The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1906-12-21

find her. She waited quite q time, but
he did not come, and at last, with a
sigh, she remembered the blackberry
pail and rose to her feet.
1t was a large pail, holding five gal
Ions, and was much less than half
filed. Not caring to retrace her steps,
she crossed the open and pressed on to
a blackberry patch farther away. one
to which they seldom came. The day
was blistering hot, and when the last
gllstening berry had heaped the pail
she lifted it with tired purpled fingers
and started home, carrying in her heart
the feeling of a disappointing day.
It was quite a distance to the farm
house, and the girl hesitated, consider.
ing which would be the shortest route,
finally deciding upon a path not much
used at that point, but soo communi-
eating with the country road.
She had gone but short distance on
the path when a crunching step in the
woods startled her. and a minute later
a man stepped out from the trees.
started at seeing her, grlnned amiably
and walked to her side. She stided the
first impulse to ream There was no
one near to hear. and 1t might be dan
gerous to show fright. So plucky Mar
tina concealed her alarm and walked
quietly on her. way. =
"Lemme carry the pail,'' he said.
"It's too heavy for you." ,,..-
II can carry It" said Martha.
maybe you can, but I will,"' he re-
sponded and took It from her. g.,
Rapidly she tried, to form q, mental
plan Of action. She could not shake on
the, instructive feeling that the man
meant harm, yet she knew the abso.
lutte futility Of crying out or trying to
run from him. II she could keep. him.
from molestlng her further until the
path joined the county road she would
be reasonably safe. as wagons and
buggies passed there quite continually.
He began To talk. indulring about the
principal farmers around; the, vicinity
s-who they were. the best roads. the
distances to towns-and she answered.
never: ceasing to be painfully alert.
never Stacking speed. . e'-TN '-''~' '"-.-
"Here, quit that pace! he suddenly
exclaimed roughly, putting one arm
around her waist in a firm grasp. "You
needn't try to run away from me, and
I'm not going to run with you. Cut 1t
cut"
Her heart almost. stood still. Then
It flashed upon her that, somewhere
near, another path ran from this one
DEEPER into the woods toward a desert
ed little. cabin. That it stood open she
knew. That the door could be closed
and barred she also knew, having once
taken refuge there in a rainstorm with
a party of picnickers. Her eyes, now
strained to unnatural keenness. discern
ed the break in the shrubbery where
the second path began, not far ahead.
Just as they approached 1t. with a sud:
den movement she tripped him. un-
guarded. sending him sprawllng
the pail of blackberrles as she wrench
ed herself away and dashed down the
turning path, tearing along at a speed
under any other circumstances impos-
sible.
She had a start Of several yards
before he regained his footing and
madly rushed after her. She ran till a
pain ,throbbed in her side and her eyes
swan, never fnltering. Then It seemed
to her that she was, lifted to insensi-
bility and sped on without volition.. con-