Evening capital., 1904-01-08
A ROMANCEOFA

cifiey ieaolng 70 Dabbling brook 70
give her tired horse a long cool
draught Of the clear, swirling water
before he forded the stream. He was
q livery horse. hired at the railway
station, no other means Of rapid con-
veyance being available.
The young woman was home again
after several years of absence during
which she had improved her time and
opportunities, and she was glad TO
return TO her native heath, the land
OF Evangeline, the Acadia Of her
heart.
"oh," cried the girl, longing to
hear human voice, surely
This is the forest primeval,
In the Acadian land on the shores Of
the basin of Minas.
Here, too. is Evangeline, but where
Is her Gabriel7'
AT your service" said a strong.
masculine voice at her ear. startling
her so that she dropped her bride
rein over her horses head. She turn
ed and saw man In clerical garb, one
OF the travelling preachers of the pro-
vince, and looked at him ungraciously,
annoyed at his quick application Of
her impromptu question addressed
solely to herself. Giving him-a a cool
nod she attempted to secure her
bride. which was entirely beyond her
reach. Her horse, feeling its free
dom. sprang forward, fording the
brook with rapid bound and gaIlop-
Ing UP the further side at pace that
nearly unseated his rider.
1t would have served her right II
the new Gabriel had left her to her
fate. but after a lapse of time enough
for him to observe her plight, and as
she thought angrily enjoy 1t, he rode
up gently. not to hasten the speed Of
Evangeline's horse, caught the errant
bride and restored it to her hand.
Peter Grant, at your service he
said, touching his hat stiffiy. Il am
on my way to visit a very sick wo-
man. Pardon me-" and with leap
his horse shot ahead and was gone.
"He knows how to ride a horse If
he is a minister" thought Evangeline.
Peter Grant! Why, we were school
mates, but he has forgotten me-"
Then she urged her horse forward,
for she, too, was going to see a sick
woman, her dearest friend, Aunt Mag
gle, who had been ailing for some
time, and she had been delayed and
had heard no tidings for some days.
A few more miles of hard riding and
Miss West reached a farmhouse of
the old Arcadian type. with fifty-year
MOSES on its unpainted roof and a
well sweep OF antiquated pattern pic
turesquely adorning the yard. An
other horse was picketed there, and it
saluted her with a whinny-it was the
animal Peter Grant so vigorously be-
strode.
'0hw she cried out in sudden alarm,
"can 1t be possible that Aunt Mag
gle is the very sick woman he was
coming to visit? I pray that l may
not be too later
Women with corrugated brows and
nasal tones sang the words in a weird
discord, to which the preacher added
q robust and melodious bass.
Evangeline held vigorous hand
and bade them stop.
Don't you see that she is far too
I'll for this sort of thing? All leave
the room please, and let her have air
l will take care of her now"
"She should be permitted to make
her peace with God" the Rev. Peter
Grant spoke. partly from habit and
partly from conviction. He knew who
this young woman was now, and dared
to combat her aggressive action.
"She never had any falling out with
Him." Evangeline said reverently,
"but now that you know who l am
and why am here, you will leave her
to me. l am her nearest relative, but
more than that 1 am trained nurse
and thoroughly familiar with a few
er case. Where is the doctor-she
surely has medical carer
"He has given her up" said one Of
the retreating women, with sly sat
isfaction.
"Given her upl How dared he? And
why do you speak Of such possibil-
ity before herT'
"Oh, she doesn't sense anything
that is said now," complained one Of
the cronies, taking reluctant depart
ure.
The preacher took himself off with
the others, but he gained reluctant
consent to call the next day to learn
how the sick woman was doing. He
did not really expect to find her alive,
and his slow, well-regulated faculties
received a healthy shock waen Van
gle, ideal in her nurses gown and
white cap and apron, informed him
that she had moved the sick woman
from the south room to the north
room, from which the stuffy carpet
and obstructing furniture had been
removed.
II have telegraphed for ice and q
modern doctor, and she is drinking
cool spring water, and is better al
ready. Have you never heard of Aunt
Maggie's goodness and charity to all
who need help and consolation-how
she brought UP a poor orphan child,