The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-04-20

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for moment She stood undecided
what to do. Then she spraug away
from the fence and ran up the road.
hundred fears taking possession of her
bosom. But Zcb WAS gone. "Oh. why
did he go? Why dill he not wait Just
a moment longer:" She quickcned her
pace and when she reached the top of
the hill was almost out OF breath.
Zeb had gone out of sight down the
mountain. She tried to call his name.
but her utterance was only Il whisper.
But at last she managed 10 call:
"Oh. Zcbr'
The breeze blew th. echo Of her own
tones back into her face Tears gushed
from her eyes. and Sh" sunk down upon
the roadside to sob away her sadden
heartsickness.
The clouds began to gather ana at
midnight the rain began to fall in tor.
rents. BY dawn the waters Of the
TuckasicEc were high between its
banks. and the bO0m.loggers were busy
with their RATS, but Xeb Norton their
former foreman. was not among them.
Six years had slipped away. Nance
Hooper still lived with her father in
the cabin on the side of the mountain.
She still went ont each evening to call
the hogs ut the head of the ravine. and
in her heart she still lived the old love
and deep regret. Zeb Norton has never
been heard Of since his sudden disap-
pearance. Gold had been discovered on
the TuckaSiege. and the community
was wild with excitement. But what
seemed unfortunate to the prospectors
WAS that the rich vein had been dis
covered on body of land belonging
to one IeD Norton. whose whereabouts
were unknown. They feared to pro
cead with mining operations without
having first having secured q lease of
some kind. and since this could not be
obtained from the owner tE, enterprise
was at Standstll.
Half a year passed BY one day
passenger stepped from the morning
train which stopped at DOllsbOro. and
stood with his hands rammed down
into pockets. He was dressed in the
style of Westerner. A wide-brimmed
sOmbrero rested on his head and
heavy brown mustac che ornamented his
upper lip. For moment he gazed
all around him.
"lt5 not exactly like II used to be.
though it amt much changed. either"
he muttered as he picked up his valise
and walked toward little boarding
house few yards away. Il was noon.
and the traveller was hungry. Meet.
ing the landlady ut the entrance. he
gave her a tifty-cent piece and asked
the way to the dining room.
After dining the stranger spent sew
eral hours in wandering about the vii.
lage. Late in the afternoon he SuS.
pended his valiSn on stout staff which
lie rested on his shoulder and set off
Up the river road acoot. Ever and
anon, as lie tramped along the high.
way lie would stop at some high point
and gaze across the hills and valleys.
Just like they used to be. all Just
the same" he would usually mutter as
he turned away and continued his
journey.
Al last lie reached the highest point
mountain on the other side of the river.
Just the same" he said. there's not
even change in the road. Wonder
If Mari; Hooper lives there yet" he
cOntiued as he looked toward the cabin
of 10 the right.
little farther along he turned away
from the road and walked slowly down
IN ubarn tho fanna croy..I tha ,.a nina
Here he seated himself on an old. fast.
decaying stump. allowing the staff and
| vallse to carelessly slip from his
| shoulders. Then. pushing his sombrero
back upon his head he locked his
| fingers across his knee and gaZed away
| through the opening over the ravine.
II was almost sundown ana there were
few clouds in the sky.
Just the same he muttered again
after few moments silence: every
thing just like it was. | wonder If
| Nance did"
He closed his lips tightly against
further utterance. There seemed 10 be
sudden breaking loose of something
which had been long tied up in his
breast.
At last he arose. and. shoulderlng
his staff and vallse. started back to the
road. And just as he turned his back
| toward the cabin Nance came out with
her apron full of vegetables for the
hogs. and came on slowly down the
path toward the fence.
The traveller. who had walked on
without looking backward. had scarce
ly disappeared beyond turn In the
road. when his ears caught the sounds;
"Pig-pig-pig'oo-ch." as Nance called
the hogs.
Again the stan and vallse sllpped
from his shoulder and. with his hands
rammed down into his pockets. he
listened. while his heart beat heavily
against his breast.
At last he turned about and slowly
retraced his steps. leaving his bag.
gage. where 1t had fallen. in the middle
of the road. He approached within
few feet Of Nance before he stopped
Then, steadying his voice as well al
he could, he called her name.
Nance suddenly turned about and
gized upon the tall form of the West
erner. Then. bursting into tears. she
dropped her apron and impulsively
sprang toward him.
4 "oh. Zsb" she cried through hel
t1... ~. I ..|