Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1908-09-26
The Ways
...Of Fate.
BY Zelia MarGaret Walters
Copyrighted. 1908. by Associated
Literary Press.


son, capable girl.
"Now, you 90 over there tonight
she directed her son. "Lucy's Wllllhs'
and the old folk have given their con
sent, so there's nothing to be airaiu
Of Iucy's so lively and runs on so l
guess you won't have to do much taiK-
ing"
Although David turned pale under
his tan. he prepared to obey. lie drove
mast the Wilson farmhouse twice, Dut
on approaching the third time, just as
he was about to enter recklessly, he
saw Lucy on the porch, and turning
his horse about, he fled.
Thus abruptly ended David's first ad-
vance toward matrlmOny. Indignant
Lucy quickly accepted another swain,
and David settled down to what
seemed hopeless bachelorhood.
one morning in midsummer when
the first luscious blueberries were ripe
Mrs Forbes asked David to take
half dav from the farm work and so
TO the mountain for blueberries. DaVlu
ooroed and started off with a basket
on either arm. Many berry pickers
wore at work on the lower slopes ana
near the path, but David, who had sur
fored often from their rough wit went
farther on. circling around to the
wilder sleeper side Of the mountain
lie found place yet unvislted ana
settled to picking where the pusheS
were loaded with fruit. But even ID
this lonely place he was disturbed py
some one approaching through the
brush.
He caught 4 glimpse Of woman
Gown and started to retreat noiselesS
" Then he noticed that 1t was
mink gown and paused. The farmer
dorobters and the village girls did no
wear thin pink dresses when the!
went berrying on the mountain SIDE.
David had observed more than III
friends gave him credit for, so 1t
waited n moment to see who this glI
was. Quite unexpectedly she steppe'
into full view, scarcely five yards frol
him There was no retreating thel
David bent over the bushes lhuu'
triously.
The fair stranger Gn the one brie
glance David found that she was Dol
fair and q strangeD was picking TO-
She had half filed a fanciful little Da
Eet David wondered why she wa
alone so far from the frequente
paths. -
The girl examined the big, handson
farmer through downcast lasnes, al
she was at once interested.
. "Why doesn't he speakT she thougl
"The others all do. l wonder VINO
is haven't seen him anywhel
IIl lust stay until he does say son
thing" she reflected as she watch
him.
David was chained to the spot. /
diaidence urged him to flee, but son
fling stronger held him almost Will
arms length of the girl In his WI
est daring however, he never thou2
Of doing more than glance III her
rection. Nothing less than MIRA
would have made him change us
titude.
- Fate which one time in a thousa
Is UNEXPECTEDLY kind, interposed W
something very-like a miracle. IN
was a jarring and a rending OF
cartb followed by a mullled roar.
ground yawned in an awful gulf
II. their feet. .
Man and maid, clutching wildly
each other slid down, down, BIN
and choked by the flying q
Through It all David had kept his
about the girl, whom he had sci
whom the nature Of the calamity
burst upon him.
on His first thought when the upl
ceased was that he still held her.
moved cautiously to assure MN
that he was yet in the body and
opened his eyes and found that he
NOT hurled. as he had expected 10
At 4 distance above his head he
- sbe branches of a tree barring the
of the sky. Then he looked at
lovely stranger lying in his arms.
owes opened fixed on his in terror
. To Dayids own everlasting SURF
no found himself stroking her
eoothingly. His tongue was unloo'
lie, Don't be afraid" he said.
M danger is all over now.
la you saved my life," she SAID
~ hushed voice.
cry "Not at ALL" he answered Drl
i've 81 only held you when l saw tina
H. were going down. We're mighty
~ that we came out on top.
ole For David knew that they had
.aw an into an abandoned pocket OF
coal mine. The supports had
away and the pocket had run too
the surface Of the mountain slu
safety. ~ .
The girl. weeping softly, clung t
lid The surest way to win her
. q tude would be to get her out as
= os oossible. He racked his BRAN
a rian of escape. Crawling up tn
nendicuIar sides of the pit was
the question.
"some of the berry pickers may
heard the noise" he SAID cneel
"and your friends Will soon De IL
for you" 60,
mo" she said; "they are so ia'
here. Besides, ran away iioi" !,
and they will think have gone :
They'll search for me when
come to supper" Though ne
.laughingly to reassure her ne
the futility Of this hope Inc &c
TO be searched was very large
might have to pass the night
! awful dread of fresh eartn ran
4 any moment. But in the gioon
Il reflections a sound familiar,
n munled, came to his ear. de
II to his companion, laughing
n "Help is at hand" he saiu ~ ~
Il heroics. prepare for tse M
81 ~ VOur HE