Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-02-23

|
/ toward the church.
| dorothy always played the organ at
prayer meetings. Long before she
reached the severe white edifice the
| changing bell had ceased its ringing,
| and she knew she would be too late
| to open services She tip-toed into the
| outside entry, and paused to listen to
| Deacon Browns unctuous voice raised
| in prayer.
Dorothy turned the knob noiseless-
| ly, hoping to seat herself unObServed
| with her aunt and cousins. 1t needed
| but a glance to find her aunts pew
| vacant. Her heart sank dejectedly,
| A wave of hot air reached her through
| the opening of the door. Some one
! had fancied the church too cold, and
| had started q red-hot fire il the stove.
How they all suffered and sweltered!
| Dorothy noted it with a wicked feeling
| Of satisfaction. Deacon Brown suf
| fered greatly, dabbing his warm face
| continually with very large red hand
| kerchief. a hySterical desire to laugh
outright seized Dorothy. at that mo-
ment she lost her hold of the slippery
| knob, and the door swung to with a
| wall that was almost human. She
waited not the result, but hastily with
| drew to Sti1ie her mirth, for everybody
had started apprehensively from their
seats. Outside, il the stiffness Of the
night, she paused for a moment to re-
10
She started forth upon the lonely two
mile road to her aunt's home. To
give up everything was too much, she
reasoned. And then, too, there Was
the possibility Of meeting Mr.. Ham
! mOnd.
How silly l am. 1 suppose he
thinks of mo as simple, country girl
if at all 1 wonder if he does. l re-
| member l couldn't think Of single
interesting subject to talk about that
time we met | think he did most Of
the talking. But, oh. dear. How deep
the mud is. 1t will be far worse when
| get to the crOssWay. It's the frost
coming out of the ground. It's awfully
dark going past that stretch of pine
ledge. I-oh. What was that"
She stood still for moment to re-
gain her spent breath. Across the
meadows came to her the pungent odor
CT Il burning coal pit far up on the
side OF TOtOket mountain, and the
frogs, with their deep, baying voices,
reminded her somehow Of Deacon
Browns bass
Heavens! What was that shadow
just under the clump of alderS fringing
he highway? \ man-perhaps
tramp. She made an effort to with
draw her feet from the Oozing mud.
but found TO her dismay she could not
move them. And, horrible discovery,
she seemed to be sinking deeper and
deeper. She called for assistance. for
she feared she WIS sinking into one Of
the horrible Guagmires of which she
had heard, where yGu keep on sinking
sinking, until
She shouted loudly now, in despera-
ton. for the greater her efforts TO eX-
tricatc herself, the deeper she seemed
10 sink. At last, far oT-mileS. it
seemed-she heard the thud Of ap-
preaching h0Ofs. If only she could
hold out until they reached her, Per
haps they might take the other road.
Once more her fresh, girlish treble
sounded upon the night air. and soon
there swung into view Il trim cart
ard sure-footpd cob Laundering brave
" through the mud. 1t was Tom Ham
moEG and his man, driving from the
station.
whats the trouble, Riley:
The lanterns Of the cart lit I'D the
scene as they drew near. BY the light
these made he had recognized our
heroine.
Out be was and into the o0Zing
Quagmire in Il moment, regardless of
lis own immaculate attire, with the
oliicious Riley in close attendance
There, Miss Irving, it really is you?
| beg of You not to cry-just put your
arms about my neck-So. Here, Riley,
drive up on the bank on solid ground.
We don't want to lose the trap
Meantime he had gathered Dorothy
up in his strong arms. carried her
safely over the perilous Quagmire and
deposited her Oh the high seat of the
cart.
Riley piled into the rear and Tom
Hammond took the rens in one hand, /,
deeming it necessary, under the trying
circumstances, to support our heroine |
with the other arm. She soon revived /.
her good spirits, and after due ex-
PLANTATION laughed merrily over her !
somewhat unusual adventure
They approached her aunt's house. |
but all was in darkness. Evidently |
the family had retired. Dorothy was
secretly satisfied when Tom insisted
UpOn driving on. Imagine everybody's .
surprise when Dorothy and Tom final
II appeared at his home, The euchre
party was already we'll under way.
DGrothy's cousins were present. so any
little secret misgivings she might have
had vanished like air