Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10

Though Of lamb-libe gentleness on ordinary
occasions, the young countryman was renowned
throughout the Settlement for the astonishing
strength that lurked in his lean frame. At this
moment he was well aroused, and Diz found her
self watching him with consuming admiration
He no longer slouched, and his pale eyes, like
polished steel, shot menacng gleam. He
stepped forward and took the horse by the bride
Now" said he to the driver, 1--WE gin ye
half the road, an If We can't drive by in that I'm
agoin' to lead We by, 'thout no more nonsense
let go that bridlel" yelled the driver, stand
ing up and lashing at him with the whip.
One stroke caught the young man down the
side of the face, and stung. It was a rash stroke
Hold the horses head Liz" he cried; and
leaping forward, he reached into the trap for his
adversary Needing not at all the butt end OF
the whip which was brought down furiously upon
his head, he wreched the driver ignominiously
from his seat, spun him around, shook him as II
he had been rag baby, and hurled him violent
ly against rotten stump on the other side OF the
ditch. The stump gave way and the drummer
splashed into a bog-hole.
Nothing cows man wore quickly than shak
ing combined with ducking. Without word
the drummer hauled himself out Of the slop and
walked suleny forward. His companion joined
him; and LIZ, leading the horse and trap care
fully past the cart, delivered them up to their
owners with sarcastic smile on her lips. Then
she resumed her place beside the cart, the young
man fiicked the gently, and the team once
more got slowly under way
AS the discomfted drummers climbed into their
trap the girl, in the ardor Of her suddenly adopt
ed hero-worship, could not refrain from turning
around again to triumph over them. When the
men were fairly seated, and the reins gathered
up for prompt departure, the smaller man turned
suddenly and threw a large stone, with vindictive
energy and deadly aim.
"Look out!" shrieked the girl; and the young
the full force Of the missile. It grazed the side
of his head, however, with such violence as to
bring him to his knees, and the blood spread
throbbing out Of the long cut like scarlet veil.
The drummers whipped their horse to gallop,
and disappeared.
The girl first stopped the team, with true
countryside instinct; and she at the young
mans side. sobbing with anxious fear, just as
he staggered blndly to his feet. Seating him on
the cart she proceeded TO stanch the bleeding
with the edge Of her gown. Observing this, he
protested, and declared that the cut was nothing.
But she would not be gainsaid and he yielded,
apparently well content under her hands. Then.
tearing a strip from her colored cotton petticost,
she gently bound up the wound, not artistcally,
perhaps, but in every way to his satisfaction.
eff We hadn't gin me warnin', Liz. that there
stun d about fixed me-" he remarked.
The girl smiled happily, but said nothing.
After long pause he spoke again.
'sSeems to me ye're>like what We used to, liz"
said he. "only nicer, sight nicer; an y used to
he powerful nice. I allow there couldn't be
another girl so nice as you, Liz An what ever's
made ye quit lookin' down on me, SO sudden
like?"
''Jim-Ed,' she replied, in caressing tone, "ef
" amt got no paper collar on, ner no glas' di'-
mon pin. I allow ye're man. An maybe-may-
be we're the kind of man like, Jim-Ed."
To even such genuine modesty Jim-Ed's this
was comprehensive. shyly and happily he
reached out his hand for hers They were both
seated very comfortably the caribbean. so he
did not consider it necessary to move. Side by
side. and hand in hand, they journeyed homeward
o,,;de Themselves very fairly. The sunset flushed
strangely the roadside hocks The night-hawks.
swooped in the pale zenith with the twang OF
smitten chords. And from thick maple on the
edge of clearing a hermitthrush futed slowly
over and over his clostral ecstasy.