Middletown transcript., 1905-04-15
!. THAT GIRL. AT THE COTTAGE !.
BY PHIL ALRANDER

There-are those rugs quite enough
And we won't forget Spitlire's supper,
Mr.. John. Good bye p'
The great horse plunged into the dark
ness and Susan Merrival's parting adjnra-
tions we're caught up and hurled away on
the wind.
For the first time the madness of the
storm appalled, Christian Earle. She had
been battling with icy coldness for ten
long hours, except for the brief interval
of warmth which she had spent at Dal-
stone Farm. Would her strength ls>t
out ?
The stinRing of the blizzard oil her
face, the noise of the elements in her
ears benumbed her. All Of a sudden she
fell forward, but the jerk startled her
into full and absolute command OF her
faculties. With supreme effort at self
control, she grasped the edge OF the cart
and detied physical exhaustion.
The action had not escaped Moncrieff
"Hold OH to my arm p he shouted to
her. cit is plain sailing lIere-you can't
impede Inc %
She shook her head, and they went on
in the darkness. Ten minutes later a
curve in the road brought them into
shelter, and they saw the ruddy lights
of Cranleigh Moss twinkling fitfully be-
tween the veil of snowflakes.
He turned and leaned towards her.
1--WE are here at last !" lie said.
He brought Queen Bess to standstill
in front of a straight yew hedge.
"This is the schoolhouse," he said.
He saw that the place was in total
darkness but she was past much obser-
vation. He sprang down with feeling
Of angry resentment against the wanton
neglect Of Mrs. Gubbidge, and kicked q
path in the drifted snow.
"Now," he said, coming back from his
task and holding out his arms Jump y
She was too tired to parley with him,
and she did as he told her at once. The
next moment he had set her down on the
doorstep.
"The next thing is to get inside" he
said in his brief business-like fashion
and SO weary was she that she watched
him with dazed Indifference as he tried
the window -fastenings. The clatter oI
glass reused her numbed faculties.
"What is it ?" she asked.
| But no one answered her. John Mon
Grief had broken window-pane, pushed
his hand into the aperture, ,unfastened the
latch from within, and climbed into the
house. A few seconds later Christian
Earle was vaguely aware that the door
had opened, that she had groped along
a dark passage, and was standing in 6
cold room. A clock was ticking very
noisily in the stiffness and she laughed
suddenly with catch in her voice.
cat least the clock is going p she said
"Yes," John acquiesced shortly; tc
him it seemed a strident superfuity ii
the silent place.
He struck light, and, finding two
candles on the mantelpiece, set them
down on the table. They shone bravely
in the little parlor and showed it to be
scrupulously clean with meal laid neatly
on the table, and fire ready laid in the
bright crate.
$50 am expected p' she said.
"Oh, yes r' he answered. "'There has
been plenty of thought expended or
your arrival up till this afternoon. It's 9
pity it didn't manage to hold out against
the storm
He bent down as he spoke and put 8
match to the sticks, and the flames soor
leapt up gloriously.
THAT looks more homelike r' he com
mented cheerfully. He took out his
watch. ''Seven o'clock I must 60,
am afraid. 1t is another mile to the
Vicarage."
He looked hastily around, as if to make
sure that he had left nothing undone that
he could do, and then he came and stood
opposite to her.
Il am sorry" he said, "that Mrs. Mer
rivale's prescription isn't available but
you have shown yourself woman of sc
much good sense that know that car
60 away feeling assured that you wont
do anything SO stupid as to cry yourself
to sleep supperless. See-there is tea in
this caddy How does it strike you to
offer a cup to the person who has con
veyed you through SO troublesome q
iourney?"
She pushed the heavy hair off hel
brow, and smiled slowly. Then she took
off her cloak, and looked at the hob
There is kettle, but no water" she
said
"Give it to me-" he said, and presently
he returned with it filled.
Her interest began to awake again.
'Ought you to stay? Men take so long
tying their ties-don't they ?"
Il have accomplished too many hasty
toilets to need very long," he answered
and he sat down by the fire.
The tea-d drinking had been merely 8
subterfuge to dispel her lassitude. Never
theless, lie stayed till the kettle boiled
and drank the cup which she poured out
for him. lie then put OH his coat again
"What fine mess we have made fol
Mrs. Gubbidge with our snow -drippings
l wonder where she keeps the brushes ?'
He made this an excuse for looking
into one or two cupboards but in reality
he wanted to assure himself that bread
! and food were there.
"Now, good night! Why not boil uI
tubful or two of water and get to bed al
once ?''
She looked up at him suddenly.
"You have been very kind to lnep' she
said.
"What else could / have been ?'' he
said cheerily, holding out his hand.
Good night p'
lie took up his hat, strobe down the
| narrow Dath and untvinO Onaan Pass