Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1908-11-06

Del
!: The III Ways $
...'. Of Fate.
Ut&rt e0H-- ~.
BY zelia Marsaret Walters.
Copyrighted, 1908, by Associated
Literary Press.

When it became an established fact
that Daniel Forbes would never go
wooing on his own account, his mother
undertook to manage the delicate af-
fair for him. She selected Lucy Will
son, capable girl.
"Now, you go over there tonight"
she directed her son. "Lucy's willing,
and the old folk have given their con-
sent, SO there's nothing to be afraid
Of. Lucy's so lively and runs on so l
guess you won't have to do, much talk
Ing" 49,.
Although David turned pale under
his tan, he prepared to obey. He drove
past the Wilson farmhouse twice, but
on approaching the third time, just as
he was about to enter reckless1y, he
saw Lucy on the porch, and. turning
his horse about, he fed a
Thus abruptly ended David's first ad.
vance toward matrimony. 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 a
half day from the farm work and go
to the mountain for blueberries. David
agreed and started off with a basket
on either arm. Many berry pickers
were at work on the lower slopes and
near the path. but David. who had suf-
fered often from their rough wit, went
farther on. circling around to the
wilder, sleeper side of the mountain.
He found place yet unvisited and
settled to picking where the bushes
were loaded with fruit. But even In
this lonely place he was disturbed by
some one approaching through the
brush.
He caught a glimpse of a woman's
gown and started to retreat noiseless-
~. Then he noticed that 1t was a
pink gown and paused. The farmers
daughters and the village girls did not
wear thin pink dresses when they
went berrying on the mountain side.
David had observed more than his
friends gave him credit. for, so he
waited a moment to see who this girl
was. Quite unexpectedly she stepped
into full view. scarcely five yards from
him. There was no retreating then
David bent over the bushes indus
triously.
The fair stranger Tin the one brief
glance David found that she was both
fair and strangely was picking too
She had half filled fanciful little bas-
ket, David wondered why she was
alone so far from the, freuuented
paths. =: @ ST ssy.sEf55%
-: TIE girl examined the big, handsome
farmer through downcast lashes, and
she was at once interested.
why doesn't he speak?' she thought.
'"The others all do. wonder who be
is. 1 haven't seen him anywhere.
I'll Just stay until he does say some.
thing" she reflected as she watched
him IA.
David was chained to the spot His
difadence urged him to fee, but some
thing stronger held him almost within
arms length Of the girl In his wild.
est daring; however, he never thought
Of doing more than glance In her Ill.
rection, Nothing. less than a miracle
would have made him change his at
titude. ,r~@ .-.s5~
Fate. which one time in thousand
IS unexpectedly kind, tnterposed with
something very like a miracle. There
was q Earring. and a rending of the
earth, followed by muf1ed roar The
ground yawned In an awful gulf at
their feet f. .:y5 ~; .,s. .s@s>sl
Man and maid, clutching wildly at
each other. slid down, down, blinded
and cachoked~ = by the dying dust.
Through It all David had kept his arm
about the girl, whom he had seized
when the nature Of the calamity had
burst upon him. #
His first thought when the uproas
ceased was that he still held her. d e
moved cautiously to assure himselt
that he was yet In the body and then
Opened his eyes and found that he was
mot buried as he had expected to be-
sAt distance above his head he saw
the branches Of a tree barring the blue
|sofs the sky Them he looked at the
lovely stranger lying in his arms: Hel
eyes opened, fixed on his in terror. 4 ri. I
4 TO David 8 own everlasting surprise
he found himself stroking her hail
aoothingly. His tongue was nnloosed.
81 Don't be afraid he's said. The
danger Is all no u ' s,3
You saved my life she said In 1
hushed voice.
Tot at al. IA he answered briskly
u only held you B " hen sa ~ that We
were going. down ere mighty lucky
that we came out on ''3$
For David knew that they had fail
en- Into an 4aband oned pocket of thu
coal mine. The SUPP orts had rotted
away. and the pocket had run too neal
The surfac os noun ain Side fol
Isafety
II The girl. weepingg soft elun 3 ITO De
Isrid The slrest ma III win her graft
tude would be TO get her out as soor
las possibie ne racked his rains fol
| q plan ~ escape Era Ny Ing the per
Ieendic nlar sides 81 the was out q;
1 sAe question, #:55s.