The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-11-28


And following after came the dark
figure, now running in evident endeav.
or to overtake her. On she went.
stumbling over sticks and stones, her
heart pounding as ii to set itself free.
her breath coming shorter and shorter.
her sight growing dim. Once she
seemed to hear voice in the distance
calling to her, but she dared not stop
nor look behind her On, on, lest that
terrible something seize her from be-
hind. At last she stepped into a hole
left by an uprooted tree and fell for.
ward in a swoOn
At the house. Nellie's excursion az
ter berries was forgotten for an hour.
then as dark thunder clouds began to
roll up around the horizon, Light
started up.
Did Nellie go?" he queried. IF she
did she Is sure to get wet. Give me
her rubbers and a wrap and l will 60
and fetch her."
His mother eagerly sought the arti-
cles requested, and laden with these,
Light started forth followed by Will
lies jeers.
"Au, come back, Light Rain won't
hurt her, she isn't sugar If you do
think she's sweet. She won't melt"
Light made him no reply but went
on his way; the only result of his
brothers bantering being that his
cheeks were very red.
1t had darkened perceptibly when he
came in sight Of the little figure he
was in search of and the thunder rum
bled menacingly. Suddenly a twig
snapped beneath his feet and he saw
Nellie turn white face one moment
toward him and then fee headlong
in the opposite direction, stumbling
over sticks and stones in frantic ter
ror
Light endeavored to shout her name,
but his hoarse voice only augmented
her speed.
In a flash the truth burst upon him.
and, breathing anathemas on his fun
loving brother and his own INSTRUCTED
vocal organs, he started in pursuit.
When Nellie opened her eyes it was
to look up into the face of her cousin.
That face had been very near her face
within the last few moments, and was
| as white and scared as her own.
As memory returned she chung to
him in a panic. "The bear, where Is
it?'' she questioned.
There is no BEAR" Light answered.
1T was | coming to help you home.
and I, with Willie's help, have nearly
killed you. Can you ever forgive me?"
Forgive me for being SO silly, but
Oh, Light, I'm frightened yet" cried
Nellie, nesting against the broad
shoulders SO near her. What more
was said you and will not stay to
listen to, for to other ears than those
turned to hear 1t the words might
have but little sense; but when the
rain began to fall tive apparently
perfectly happy human being walked
together toward the farmhouse. obliv'
ious of rain or aught but each other.
There's nothing half so sweet in lie
as loves young dream"
When they arrived home, Mrs. Lang
don fell upon them in fear lest both
had taken a death cold, land you %
hoarse now that you can hardly
speak," she saia to Light.
Willie surveyed the couple for
minute and then laughed long and loud
at the success of MS joke and the be-
drenched figures before him.
Don't worry about them a minute.
mother. They won't take cold. They
don't even know it's been raining.
Sure case Of mind cure of heart cure
Well dance at a wedding by New
Year."
And they did, but somewhere on the
journey Of life there Is trap set Tor
Willie, and Light and Nellie VII
greatly rejoice when he puts his foot
therein.-American CultivatOr.