Year: 1879

how much reason l had to hope.
~ don't recollect much about
the party, except that sat most
of the time in a particular corner,
and watched Susie as much a. l
dared.


"Wben tho party had broken
up, and we were starting home, l
noticed that the sky was thickly
clouded and the night dark. The
Squire, who was sitting on the
front porch smoking late pipe,
called after US: Better stay all
night, Benny, it's goln' to rain
But we thought not. When we
got into the woods, however, we
began to find out that it was dark
and no mistake. The farther we
went, the deeper became the dark.
ness. | know the path we had to
follow, every crook and curve in
1t. But the carpet Of dead leaves
bothered me. [ had to stop two
or three times, and grope about
on either side, to make sure that
I was in the right track; and the
last time | found I was not in it
and, what was worse, couldn't find
it.


II kept up the search as long
as possible, dreading to tell Susie
of the stupid blunder [ had CON-
mitted. But the truth had to come
out at last, and, as if to make
matters really serious, it began to
rain-a dull, pattering fall, that
would probably last till daylight,
and Susie exposed to it. She tried
to make a joke of it at first; but
as the rain came more and more
steadily, she became frightened
and nervous. I found her the
best shelter I could at the roots OF
q great tree, but the rain reached
her even there. She had nothing
round her but a light shawl-tor
the evening had been unusually
warm for the season-and | knew
she would soon be thoroughly
chilled 30, being very tough my
self, and used TO all sorts Of expos
ure, | just took off my coat and
begged her to wrap it round her
shoulders, but she would hear to
nothing of the sort, and bade me
quite brusquely to put on my coat.
But the rain increased, and the
night grew damper and colder. l
resolved to take matters into my
own hands. Without saying a
word I just wrapped the coat
around her shoulders myself, and
for fear she wouldn't take it,
said, BY way of apology, you see
I'D give my life for you any min
ute, Susie, and it don't stand to
reason shouldn't give you my
coat


"She kept as mute as a mouse
while 1 was fixing the coat ; but
when l was done, she took my haue
in both of hers, and, says she, DO
you think so very much of me
Ben ? and, says I, More than
can tell, or you can think, l reck
on


"And,' says she, why did you
never tell me so before p


| "'Well,' says l, you know I'm
rather slow of speech; and, be
sides, l reckoned you wouldn'
care to hear the like from me-


"she didn't say nothing afte'
that for a good long spell, till :
began to be afraid she was offend
ed ; then says she, You may 81
down here beside me, if you like
| Ben


II did so, and then, after anoth
er good long spell says she, strok
ing my hand with one of hers
You're the best and kindest mai
in the world, Ben ; and 1 like yor
better than any of them


"My shirt-sleeves were by thi
time wet enough to wiring, an
the chill gusts that every now an
then swept down from the tree


tops were enough to make q New
foundland dog shiver; but L neVe


felt warmer or more comfortabl
in my life than when Susie sal
that. I never felt my slowness Q
speech more in my life, though


seemed as if [ couldn't think G
any word that meant enough. 5


| had to sit and listen to Susi
without being able to say wor
myself, but she didn't appear t