer.
ton cried.
"Your cousin has had terrible
fright" said Rossiter, quickly.
He paused and glanced at Miss
Densmore. He had spoken thus that
she might be saved an explanation if
she did not feel that she could make
one just then. She gave him CRATE
ful look as she sank upon the seat
before the spring. For moment
she gazed at the yelling water, then
she put her hands to her face and be-
gan to sob softly. In an instant Misa
Mertoa's arms were about her
cousin, and Rossiter, turning his back
upon them, moved few PAGES away.
II the ghost Of longing that it
might be his right to comfort the
distraught girl came into his heart,
he put it quickly from him. She was
not for such as he to soothe with
any endearing or assuring words.
Though he had no fear that the mo-
I; tionless form in the woods would
recover to modest them, he fell to
watching every bough-sway and
! every leaf-stir intently.
"Mr. Rossiter!" called Miss Mer-
ton, presently.
| "Yes," he replied, swinging about
/, and facing her.
"Will you walk back with us?"
certainly, if you wish it,"
/ ut would be SO good of you," said
/ Miss Densmore, who looked as
though the least jar might snatch
her from consciousness. II am not
quite sure Of myself"
Miss Merton upon one side of
Miss Densmore and Rossiter upon
the other, they slowly climbed the
slope towards the orchard. For some
! moments nothing was said. Gradu-
/ any, however, Miss Densmore re-
gained her self-control, and at length
/, she turned to Rossiter.
"Will you tell me how you CHANGED
| to be in the wood?" she asked.
II had strolled down from the
house with q newspaper and maya
zine which Mr.. Parmelee lent me-"
he replied, "and was sitting in lit
tie glade short distance down the
/; logging-road when heard you cry"
~ must explain to you" she
| began.
"pon't Sylvia, don't now!" inter-
rupted Miss Merton, and Rossiter
added a gentle remonstrance.
eyes," said Miss Densmore, II
must, then We'll not refer to it again.
I was watching the water ripple
away into the wood when fancied
heard footstep. I was so startled
that I sprang up, and there was that
man. He could not have been more
than 30 feet from me, he had crept
up so noiselessly. I have no idea
from which direction he approached,
but when I first saw him he was
standing behind me in the path by
which we came. He began to move
towards me, and cried out to him
to go on about his business. He
gave no heed to this, SO I ran to the
other side of the spring, putting the
depression and the water between
US. He was grinning ut me, and oh,
his face!-I am afraid shall dream
about it, and if do shall go mad -
She seemed about losing her power
of restraining her feelings, and both
Miss Merton and Rossiter again
begged her to say no more, but she
would not heed them.
NO." she exclaimed, "let me tell
you and have it done with! He be-
gan maneuvering now SO that I
should not run towards the house,
and he succeeded, for my foot slipped
Us I was leaping the outlet to the
spring, and he would have seized me
had I not fed down the logging
road"
She paused, and Rossiter caught at
the opportunity to end all talk on
SO distressing a theme.
Il CHANGED to be in the logging
road, as you have heard me say" he
put in quickly, addressing Miss Mer-
ton; there was some scuffling be-
tween myself and Miss Densmore's
pursusr. who finally stumbled and
struck his head against tree, where
we left him unconscious"
They had reached the orchard by
this time. and paused brief space
to let Miss DensmOre rest. A few
hop-pioksrs were lounging beneath
the trees, munching the mellow
fruit. They stared at Rossitsr curl
ously, seeing him with the two girls,
and exchanged idly speculative com.
msuta.
'Ns'itM sAas sAsl :asas I ,allss