The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-08-09
COLOR
A.:story.
..Bv EdW. Forrest.

nossscoveTed Sbowlder, and with 8neri
I low switch made asdesperate lunge
atssthe pond lily nodding mockingly at
sss = missed it, lost her balance, and
with forlorn shrek fell splashing
into the water. .S
SfmuItaneouslyt there was crack
ling styYigs on the nearby shore and
I'll tall, rather handsome looking fell
IN. shabbily attired, bounded out up
sonz the rock and with strong arms
saeftl hauled her up to safety.
en- Miss Molly, for the first time
realizing herself in the presence of a
man. emitted a shrek even louder
than when She ent tumbling into two
feet OF water below.
Don't he alarmed, Miss; III not
bite you Had + known the water was
so ALLOW would not have intruded.
yon desires an apology, you have it.
aGood-day
here was something about the
Il youth thatathe girl, even in her bewil-
sIered condition. had not failed to no.
doesn't look like real
g8LISdLII PIN SSu $5AdOlliSse DIS SIG lolio"
ed his retreat through the under
SEbl1ls d doubt he meant well by
helping me, and II didn't even thank
3 III n .:sss
len, seized with sudden inspira-
ton she hailed him. He stood, duly
srespectfuI before her, and she, pref
blush showing through the tan on
her eeks; stammered an acknowl-
Sedgment.
s5s PARTED it off with remark of
sufficient levity to elicit smile from
the girl Then said the latter:
pardon me, but are you look
ork 81
triumphant CLEAN shone in his
sdarkseyes as3he replied:
gu are correct. I've been trying
to secure work on some farm all day
long. but somehow or other the local
farmers don like my looks
He paused and ruefully surveyed
his dilapIdated outfit The girl smiled
Sapprec
Well IS & she said, perhaps 1 can
help you-if you care to have me-
The stranger. nodded assent, and
Molly explained that her father was
short man on his farm. and that per-
#haps he would fill the bill. That is
how j lack Conant-as the stranger in
sfroduced him lf--began his career as
2choreman on the w. j. Taylor farm.
True, at first he displayed la
mentab1e ignorance of things agricul-
sstuTaI, zbntShis ability to learn readily,
illingness to work, his debon-
#naire ways, and his superior lnowl-
edge of matters in general soon in
gratiated him into the good graces
$of til family, and when, with the in
Sitial snowfall, all the other help We're
discharged he alone was retained.
Then ensued the long, dismal win
mon til s, the monotony of which
WAS occasionally broken by such ru-
raI diversions as husking bees, candy
pulls and barn parties.
isSss % all of these Jack Conant had the
pleasure Of escorting Molly, and the
relations Of the twain gradually ripen
ed into something more than mere
friends nip. Village gossips had it
that aylor's darter wuz in love
with Taylor's hired man. but neither
sof the two principals verified the ru
TI
nor.
the farmhouse neither Mr.. nor
Mrs ayIor objected to his interest
IN FOLLY On stormy days they would
#sitt in the par1or and Molly would read
ITO him from one of the numerous pop
zular novels.
Usual1y it; was a volume by one
James FLANDERS that she elected to
read. According to her Flanders was
the dearest writer. and she thought
that his books were .tiust too sweet
for anything. Jack Conant did not
offer to differ with her.
s sEss With the coming of spring, how
ever, Jacks duties became more nu-
Inerous and he and Molly had but lit
4 time to spend together. Jack. too,
seemed to be worrying over some
thing, and though he would retire
early, his light burned late.
One AFTERNOON in late spring some
anxiety was evinced at the Taylor
homestead when long after the sun
Had set beyond the western hills, Jack
#Eonant failed to return with the cows
:for Milking.
AT length it was decided to send
Molly out in quest of him, and she