The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-12-15

creeping with icy clutches up ant
down his back. He felt he must b.
moving, for a siege OF govt in a place
like Mapleton would be unhearable
AS he started forward, soEething-s
gray, feathery thing-started up from
litth pond just below in the meadow
He put up his eyeglasS-it was goose
But goose is better than nothing
thought he. Il can't go back to tina
landlord with nothing in my bag.
However, while he was collecting hi!
scattered senses the goose flew away
making good time, as geese ny, owe
the meadow. John Houston sIarteo II
pursuit. "All my life have been on
wild-goose chase" he thought; i won
give up now" Over hillocks, oVel
boys, now down in the oozy slush, no"
confronted by barbed-wire fences III
kept I'D his chase after the gray goose
No one seeing this man now woui.
have wondered at the concentration VI
purpose which had accumulated his
immense fortune. Not one Oh then
would have guessed that his purpose
had failed in the one thing he deemed
of moment in the world.
Suddenl., he found himself VI
against a high board fence with
swinging picket gate in 1.-THE goose
had disappeared. 1t was raining tor
rents now. He opened the gate ano
stepped inside. There was woman
fo1 81 dressed
in black, with big tapping hat. She
was feeding the geese. AS John Hous
ton looked at her he thought she
might be 80, or even 40, for the hail
was a dead gray under the black hat
But she carried the grace and sprlsht
illness of her prime in her 1.-the move
ments and vibrant voice as she called
the geese about her.
Il beg your pardon, ma'am," saic
John houston, l."
"Oh!" she said, turning Sharply, ARE
you the man who frightened my geese
so?"
I'm afraid l am" said John.
But you are wet" she said, quickly
noting the disheveled condition of the
man. ''It's perfect downpour. Won't
you come in and dry your clothes q
bit?"
John Houston did not hesitate
Without realizing it, he was thinking
of rheumatism and of the desolate
room at the inn. He passed through
the neat kitchen into the living-room
And such a room! He had never
thought to see it's like in Mapleton
Long, low, With blazing fire at one
end, it was filled with surprises OF
easy lounging places, divans and cush-
ions.
Make yourself a. home, said the
woman, motioning toward the blazing
fire, land 1 will have Sarah brew you
a warm drink. You are chilled to the
bone"
When she came back with a steam
ing cup on little tray he was stand
ing before the fire. He had thrown
aside his cap and heavy hunting jack
et, and was holding in his hand pic
ture he had picked up from the table.
The darkness of night had set in, and
with it the storm waS increasing. The
blaze leaped up from the open wood
fire and shone on her as she entered.
A woman never shows to better advan-
tage than in the freight. The gray
hair was an illumination as it fell in
girlish locks on each side of the face.
The face was flushed with a delicate
pink; her hospitality had been good
for her-sne looked almost young.
For moment John Houston did not
speak. There was look in his face
the men in Wall street would have
been surpris to see. His lips were a
little drawn and white, but when she
advanced to set the tray on the table
before him he managed to bring a kind
of smile. He took step forward.
"Agnes!" he cried, impetuously. Gag
mes, don't you know me?" The tray
tumbled and the steaming liquid poured
over the white hand, but she did not
mind.
john" She was breathless. John,
where did you come from?"
From chasing your old gray goose"
he said. "All my life since you left
me have been on a wild-goose chase"
They seated themselves. Explanations
were in order. The hot drink was for
gotten.
"Why did you run away from me,
Agnes?" John Houston asked.
why? You must have known, John.
my brother-he defaulted.
We were so proud of him, mother and
l. We paid every cent Of that awful
indebtedness-then Robert died. We
came here to bury our grief and our
shame. was afraid of you-even Of
you, John-afraid of the disgrace"
John Houston rose and stood before
the fire again. How handsome he
looked-a man Is not really old at so.
II have been all my life on a wild
goose chase" he cried, impetuously.
She rose. too. the old humorous ten
derness on her face and in her eyes.
"But you have found your old gray
goose at last" she said.-Los Angeles
Times.