The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-12-29


again, This fence will be as nothing
before her! Run for your life"'
And with this the gallant fellow
picked himself up. pressed his hand
against his injured back. and was OF
like streak of lightning.
The next morning Della met George
Riley al neighbor's. He accosted her
pleasantly, as though the ring he had
given her and which she had worn
so long was not pressing like iron
against his heart.
What an expert at jumping Mr..
Hart is. He could outdo sam Patch
and not half try"
How DO yor know that?" asked
Della. rather tartly.
II saw him practising last night
replied George, coolly.
Did you?" wonderingly.
"Ies; you must have seen him. too:
you were with him. How he did go
over that fiverail fence. Is he still
laid up with his back?'
Della could have cried with veXa-
sJn. Guy had fallen considerably in
her estimation since the day before
II Guys inglorious exit from the
lane must be witnessed, why must it
have been by George?
Della would much rather anyone else
had seen il. George was brave. she
knew. and. in spite of herself. she
could not help thinking that Guy was
n coward. Guy Hart's back was lame
indeed, and for several days he kept
within doors. One day, when he felt
well again, he volunteered To carry
lunch to the haymakers. Della handed
him the basket, and he kissed her for
the first time as he took il, in anticipa-
ton of favorable answer 10 the all
important question which at length he
had fairly proposed and to which he
was TO receive an answer that night.
Della directed Guy TO take the path
across the great pasture lot to the
meadow. it being nearer way than
by the lane, adding, mischievously:
Molly is in the five-acre lot, so you
need not fear"
Dinner time came and with it the
hungry men. but no Guy. The horn
was blown for supper. and yet he did
not make his appearance.
Mr.. Gould said he was glad of it and
hoped he had gone for good. but his
daughter felt concerned. She had
quite forgotten the little episode of the
cow lane and anXiously puzzled her
little head to fathom the mystery of
Guys strange absence. Had he been
to the meadow with the lunch?
No. No one there had seen anything
of him. AS no one else took any in
terest in the affair, Della considered
it her duty to go in quest Of her stray
lover She walked up the path lead
ing through the pasture. When nearly
through the field she found the basket,
its contents scattered about on the
grass. All the cattle. including a pair
Of huge oxen. were huddled together
under an oak near by.
"Oh, I'm so glad you've come. Della.
Drive them away. darling. so l can
come down"
The voice was surely Guys. and il
came from the oak. And there he
was. perched on a limb about midway
up the tree.
why. Guy. what in the world are
YOU doing up there:'
Drive that vicious OK away. He
is bent on killing me. He made me
run for my life"
Della did as she was requested. and
when the cattle We're at safe dis
tance. Guy crept down from his perch.
'It is a shame, Della. for your father
to keep such animals on his place The
cow laid ne up for week. and now
that brute Of an OK has nearly starved
me to death, besides the shock to my
nerves"
II never knew the OK TO offer harm
to anyone. What did he do, Guy?"
Della said. almost sternly.
He tossed his long horns just as
that brute Of cow did. and galloped
round here like fury. He was right
at my heels. / knew by the sound,
when / reached the tree: but made
quick work getting out Of his way"
II can well believe that" said Della.
smiling quietly; "but you surely needn't
have stayed up there all day"
Il tell you. my dear. they haven't
been a hundred rods from the oak
since | was fortunate enough TO find
refuge in II. except once. and then l
ventured down but the brute saw me
and came toward me again threaten
ingly."
"He only wanted to make your ac-
quaintance. He sees you are stran-
ger" said Della. dryly.
II would make him acquainted with
the butcher. If he belonged to me-"
said Guy. as he hurled a stone at his
bovine enemy. who was quietly graz
ing a few rods away. The creature
looked up and shook his massive head
as the missive graZed his back, at
which Guy took refuge behind his
companion.