The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-06-26
Our Daily Short Story

agin? Jes' a pink-faced doll, honey.
But men air needy creeturs, an powers
full easy fooled. low now. ridin'
about so much with her in her new
buggy an the settlement fows--Law.
honey, ye look tuckered out! A ole
woman tibet talks too much II Jest %
a-hobblin' on"
Margaret had solitude at last She
ate a strawberry and found Il insipid.
1t had rained too much. II always
rains too much In big, desoIate rattle
snaky mountains.
A half hour later she turned In the
direction of the village. She was go
ing to send the kilograms. One OF
them, It didn't much matter which,
would hold but one word, q word pro-
phetic OF joy or sorrow.
At the foot of the hill she stopped
on the bridge; but she wasn't think
ing OF kilograms. She was prayina
that a mountain peak might toppie
over on him and save him from Flor
ida Higgins.
The whirl Of reckless wheels fell on
her ears. A horse came round fhe
hills curve, running. The holding
back strap had broken and erased him
with terror. He ran in short. aRrighted
leaps that rocked the buggy omincus-
ly.
AS Margaret dashed across the
bridge to safety she saw that the bug
gy's one occupant Florida Higgins.
was crouched in the bottom OF the
vehicle in a terrified little heap. her
hands clinging to the dashboard. She
saw. TOO. the tree that divided the road
narrowly above the bridge. II the
horse swerved too much trying to es-
cape the tree. he would plunge down
the bank and into the water. gleam-
ing twenty feet below the roadbed.
For one sickening moment the girl
hesitated, the next her strong young
fingers caught the bit Just under the
foaming mouth and she was jerl<ed
by the rearing horse into Intending
space. Jerked and lifted and let down
and shaken and whirled In what seem-
ed to her failing senses to bs a mon-
ster churn that meant to crush the life
out of her. And then she slipped down.
down, with the gurgle Of running wa
ters In her ears. down--and info utter
darkness.
The house into which Margaret was
carried was little and low and old.
like Its owner. who had looked over
her garden fence an hour before.
In an incredibly short time the
house as filled with moving. useless
people.
It was the preacher who tumbied
them out unceremoniousIy, and tow
cred, big and powerful. over the doc
Tor who thought 1t might end In
coma
The preacher bent over the notion
less, figure and called softly.
It's no USE" the doctor said.
She's going to i've" he said. dog
gedly. And he forced brandy through
her lips.
A half hour passed The room was
still, except for the mans calling. just
over his breath.
IT'S no use." the doctor said again.
shes going to live" the preacher
shouted. And again he called, called
aud called and called. loud and loud
and louder, until the clarion ring OF
his voice pierced through the mists
that held her quiet figure in the bor-
derland that divides.
For one deliciously irresponsible
moment of consciousness Margaret lay
listening, so still was the room, to the
little clicking catch in the preachers
watch as 1t hurried the seconds away.
Then she opened her eyes full on the
lean. powerful young figure that bent
over her.
"Florida7" she asked family.
Amt scratched" said the doctor
gruf1iy.
TN glad she whispered. ana turn
ed her eyes to where the sun. red and
BAONAouSs was uEopPtA8 OOWu tne SKY
The hills were faint and far on; the
valleys brimmed with mist.
AS fast as the hitch in her walk
would allow the little old woman cross
sed the room. She dropped beside the
girls bed and cried. the tears run-
ming down her cheeks:
Hit war a lie! He amt never rid In
her buggy ter my knowledge, hit
war tole tibet good might come O. hit.
the Lords whopped me. He don't want
lies"
Margaret's hand went out to rest on
the bowed head. her eyes sought tha
preachers sudden light in them.
Il thought ye war dead" the old
voice walled. Il knowed ye'd not rest
easyiike an them kilograms not sent
sont 'em with butter money. re-
membered the fellars' names. I seds
She war too good fer We, an the Lord
TUX her Maybe now" gulping and
swallowing and sobbing. I'D better
go back an say hits the Lords SER
want"
The sun went down in a gulf Of
glory. Margaret watched It out Of
sight behind the far. far hills hse
cheek Graded in the ministers bic
brown palm.