Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-02-27

dorothy always played the organ at
prayer meetings. Long before she
reached the severe white ediflce 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 glance to find her aunt's 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 a red-hOt fire in the stove.
Dorothy noted it with a wicked feeling
Of satisfaction. Deacon Brown suf-
fered greatly. dabbing his warm face
continually with a 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 stihe her mirth, for everybody
had started apprehensively from their
seats. Outside, In the stiffness Of the
night. she paused for a moment to re-
fleet; then, having made up her mind,
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 MIR. Ham
mond.
How silly l am. suppose he
thinks Of me az a simple country girl
II at all. l wonder IL he does! l re-
member I couldn't think of a single
interesting subject to talk about that
time we met. l think he did most of
the talking. But, oh, dear! How deep
the mud is. 1t will be far worse when
l 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
Of 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
the highway? A man-perhaps a
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 was sinking into one Of
the horrible Quagmires of which she
had heard, where you keep on sinking,
sinking until
She shouted loudly now, in despera-
ton, for the greater her efforts to ex-
tricate herself, the deeper she seemed
to sink. At last, far off-miles, it
seemed-she heard the thud of ap-
preaching hoofs. 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
and sure-footed cob fioundering brave
ly through the mud. 1t was Tom Ham,
mond and his man, driving from the
station.
whats the trouble, Riley?"
The lanterns Of the cart lit up the
scene as they drew near. BY the light
these made he had recognized our
heroine
Out he was and into the Oozing
quagmire in moment, regardless Of
his own immaculate attire, with the
otiicious Riley in close attendance.
"There, Miss Irving. it really is you?
l 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"
hCdlltihit liz uuu SutltItu I)OTOtIN
up In his strong arms. carried her
safely over the perilous quagmire and
deposited her on the high seat of the
cart.
Riley piled into the rear and Tom
Hammond took the reins 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 merriy 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
ly appeared at his home, The ouchre
party was already well under way
Dorothy's cousins were present. so any
little secret mlsgivings she might have
had vanished like air.
What contentment followed later
when Dorothy, her little feet incased
in the Frenchiest slippers slipped her
hot coffee. herself enSconced on a rest
full couch, among numberless pillows.
with Tom for entertainer. and no one
to disturb their tete-a-tete until after
the euchrp party had broken no. And