Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-19

the snow. Almost double he inched along.
then raised himself silently over the crest
Of the rock An instant and he drew back
as II he had come full upon RATHER.
Right beneath him-he could almost touch
her-stood figure on the bank; woman,
a young maiden, tall and 1.-the, without nat
or wrap her hair ivory black an intense
feck of color against the snow. her plump
figure clad in plain working dress, her
hands holding two buckets dripping from
the brook-an instant only, but to Tom ike
a camera snap. He lodged automatically
he had not been stalking game like this-and
took several noiseless steps. SO as not 10
startle the girl 1t was useless, however;
i escape was impossible She was coming
straight toward him, and in a moment more
would he around the rock and face to race
with him. He wheeled about and began to
whistle as if he were strolling up the glen
and had not seen her. a moment and they
came full upon each other around the rock.
She did not start or cry out. but stopped
instantly and looked at him with wild eyes,
as deer Will when one comes upon MIN
on a forest path.
why, heIl-o-o-o,' he said. bluff surprise
In his voice Il didn't know any one was
Her eyes intensely black, had long lashes;
her checks seemed pale olive against the
jet of her hair. She did not speak; she
made movement as If to get by MIN.
"Oh. | see; you are taking en- up 70
Poppy Miller's?"
Let me carry EN-. I'll carry EN- LOT
you
started ahead. Involuntarfly be stood ana
looked at her. She was tall and straisht
and ful-fgured, and she sprang up the
rocks as agile as fawn.
Walt don't run away. he called, picking
up the buckets and trying to follow, but III d
moment she was out OF sight. ,,ouo-
The girl was undoubtedly Iona Heller
| He had never seen her before, Dut ne heu
4 70 -t-
| whom no one knew much about. me
| was a beaten path all the way TO the capih
| It was evident that they got all theiI .,
| from the creek, and that the girl eaTlBeu ~.
| Neither old Poppy nor Grahiiie -aii9i
| fit for such a task
He crossed a rail fence that lurcheo
| drunkenly across the glen ana caiiie
! into a Uttered yard. yeiioWlsn mo- 90
| harnessed to an old wagon dozeo pe1ofe nc
! house. but there was no movement .,+, any = 9
| where The wildness of the place WIN ~
| chaos of rocks Its ragged trees ana Is
strange architecture did not impress t n,,la
| he do with the buckets? As he stood oe-
| vibrating, the old man himself, hoary white
and much bowed, appeared at the door;
| Leave 'em set right there, he quaVereu.
| Are yeh going down the road wuhst !.
| Chump right in" Tom jumped in. and the
| old man Iaboriously followed. There was
a movement out by the barn. WIS
| Huh! Tat peeg's out already. Wus'
wits wuts, wuts! Here. peggy Hey,
| Ioney, Lo-ney-y-y-y! Huh! She can
| hear nothing still Let I'm go It. Cup
! teref'
| He slammed the reins viciously on the old
| creatures back. and after awaking, 1t be-
1 ban to shamble down the moderate slope.
| Tom watched the house narrowly No sign
| OF life. They reached the end OF the yara'
| nv a sudden impulse he turned again
| All! the upper window was open and ne
| caught the glimpse of face. At that mo-
| ment the sun. just over the ragged Tear oi
| the gap broke through the cloud bank and
| a sIanting ray fell full upon the girl of the
| brook, lighting up her face with strange
| rromentary TRANSPORTATION. An instant
| and she had disappeared.
! "Clear t'morrow." observed the old man
| oracularly The shambling horse turned
| the corner and the house was lost.