The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1913-09-18

! Christina. moving forward hesitatingly
A twig cracked The man lifted BIZ
hend and looked ut her face peering a
| him from the darkness.
For moment they gazed AT eaci
other. aud then the man arose ant
ralne forward The girl advanced Int
the glowing circle.
The mans hat was removed and re
vcalcd q strong, hronzed conntenance
lighted by keen gray eyes
Before he could speak Christine
broke the silence, her patronizing tone
sending wave Of color to the mans
face
MY good man" she said. ''can you
guide me to Mr. Iowtbers camp on
Eagle Topf"
why. yes" he answered In sur
prised tone You are lostY'
That IL a needless question" re
turned Christina haughtily
Il beg your pardon" he said quife as
lmughtlly Then with u wave OF his
lnnh he invited her to seat near the
fire III Is quite ten miles TO Eagle
Top and you must be very tired II
YOU will rest little while will pre-
pare you something to eat Yon viii
need It,
Christina rose to her feet Il prefer
not to eat anything She besitnled.
You mean you will not accept my
hospitality. he asked grimly
Il am In nasfe to reach the camp.
she eyaded
AS yon please" he said with an air
~ Indifference II will be ready to 20
Ia few minutes II you viii pardon
The delay"
III is very good OF you" murmured
christina family. and she went and
leaned against n tree. her tired eyes
searching the forest for glenn Of
light from Jack Lowther's searching
rariy n they would only come It
would relieve her Of this embarrassing
situation As II was. they would
laugh nj her for getting lost In the
woods and coming upon Blake Wlle's
lonely camp. tlerpa ing him
to take her honi.
II was I'm unk AL trai, IT fate-it
was she holly assured herself ns she
heard him moving io tis So al~ni the
fire. She heard the elm, ~ glass. aud
she smelled the strong ,al ~ timed
soup II smelicd like hr.'vcn. she
thought hungrily but take II from
hlmf Never
Are you readyY" be asked IN M i'm
personal tone
Yes. quite" she said siiiiiy
He carried lantern. aud be- had dis
earded his broad int His prematurely
gray hair was barred 10 the breeze
He crashed nbend. trumplng path
way for her. until they reached a well
defined trail among the pines He
swung the lantern so tint she could
see the way over the slippery needles
that strewe1 the downward path
have fallen. but he had whirled swift
ly and caught her III time with n muir
INJURED apology Ms he set her on her
feet
Christmas feet dragged YEARLY She
longed TO lie down on the soft needles
aud sleep forever She BIT her lip
10 keep back the sobs that
shook her throat She felt faint from
lack OF food II was ten hours since
She had eaten The odor OF that tin
ned soup tantalizei her nostrils n
She Ind only taken some when he had
offered 1.-THE had been courteous-bui
she had repulsed him How be must
hate her Whit mean. suspicious dis
position she must havei
First she had suspected him 10 be
\ fortune hunter. and she had sent him
AWAY, although her heart ached With
bis going Then she Ind been angry
with him Tor running away from her
Now be had probably saved her life.
and she could not treat him decentiyl 4
What WAS I, that fruze the words on I
her lips. that ughteDed her heart
against himi
Ethel Lowther would have answered /
hat Il was Love thst prompted all I
lhese things. but that experienced 4
Tonng mafron was not there 10 tell 1
Christina this interesting fact 80 the
;sd stumbled on. following that big. 4
broad shoalder-d form through the
darkness. ever answering bis Inquiries
With cool I'm al right. thank you"
Al lssi she stumbled again and fen
crumpicd little heap of brown In the
18th She fell 20 silently thst Vile
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