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 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 confused murmu1
of voices. Content, with her heart in
her throat, crept into q little copse 0.
hemlock and young birches. The next
moment there came the sharp crack oi
rife; the Whit of bullet, and ut
tering long low cry, she fell forward
upon the ground. "Good Godl I 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 it ?"


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 Whittak T.
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 q rush of
strong wings. She knew that her head
was resting on somebody's breast-that
face full Of anguish and unutterable
love was close to hers. Once she felt
his lips touch her forehead. It 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
hereelf 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
her mothers scared white face at the
door, holding faring candle, while all
the back ground was filled up with
terrified relatives. Then voice shrilled
out.


Lord 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 rifle 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 mystery. She was not dead or
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
q grand rush for camphor, lint, and
bandages. Half dozen people were
aprinkling 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 mus: do what you can, Keziah, !"
said she to her sisterin-law; "for you
know when anything happens to one of
the children you could knock me over
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 a bad one, and the poor girl tainted
away two or three times during the
setting and splintering. There were
many hands ready to help, but George
did really all that required doing. He
was alert, intelligent and active, and
had his wits about him. A tall, power
full fellow was George, with touch as
gentle as woman's, and a reserved
force that made sick eyes turn toward
him in confidence. Now he bent over
ment on her beautiful hair, or inger
against her cheek, and it helped her to
bear the pain, SO that she looked up
into his face and smiled more than once.


1t was all over at last. The faintness
had passed away, and Content was quite
herself, though still very rale. The
doctor had sent everybody out of the
little sitting-room but George, and Con-
tent lay on the lounge among her pill
lows, with chestnut hair uncoiled-the
frey light played upon it in ruddy
CLEANS. Mrs. Whitaker opened the
door. She had returned in her usual
bustling condition, but her head was
held pretty stiff there was little crus-
tiness in her manner, as if white frost
had nipped her customary geniality.


Mr.. Baker," said she, "we won't
trouble you any further. You will
want to be getting home. OF course we
shan't hold no srudge OH Contents ac-
count. Nobody thinks you meant to
harm her, but this cunning business
does seem dreadful foolish pastime for
young men; and s'pose we may be
thankful that we haint all had our
brains blowed out afore now.n


~ would sooner have put nv own