Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-05-23
colo Elsie


me, but / do not know why. 1t ought
| TO grieve me, but her character ini-
| presses ne too unfavorably for me to
| attach much Importance to her opin-
| ion"
Child, child, there is no question
of opinion there. The little fury
would have liked to bite you"
Il am not afraid of her," replied
| Elizabeth, wit. a smile.
Yet l would advise you to be pru-
| dent" said Miss Mertens. Tho
| small person has something demOnic-
al in her appearance. Where can she
have come from?'
Apparently from the castle OBJ
| served Elizabeth, picking up Berthas
hat, and brushing some stray dry
leaves and clinging moss from its
artificial roses.
Il do not think So" replied Miss
| Mertens. Since she has been dumb
she has, oddly enough, ceased her
visits to Lindhof She was formerly
there every day, taking part in the
Bible lessons, and a great protege of
| the baroness. But that all came to
| sudden end; no one knew why.
have only seen her now and then in
my lonely walks, gliding through the
| park, quick as a snake, and as I'M
| as any reptile"
The speaker had already reached
the first gravel-walk Of the park; it
was time to take leave, which was
done most heartily.
Listen, Elise" said Ernst, when
the others had vanished behind the
next group of shrubbery; let US see
which of us can reach the corner
! first" u
The corner was the end of the mar
row WOOd-path that stretched along
! the foot of the mountain.
Good, my lad!" laughed Elizabeth,
and began TO run.
| At first she kept pace with the
small legs that bravely struggled to
| get ahead, but near the end she few
| forward like an arrow and stood in
the middle of the forest-path close to
a horses head that TO her terror
| snapped at her violently. Hector, who
had been bounding at her heels
raised a loud yell. The horse sprang
| backward and reared almost perpen-
dicuIarly upon it's hind legs.
Back" shouted powerful voice
Elizabeth seized the boy who had
! come on meanwhile, and sprang
aside wit him; almost in the same
instant the horse plunged out of the
| forest, and tore, scarcely touching the
! ground with it's hoofs, across the field
Herr Won Waldo was mounted upon
the animal, which was making the
most frantic efforts to unseat its
rider; but Re sat firm as a wall; once
only he bent and dashed his riding
| whip at Hector, who was madly leap
ing at the horse and making 1t more
unmanageable. For a while the racer
bounded about the turf, then he turn
ed suddenly aside and vanished into
| the woods
Elizabeth felt her teeth chatter III
nameleSs anguish. for she could not
| for a moment doubt that an accident
hand ana wished to run TO the castle
for help, but after few steps she
saw the rider returning. The animal
was more quiet, foam flew from its
bit, and Elizabeth saw how its legs
trembled. Herr Won Waldo patted
its neck caressingly. sprang off and
fastened it to tree. then he strobe
up 10 elizabeth
Il beg your pardon" said the young
! girl with a trembling voice when he
stood before her.
How so. my child2' he asked
gently. You have done no harm.
Come, sit down little here on the
bank. You have been terrified and are
deathly pale"
He made a motion as though he
would take her hand and lead her, but
his arm sank at once TO his side.
Elizabeth obeyed his injunction ne
| chanically. He seated himself beside
her. Ernst leaned upon his sister and
looked with his large, beautiful eyes
| straight at Herr Won Walde's face
| The lad had been terrified for a mo-
ment only, when the horse came I'M
| expectedly out of the woods The
bounding about on the turf had
amused him, for he had no concept
ton of the danger.
What were you going to do a no
ment ago, when you tried SO stormily
to enter the woods?" asked Herr Won
Walde, after orief pause
4 roguish smile played about Eliz-
beth's lips, which were still pale. Il
was pursued she replied.
BY whom?'
BY this man here" she pointed TO
Ernst We were running race
Is the lad your brother?"
Yes. She looked lovingly into the
boys face and stroked his dark curly
! hair.
And she is my only sister, OBJ
served Ernst, with great emphasis.
So? You seem to get on very well
with this only sister" said Herr Won
Waldo.
oh! yes; l love her very much.
She plays with we just like a boy
Really?" asked Herr Won Waldo.
When l want to march she puts
on a paper cap like the one she
| makes me- and drums through the