The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-01-14
The Ways
...Of Fate.
Nv ZeAa Marnaref Walfers-
BY ZeMa rIar1aree WALTERS.

By Zelia MarSaree WALTERS. I'll
Copyrighted l4oA. by Associated r
Literary PreA II
I HHaAH
When il became IN established fact
hat Daniel Forbes would never 90
wooing on his own account, his mother |
undertook to manage the delicate AZ
tair for him. She selected Lucy VII
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. 20 there's nothing to be afraid |
Of. Lucy's so lively and runs on 50
guess you won't have to do much taFk-
ing
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 recklessly. he
saw Lucy o. the porch. and. turning
his horse about. be ded
Thus abruptly ended David's 6rst 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 bIueberries were ripe
Mrs. Forbes asked David to take .
hAH Am~ ~
to the mountain for blueberries- David
agreed and started or with q basket
on either arm Many berry pickers
were at work on the foNer 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 a place yet unvisited and
settieI to picking where the bushes
were loaded with fruit. But even In
this lonely place he was disturbed bs
some one approaching through the
brush
He caught glimpse Of woman's
gown and started to retreat noisesezs-
". Then be noticed that 1t Was 4
pink gown and paused The farmers
daughters and the village girls did not
wear thin pink dresses when they
went befr:ing on the mountain side
David had observed more than his
friends gave him credit for. % be
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.
&As--AaeAes -aa1a0
triouSlr
The fair stranger lin the one bFiel
glance David found that she was both
fair and stranger was picking too
She had half filed a fanciful little bas.
ket. David wondered why she waz
alone 50 far from the frequented
paths
The 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. I wonder who b.
Is. haven't seen him anywhere
I'll just stay until he does say some
thing she reflected as she watched
him.
David was chained to the spot HI
difidence urged him TO Zee, but some
thing stronger held him almost within
arms length of the girl In his Wild
est daring. however. he never though
of doing more than glance In her dl
rection Nothing less than a miracle
would hare made him change bis at
titude
Fate, which one time In 4 THOUSAND
Is unexpectedly kind. interposed Will
something very like miracle. Their
was tarring and q rending Of tn
earth. followed by a mufied roar. tn
ground yawned In an awful gulf q
their feet.
Man and maid, clutching wildly q
each other. slid down. down, blinde,
and choked by the flying dus.
Through it all David had kept his aru
about the girl. whom he had seize
when the nature Of the calamity ha'
burst upon him
His first thought when the uproa
ceased was that he stfll held her. II
moved cautiously to ASSURE himoel
that he was yet in the body and the
opened hts eyes and found that be va
not buried. as he had expected to b,
At a distance above his head be n,
the branches Of tree barring the blu
Of the sky Then he looked at th
lovely stranger lying In his arms. He
eyes opened. fixed on his in terror.
To David's own everlasting surpril
be found himself strokinR her ha
aoothinyiy- His tongue was unloosed
Don't be afraid.- he said I'll
danger is all over now
"You saved my life she said In
hushed voice.
Not at all" be answered brfski
Il only held you when saw that Y
were going down We're mighty iuct
that We came out on top
For David knew that they had III
en- into an abandoned pocket Of Il
coal mine The supports had rotts
away. and the pocket had run too nel
the surface Of the mountain side 4
safety.
The girl. weeping softly. clunE to ID
vM- The surest way to win her gfa'
tude would be to get her out as %,
rs possible. He racked his brains (
plan Of escape. Crawling up the p
pendicuIar sides OF the pit was ont
the question.
Some Of the berry pickers may ha
heard the noise" be said cheerful
and your friends win soon Be lookil
;, for you."
NO" she said; they are 50 far frr