Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-30

reckon you'd run back deal faster n you went
Miss Rebecca broke off to make grab at the
kitten, but Miss Jane eluded her and darted ia
| the door.
Its no use, sister Becky, She said turnir
lie, nead tor an instant; hes been murdered once
an drowned, an he shan't be aq'in He's come
PACK to me from the Valley O. the Shadder, an
I'm goin' to stan bv i'm
betore Miss Rebecca could reach the door il
mad closed forever on Miss Jane Bates and little
blck swiveiier. Miss Rebecca locked it. ond went
;atl pacN 20 her bed chuckng. But she lay awake,
hstseening all through the stormy night.
Meantime, poor, frightened, desperate Miss
yane went plashing along through the storm and
darkness, Keeping to the middle of the muddy
county road to avoid losing her way.
~ !, take i'm to the parsonage she said to
Mit' nerseit' We always been sorry Becky had that
ieilln "a out with the minister's wife, but declare
seems most providential now; Becky wont
burst to go there after i'm"
put the parsonage was two miles away. tbe
RAJ, ram was coming down in torrents and the wind
oioWlng hard In Miss James face. so that be
lore she had covered half the distance She was
soaked chilled, and almost exhausted.
i reckon I-can't-make it." she pasped At
last, and sank down on the wet hank at tbo
roadside. Becky said I'd come back. bnt won,t
mot It die-right here"
one buried her cold face in the kittens warm
Iur, and the little creature purred resnonsivolv
, erIaps IL was the kittens purring or the rain
beating on her uncovered head. or both. tbat
kept her from hearing the sound of approaching
Wheeis until suddenly a one-hcrse vehicle with
a siigle occupant, was almost upon her. She
staggered to her feet .and tried to ,l;mb m tho
bank, but slipped and fell back into the road
almost beneath the feet Of the startled horse
In moment the man had sprung from the buggy
and was lifting.her up ee'
Hope you'reFnSt hurt ma aan; 2" he said svn,.
pathetlcally, in voice that Miss Jane knew
voice that she had oncesk Known better than she
knew her own, but which Of late years had not
often sounded in her ears
"Oh, Eben, is it you" she said. with little
sob of gladness
why, Jennse Bates, is it you!" he echoed.
What is up? Why in the world"
oh, Eben," she interrupted, "won't Won let
me ride with you as far as the parsonage? I'll
explain as we go along"
Miss Jane blushed little, Under cover of the
darkness, as she felt herself lifted in a pair of
strong arms and snugly tucked into the buggy.
Then as they moved slowly on, she introduced
little Dick Swiveller. and told, as coherently as
she could, the tragic tale of his death and resur
rectlon and her midnight fight.
Il reckon you think I'm foolish, Eben." she
said, In conclusion, "to take on so over kitten.
but | can't help it. This amt no common case.
hci nv cohillOH klUUen. III Just as II the
little thing d come back to me from the Valley
o the Shadder, an'-Oh Eben, he's all Pve got
in the worldl"
Eben Richards cleared his throat once or twice
as if about to speak, but he did not do so, and
finally Miss Jane said, timidly-- aa 1i
AS you don't say what you think about it.
Eben, reckon you think I've done wrong
Jennie, if you'll let me, I'll tell you exactly
what think about it," he answered "I'm lust
thinkin' what dear, lovin' little woman you are,
an how I'd almost be willin' to swap places with
that kitten, fer the sake o KNOWN that Won
cared fer me little. / hain't changed bit.
Jennie since that night, twelve years ago. when
your sister Becky come between us an sent me
to the rght-about. | hain't cared fer no other
woman, though goodness knows haint had any
hopes about you, KNOWN how you've ALWAYS let
your sister rule you with rod of iron But now.
Jennie girl, you've made break fer liberty at
last, an Why, here we are at the parsonaQe!"
AS he lifted her from the buggy his arms
closed about her though they meant to stay.
Jennie, you've been a many year gittin'
ready to come to the parsonage with me; you
amt goin' to go back on me now, are you, dear?"
"0h, Eben, don't, please don't" pleaded Miss
Jane, tremulously "Sister Becky'd say it was
dreadful, at my time O. life an"
"Sister Becky be-smothered!" quoth Eben
Your time o life, indeed! How about my time
O. life, Jennie?"
ooh, but it's different with men, you know,
Eben. Why, I'm thirty-seven, Eben"
what of it? You're twelve years younger n
that to me, dear; you're the same little blue
eyed girl ] made love to SO long ago. Kiss me,
Jennie girl
Tt is probable that in that supreme moment the
conviction was borne in upon Miss Jane that she
was born to be ruled by somebody, for she meek
y complied with Eben's command And little
Dick Swiveller, finding himself in rather cramped
quarters, lifted up his small voice in protest He
said
Meow"