Year: 1872

treacherous snow, but she clung to the
bushes and rocks, and when she had
pulled herself to the top her shoes were
half full of slush and her breath was
almost cones. She looked back and saw
that the red sunset had faded to a con-
centrated glow along the horizon. The
door of the farmhouse was plain in
sight from where she stood; she wit
messed the departure Of the parson and
the arrival of Uncle Johns family with
feeling of exultation at her escape.
The cold air, bracing and crisp with
frost, seemed to allay the fever that
throbbed along her pulse. The sound
of the guns had kept coming to her
from greater and still greater distance.
The sportsmen, whoever they were, she
| thought were getting toward home. A
marvellously bright star twinkled out
in the still blue heavens over her head,
| as if that moment born; but suddenly
| there came footsteps cracking the snow
very near her, and a confused murmur
of voices. Content, with her heart in
her throat, crept into a little copse o.
hemlock and young birches. The next
! moment there came the sharp crack of
a rifle; the Whit of a bullet, and ut
| tering long low cry, she fell forward
upon the ground. "Good Godi 1 have
hurt somebody" Content felt dimly
that she ought to know that voice.
Through painful dream, full Of distor-
ted images, she heard the bushes crack
ing and swapping around her.


"For heavens sake, who is it? What
is ?'


The dusk was growing very thick and
impenetrable there in the woods.
Horrors it's woman" The blue
hood was pushed aside; face peered
close into hers, and then an agonized
voice exclaimed Content Whitaker -
A groan that concentrated all love and
despair echoed family in her ears.


"Is she dead? No. Where is she
hurt !? The right arm seems helpless.
She is in fainting fit; sprinkle some
snow in her face. Run for the doctor
| quick, for Gods sake. will carry her
| down to the house."


Content vaguely felt herself lifted
| and borne along as if by a rush of
| strong wings. She knew that her head
was resting on somebody's breast-that
| a face full of anguish and unutterable
| love was close to hers. Once she felt
his lips touch her forehead. 1t was a
solemn, woeful kiss that seemed to
plead for forgiveness, and thrilled her
through and through, for she knew
| then that he loved her, and she was so
happy even when the sharp pain shot
across her consciousness, and she felt
herself slipping away into something
dark and profound-dying, perhaps.
Poor little Content ! she was glad to die
| there, it was so much better than living
anywhere else.


There must have been some sort of
alarm given down at the farm house,
for when Content came to again she saw
l. Il. g., %
door, holding Il faring candle, while all
the back ground was filed up with
terrified relatives. Then a voice shrilled
out.


Lord a massy what is the matter
George Baker what have you been do
ing with my Content? ?'


In the fright and confusion that en-
sued nobody could ever tell how the
particulars of the accident was narrated.
Nothing was made plain, except that
George and companion had been out
all day in the woods cunning, and on
their way home, just at dusk, George
had let off his rife in the bushes to
clear it of its charge, and hit Content,
and wounded her in the arm. How
she came there at that hour of the day
was a mystery. She was not dead OF
dying, but the great pain had made her
faint. George would not let her out of
his arms, but carried her himself into
the sitting room, and laid her on the
great chintz-covered lounge. There was
a grand rush for camphor, lint, and
bandages. Half a dozen people were
sprinkling water in Contents white
face at the same time, and keeping
away every breath of fresh air. Mrs
| Whitaker sat down in the kitchen
looking little wild.


"You must do what you can, Keziah, )
said she to her sister-in-law "for you
know when anything happens to one o
the children you could knock me ovel
with feather"


The wound in the arm was the only
| injury Content had sustained. 1t was
an immense relief to have the doctors
verdict on that point, but the fracture


was bad one, and the poor girl tainted
away two or three times during the
setting and splinter There were
many hands ready to help, but George


did really all that required doing. HI


had his wits about him. A tall, power


gentle as a woman's, and a reserved


force that made sick eyes turn TOWARD


him in confidence. Now he bent owe


Content, and let his fingers rest mo


ment on her beautiful hair, or inge


against her cheek, and it helped her t.


bear the pain, SO that she looked VI


into his face and smiled more than once
1t was all over at last. The faintnes


had passed away, and Content was quit,


herself, though still very pale. Th,


doctor had sent everybody out of tn,


little sitting-room but George, and Con


tent lay on the lounge among her pill


lows, with chestnut hair uncoiled-th


frey light played upon it in rudd,


CLEANS. Mrs. Whitaker opened tn
door. She had returned in her usua
) bustling condition, but her head wa


held pretty stiff there was a little crus


tiness in her manner, as if white fros
} had nipped her customary geniality.


Mr.. Baker," said she, 1--WE won


trouble you. any further. You will


want to be getting home. OF course w
! shan't hold no srudge on Contents &C
count. Nobody thinks you meant t.


harm her, but this cunning busines
does seem dreadful foolish pastime fo


young men; and 1 s'pose we may b.
thankful that we haint all had ou
brains blowed out afore now"


: would sooner have put my owl
arm in the fire than harm one hair O
Contents head" said George, with