The Virginia enterprise., 1907-02-22

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tion sounded painful, and at heart Ag-
| gle May was coward. She decided
that to crop the golden tresses might
be eft1cacious. After that she would
go down and hold her head in the
brook all day. Maybe the water would
soak in. She started back to the
house. Obviously the first thing to do
was to get pair of scissors and some
soap.
Aggie May crept softly into her
mothers room. 1t was empty, with
her work-basket lying just within Az
gle Mays reach. She turned back
to the orchard triumphantly. BY night
her soul should be clean.
Through the orchard, over the
meadow, into the cool darkness of the
woods, Aggie May sped. The brook
was deep in the heart of the forest,
and she had never been there alone
before, but she knew the way. Un-
der the dim aisles of quiet trees the
child ran swiftly, now one direc-
ton, now another, until in a maze of
bark and trunk she stood, great fear
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she? But she went on determinedly.
| The brook must be found
Mrs. Sangster stood at the door,
shading her eyes with her hand. What
can make the child so late?" she said.
Her sister glanced up from her
| work. perhaps she has gone to meet
| her father" she suggested.
RIlt tho ro0thor oorrht e3rI,& - -
figure moving across the meadow.
NO." she said; there comes Abe
| alone. Mag, something has happened
to Aggie May"
She started down the path, and her
| sister rose, and reluctantly followed.
Il last saw her under the apple tree
| about three, I should say" answered
Mag.
The three hurried to the spot, half
expecting to find her at play It was
Aggie Mays favorite spot to play, to
think or to pout. All the great crises
OF her life had been enacted here:
But her swing hung limp and motion
less.
Mr.. Sangster turned to go, but his
wife suddenly called him back with
piercing cry.
Look" she said. At her feet lay
a heap of golden curls, and beside
them, thrown upon the ground, lay a =
pair of scissors-her scissors.
Indians" gasped Mag, turning
white.
"Gipsies," ventured the mother. "Oh,
Aggie May, Aggie May, where are
you?" she called, wildly.
Mr.. Sangster said nothing. He
stopped and gathered up the handful
of golden hair, and crammed it in his
pocket.
Then he crossed the meadow. In the
open space it was still broad daylight,
but in the forest beyond the shadows
were always black.
Meanwhile Aggie Mays little feet
sped fast and faster. The shadows
thickened. How thickly they fell
amid the dense growth of the forest.
Ghosts and goblins loomed fantas-
tically behind each tree. A sharp
cracking sound overhead made her
crouch and hold her breath in terror
1t was dead branch falling at her
feet, With nameless fear that
choked her, she fastened on.
Suddenly the trees became less
dense, and the light grew brighter, as
she neared the open space. She stood
in wonder. It was not the fairies,
after all. She had reached the brook.
She knelt down beside it. She took
from her pocket the soap, and rubbed
it carefully on the spot just behind
her forehead. Her mamma would be
glad to see her without that black
word on her brow. The little shorn
head bent low over the swiftly mov-
ing stream, and she caught the refec-
ton of earth and sky in it's dancing
ripples. Suddenly she reeled, the
earth slipped away, she felt the cold
water grip her, and then with a cry
she plunged head foremost into the
current.
Some instinct of motherhood guided
Mrs. Sangster's footsteps. The sound
of Aggie Mays voice reached her faint
ly at first, then louder, until it re-
sounded through the stiffness in fran
tic echoes. Following the sound, she
plunged ahead, and arrived Just in
time to see a small hand flung out
wildly from the middle of the brook.
then sped onward.
1t was not heroic task to step in
and rescue the fallen child. Mr..
Sangster waded to the middle of the
stream, and in moment Aggie May
was in her mothers arms.
Behind them, in the forest, lights
! were cleaning like 1reflies, and the
arched dome of the forest rang with
shouts of Aggie Mays name. She Law
very white and scared, while the
water trickled down in little .rivulets
from her limp arms and legs. Aggie
May flung dripping arm about her
mothers neck. 1T was verv cola "
she said, Nesting closed In the pro
tecting arms, "and the water getted :
in my froat, but I. fink it must have
coined off,. They ain't no sugar on nv