Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-08-10

to be shy, but he felt like a raw school
boy in her presence.
She had many friends at the hotel,
but he managed by sheer persistence
to monopolize good share Of her time
He could not tell whether he was
NO. 'ng any Roadway or not. She was
friendly but very elusive, and the time
had come when be must go back to
his work, for there were obligations
which he could not ignore.
He lured her out that morning for a
row, with the promise of lovely spot
which she had never seen. He was un-
usually silent and she leaned back in
her corner OF the boat watching him
with speculative eyes. Apparently he
was searching for some particular
nook. At length his quest appeared
ended, for he drew the boat carefully
to the shore and held out his hand to
her. Then they wandered over a wood
edy knoll nearby. "This is the place,
am sure" he said at last. II have
seen it often in my dreams, and here
is just where the end rested"
She stared at him in mild surprise.
"No, l am not out Of mind" he as
sured her, 81 wanted to tell you
story, and had an unaccountable fan
cy for telling it to you in this spot.
Will you hear it?"
rs it interesting? Does 1t commence
Once upon timer"
"Of course it does. It would be an
exceedingly poor story if 1t didn't. I
hope" and the mans face grew very
earnest "that you will be interested in
the poor little story-but--I cannot be
"'Once upon a time when the world
was nearly two decades younger than
it is now, boy and girl started from
the hotel down in that valley to find
pot Of gold at the end Of rainbow
at least the boy, who must have been
a very mercenary creature, was think
ing only Of the gold, but the girl was
much more poetic, for she cared Meth
ing at all for the gold. She only wished
to see more closely that wonder of
mist and light which held and en-
thralled her fancy. They got lost; of
course, that was foregone conclu-
sion, you know, and they were only
discovered and saved by kindly MIR
acie OF fate. The girl was a genuine
brick, though and never tainted the
boy with his rashness and wickedness
in leading her into such peril. The
boy should have known better, you
see, for he was considerably older, but
he was always good bit Of a fool
He did not find the end Of the rain
bow, but for years he dreamed Of 1t,
and in some mysterious way he came
to fancy that the treasure was not
gold after all, as his nurse had told
him, but that it was something inf
nitely more precious than gold. He
was never quite sure what the mystic
rious treasure might be, but he knew
| that when he was q man he must seek
1t here-just on this very spot, for it
| was here that the rainbow seemed to
| end as the children looked up to it
from the valley belcw-just here by
| this little HILL"
| There was a silence. Her face was
| turned quite away. The man looked at
her keenly and then went on with his
story in low voice which, perhaps,
shook just trifle.
"And so-and so-he came here to-
day. He knows now what the treasure
| is at the end of the rainbow. A wom-
ans heart and woman's love. He
does not know whether he dare claim
it or not, but it is the gift which he
most covets from life. And-can
| have it, dear?"
Her face was still turned away. The
mans heart had time to grow very
| heavy before she spoke.
II was always wildly grateful to you
for not telling that it was actually /
who had proposed the expedition---'
"You don't mean--" he inter-
| rupted breathlessiy that you were
| "And-and-I did want to find the
end of the rainbow, too, and If you
think that we could, perhaps, find-it
-together-why-
! He was holding her hand in tight
| clasp, and was looking down at her
with eyes full of reverent, incredulous
| Oy.-Eyerywhere.
/ ---
| "That fellow" said brakeman this