The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-03-20

- SN~
fence would permit. As he marched up
the walk to the house (wherein he had
never been but once in his life) he
swung his uncle's lantern and stamped
his feet to keep up his courage. He
knocked on the door softly. His heart
pounded fercely. -
"Who is there?" asked a puzzled.
half-frghtened feminine voice through
the door. +.
Its only Dick RUSSELL" he said,
quietly. "There's an important matter
l must see you about"
Then she opened the door-haught-
lily, fearlessly.
Come into the sitting-room, Mr..
RUSSELL" said the girl, frigidly.
"There's to be a big record frost to-
night said he, blushing like a girl.
"How do you know?"
i've just had news from the weather
bureau; and I've come to warn YOU"
Have you warned the other neiph-
bors?" she asked, quietly.
moo. That il, IL"
why haven't your"
because I-well-bother it all!"
he stammered, suddenly getting
warm all over-"because I thought
OF you first. And 1 only got the
news a few minutes ago. And I
couldn't, if I wanted to, save all the
orchards around here. But I can
save yours-and my own-and Uncle
Bill's."
."How?"
with the gas plant I've been
building, and-and-"
He hesitated, stopped.
Never mind the details, Mr.. Rus
SELL" she said, hurriealy, as she
arose to her feet; sit is late, and
there is your own garden to think of.
Mine must take it's chances, as it al
ways has done. I thank you"
"But," interrupted Dick, as he
stood up and faced her-"but"-rhe
began again-"I-I-'
Then a sudden comprehension
swept through him; he understood
her strange expression. The words
he would have said died upon his
AAIo' ~ IL lSICu OuC.
There must be an unusually hard
frost tonight" she thought.
She looked at the thermometer.
Eight degrees below zero!
She began to feel afraid; she had
heard of the damage wrought by
cold only a trife more intense than
this. =
Looking out in the direction of
Dick Russells farm, she saw that his
orchard was encompassed and
crossed by systematic rows of vel
low lightjets, blazing and smoking
uncannily in the still air.
Then the truth came home to her.
He was not insane. He was mere
ly a genius. He was right; she was
wrong. He had come to her in
manly helpfulness, and she had
The tears came to her eyes. But
not for long. Hurrying to the hall,
she put on her heaviest boots and
warm wraps, and stepped outside.
But one thought possessed her-to
find Mr.. Russell and ask his for.
giveness. The rest did not matter.
She found him, as fate would have
it-alone.
Hearing footsteps, Dick raised his
head.
"Helen!"
They looked into each others eyes
-~hesitating, incredulous, mute.
Words came at last. Il m%isiudged
you," she said, simply, humbly. That
vas ALL
That night Dick did things
many things, rapid, clever things. He
hurried Aunt William and the two
men, Uncle William hurried two
horses, and the two horses hurried
load after load of spare iron piping
to various places on Miss Reming-
tons farm. But first, with great
joy (and a fle), Dick cut a wide
opening in the fence. Under his Wig
orous strokes the wires parted with
a vicious, reluctant snap, and the
victorious besieger passed through
into the promised land.
Quickly and deity the men began
coupling the lengths of pipe to-
gether; while Dick, with one hand
almost frozen, went back to find his
lost mitten. Finding it, the pipe.
laying progressed with greater "a.
pidity. Soon the Remington orchard
was encompassed and crossed with
lines of black tubing laid upon the
snow-crust, each pipe-length pierced
in the center with a tiny drilled hole.
Ten degrees below zero! -.
Wearied and cold the men stag
gered to the gashouse and sank e
hausted on the floor. After a short
rest Dick consulted the thermometer
again. -
Five below! =
'"I've done i'll" he gasped, trium-
phantly. " .
AS weeks and months went by the
wisdom of Dicks foolish idea" be-
came more and more manifest: and.
when crop-time came, the only or.
I - $500 81 'E