Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-09-29

| Who knew better than she how cruel
they were. She had seen the ire leap
frou, the white blossom and heard the
ball whistle. the ball they had meant
| for his heart-that good. great heart.
She had run to him the night before
Why had she let him 50 into the IN
known and the storm tonight: But
how could she have stopped him: How
could she have KEEP, him after what be
| had said: BE had put II out Of her
power 10 speak the word STAY" She
peered into the night through disto--
ing tears
The wind had gone down 4 little. but
only little. and the electrical flashes
danced al! round the horizon in mag
nihcan, display. sometimes far away
sometimes dazinsly near. the darkness
doubIy deep between the intervals
when the long sweep Of tat lands LAP
in dazzling cleaness. clean cut in the
washed air to the finest detail Of str!ck
en- deld and heaving woodland.
A staggering fame Glove earth and
sky. and sheets Of light echoed it. and
q friehtful uproar shook the house end
rattled the easements. but over the
crash of thunder Minnie heard lHr
friends loud scream and saw her
spring back from the window with
both hands. palms outward. pressed to
her face. She leaped TO her and threw
her arms about her.
What is IT,
90
window. AT the next flash: The
| fence beyond the meadow"
What was 1t: What was it hke:'
The lightning flashed necessarily.
Helen tried to point Her hand only
jerked from side to side.
Look she cried
II see nothing but the lightning g
Minnie answered breathlessly.
"Ot, the fence! The fence: And in
the feld.."
"Helen: What was 1t like?
"!Ah, ah." she painted. "a long line
Of white looking things - horrible
| white
VIVA, like:" Minnie turned from
| the window and caugh, tie oher's
wrist in strong clasp.
Minnie. Minnie: Like long white
| gowns and cowls crossing the fence
i Helen released her wrist from her
| companions grasp and put both hands
on Minnie's cheeks. forcing her around
| to face the Pickering pane. You must
! look. You must look.' she cried.
| They wouldn't do it. They wouldn't
1T isn't Minnie shuddered. They
| couldn't come in the storm. They
wouldn't do it in the pouring rain"
Eyes: Such things would mind the
rain.~ She burst into hysterical laugh
ter, and Minnie seized her round the
waist. almost as unnerved as Helen.
| yet trying to soothe her. They would
mind the rain" Helen whispered.
They would fear a storm. Yes. yes!
And let him go; let him CO.
Pressing close together. claspin:
each others waist. the two girls peer
ed out at the landscape.
Look
| Up from the distant fence that Dor
dered the northern side of Jones field
a pale. pelted. tapping thing reared
itself. poised and seemed. just as the
| blackness came again. to drop to the
ground.
did you see:''
But Minnie had thrown herself into
a deep chair with a laugh of wild re-
lief. "A1y darling girl.-' she cried.
"Sot line of white things-just one
| Mr.. Jones scarecrow! And we saw it
! blown down.
mo. no. no. saw the others. They
| were in the field beyond. l saw them
When looked the first time they We're
nearly all on the fence. This time we
saw the last man crossing. Alb. let
him 60 alone."'
Minnie sprang up and infolded her.
40; you dear, imagining child. you're
upset and nervous that's all the mat
! ter in the world. Don't worry; don't.
child; it's all right. Mr.. HAIRLESS is
home and safe in bed long ago. l
know that old scarecrow on the fence
like book. and you're so unstrung
you fancied the rest. He's all right
Don't you bother, dear
The big, motherly girl took her CON-
panion in her arms and rocked her
back and forth soothingly and petted
| and treasured Ter and then cried lit
tie with her. as a good hearted girl al
ways will with friend. Then she left
her for the night. with many cheer
| ing word and tender caress. Get to
sleep, my DEAR" she called through the
| door when she had closed it behind her.
you must if you have to go in the
morning. 1t just breaks my heart. l
don't know how We'll bear it without
you Father will miss you almost as
much as l will. Good night Don't
bother about that old white scarecrow
that's all it was. Good night. dear:
good night
Good night, dear" answered plain
tive little voice. Helen's cheek pressed
the pillow and tossed from side to side.
By and by she turned the pillow over;
it had grown wet. The wind blew
about the caves and blew itself out.
Sleep would not come. She got up and
laved her burning eyes: then she sat