The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-02-08

at It?
Again the complication Of circum-
stances appalled, her. Clearly the first
thing to do, however, was to cut off
her hair. After that she might
scratch little hole right back Of the
forehead and get 1t out The opera
ton sounded painful, ard at heart Az
gle May was a coward She decided
that to crop the golden tresses might
be efficacious. After that sine would
go down and hold her head Tn 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 solue
soap.
Aggie May crept softly into her
/ mothers room II was empty, with
her work.basket lying just within Ag'
/ gle Mays reach. She turned back
to the orchard triumphantly, by night
1 her soul should be clean.
Through the orchard over the
meadow into the cool darkness of tho
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. I'm
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, a great fear
arising in her heart Where was
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 latee she said
Her sister glanced up from her
work Perhaps she has gone to meet
her father" she suggested.
But the mother caught sight Of
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.
She wanted to finish her sewing.
Il last saw her under the apple tree
about three, should say answered
Mag.
The three hurried to the spot, half
expecting to find her at play. II was
Aggie Mays fayorite 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 notion
less.
Mr. Sangster turned to go, but his
wife suddenly called him back with a
piercing cry,
Look she said At her feet lay
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 mp 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
Mag said Mrs, Sangster sudden
ly turning to her sisterin-law, run
and rouse the men. and SEQ lanterns,
Wen search the woods
Meanwhile Aggic Mays little feet
sped fast and faster The shadows
thickeued How thlckly they fell
amid The dense growth OF the forest.
Ghosts and COLLINS doomed fantas-
tically behind each tree. A sharp
cracking sound overhead made her
crouch and hold her breath in terror,
It was dead branch falling at her
feet With a namcless 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
IL 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 NOV
Ing stream, and she caught the reflcc-
ton OF Garth and sky in it's dancing
.ipplcs Suddenly she reeled. The
'a1h slipped away she fclt tho cold
water grip her. and then with 4 cry
she plunged head foremost into the
current
some instinct Of motherhood guided
Mrs Sancsier's footsteps Tho sound
li Aggic Mays voice reached her faint
y at first then louder. until Il re-
sounded through :he stiffness in fran
ic echoes Following the sound. she
liunged ahead and arrived Just in
ime TO see a small hand flung out
wildly from the middle of the brook.
hen sped onward
1t was not a heroic task 10 step in
md rescue the fallen child. Mr..
,angster waded &c the middle Of the
ueam. and in a moment Aggie May
vas IN her mothers arms
Behind them. in the forest. lights