Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-11-18

IT, Again MI OduSStcf SJuppCu. III
time it was an open space of ground
under the trees, where no grass seemed
growing He sank on his knees, his
face close to earth. It was the faint
outline of a child's footprints that he
saw. He searched in vain. There
were none beside them.
He turned to his wife. ut looks
like she was Alone" he said.
What would she be doing in the
woods alone?" she asked. Then she
suddenly stopped. Across her mind
flashed the conversation Mag had re-
peated to her. She had gone outside
probably to wash off the sugar. 1.-THE
brook" she gasped, and they hurried
forward.
They reached its banks, but all was
peaceful and serene. The water CUR
gled and laughed in an abandon of
glee; the current swept on until a
sudden curve in its course lost it to
view.
Meanwhile Aggie Mays little feet
sped fast and faster. The shadows
thickened. How quickly they fell amid
the dense growth of the forest. Ghosts
and COLLINS doomed Enthusiastically be-
hind each tree. A sharp cracking
sound overhead made her crouch and
hold her breath in terror. 1t was a
dead branch falling at her feet. With
a nameless fear that choked her she
fastened on. Now she was speeding
through a wilderness of ferns, now
down fat on the ground, with the sting
of cold. moist earth in her face.
"Hark! What was that?" A dragon
was Kissing close beside her. She
sprang up and staggered on. Again
an awful sound. She crouched behind
tree to listen. Tinkle, tinkle. 1t
was like the ringing of fairy bells
or the murmur of water over a bed
of pebbles. 1t grew louder with every
step, but it seemed mere like water
all the time. Suddenly the trees be-
came less dense, and the light grew
brighter as she neared the open space.
She stood in wonder. 1t was not the
fairies, after all sac had reached the
brook.
She knelt down beside it. She took
from her pocket the soap, and rubbed
it carefully on the spot just behind
her forehead. Her mamma would be
glad to see her without that black
word on her brow The little shorn
head bent low over the swiftly moving
stream, and she caught the reflection
of earth and sky in its dancing rip
pies. Suddenly she reeled, the earth
slipped away, she felt the cold water
grip her, and then with a cry she
plunged head foremost into the cur
rent.
Some instinct of motherhood guided
Mrs. Sangster's footsteps. The sound
of Aggie Mays voice reached her faint
ly at first, then louder, until it re-
sounded through the stiffness in fran
tic echoes. Following the sound, she
plunged ahead, and arrived just in
time to see a small hand flung out
wildly from the middle of the brook.
then speed onward.
1t was not an heroic task to step
in and rescue the fallen child. Mr.
Sangster waded to the middle of the
stream, and in moment Aggie May
was in her mothers arms.
Behind them, in the forest, lights
were cleaning like firefiies, and the
arched dome of the forest rang with
shouts of Aggie Mays name She lay
very white and scared, while the water
trickled down in little rivulets from
her limp arms and legs. Aggie May
flung a dripping arm about her
mothers neck. 1T was very cold"
she said, nesting closer in the protect
ing arms, ''and the water getted in my
froat, but I fink it must have coined
off. They amt no sugar on my soul
now, is they, mammal"
And Mrs. Sangster, with choking
voice, answered, mo, dear; your soul
is very white now
Aggie May clapped her hands joy
ously. 81 knowed it." she said. Then
quick shadow passed over her face.
1T must "a been the soap, though, I"
she said, "'cause l wasn't in the brook
very long. "-Woman' Home Com
panion.