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Show How tenderly he had wrlpped the slg .cd remorsefully. I could be as fond of him as he is of me if only he was of robes around her! And when he put the T HBLia OBATID. reins in tier hands, how the touch of his my idea of a hero. I esteem him more I it ob a truck that is turued on end. than any other man I know. But the own had thrilled her! And gaaa at tba wnlr sky. She could feel her cheeks flushing I love must be a Leander for braaun man Mia settiug Aed Idly watah and red at the memory of it. warm And thaalouda that ere floating by ; very." hum Mm eoaaalaaa buaaiug haar eau I And, oh, how brave he was how dar She had reached the bridge which Of idlara lounging near, manned ing and heroic! the froxen creek. A ad woador Juat haw Ions 'twiU ba a What other living man would underThe pony's fleet small hoofs clattered Hafara that train get here. and una conflict, single-handetake ceme home with her aheap, over the loose planks of the craxy old Little such three armed, a low desperate wheels other little against structure; the Minfin an lay; Tba shepherd' boy, who llvea ore r tba bill, road-cabumped and jerked across the brawny ruffians as those were? Cacta sidelong eyea her ways Oh, how I could worship such a hero! and furrows, and the noise jarred Her ebeeka grow piuk and aba droops bar idges How devotedly, how passionately, I could of the stilness intense strangely upon band, love him! No other man can be to me the solemn night. Her son forgotten die. But a story older and sweeter far Natalie could distinguish every object what he might be. Oh, I do hope I can la Itself find out who he is! ahe thought. bar eyea areals by the wayside in the ghostly light of Her masked hero haunted her dreams A babbling brook, with a sure ling sound. starshlne and moonshine reflected by Its ; Inaoeeut la Joy nd her first wsklng thoughts were all of Laughs the streaks and patches of frosea snow. UyM its eool and mossy bank him. She had reached the top of the short Becliuesa thoughtless boy; Oh, if I could only discover his idenascent at the further end of the bridge HU feat arc hare, his clothe are torn, Ha whistles a reUicklng tune-F- or when she heard stealthy footsteps some tity my disguised Launcelot my him the sun U always bright in a mask I she said to herself. where just beyond her, and a moment And Ilf U always dune. Some subtile feeling of instinct somelater she aaw a man's figure skulking Around a eoraer a farmer cornea. behind a clump of stunted bushy pines, thing which wss far atronger than mere Brlriag home the eow ; Go on, Dapple! Oh, fly, Dapple!' will or desire lured and impelled her to Ha has spent the long, sweet summer day she cried in a low atartled voice to her the scene of her night's adventure. la the laid behind a plow. end chews her Finally she had Dapple saddled, and Old Bostr contentedly pony. And brow along the way, started for a canter to Sycamore HollShe had no whip, but that would not While the farmer stops to ehat with the m ow. have helped her any, perhaps. Who eaa tall him ths new of the day. The spot was safe enough in the broad At the sound of her voice the pretty There U Rest ia the Tory i of open day. And besides. Dap light little animal seemed to understand all And Peace la every sound. Stable pie's companion a Mg Si. Berseams to raiga supreme. Contentment which was required of him, and he nard had followed her. For this is hallowed ground. bounded forward as If winged. How far off sssms tha noise and fret When the reached the hollow she dis! Too la.e Of tha city's strife for gala I and wandered about the place mounted At that instant'three men, tramps Hera one see Id wish for nothing more-Wa- ll, if as she searching for something wail! bare oomaa my train! dirty, ragged, vile beyond eapressionl knew not what Family Htory Paper. started up around her, as if they had Presently she noticed a small fragsprung out of the earth. ment of silk fluttering at the jagged end One seised Dapple by the bridle, and of s low, broken Sycamore branch. LEUDER IN A MASK. the other two stationed themselves on The fragment was brightest blue in either side of the cart. color, and dotted with an odd and unJust fork over yer watch, Beauty, usual BY ETTIK ROGER S.- figure in palest pink. wid der chain and yer joolry. Well Natalie started as if from a blow. take the boss and wagon along, Beauty, Sh . was convinced that the scrap had A winter night, as soundless at that of and pay yer in kisses, one said, with a been torn from the handkerchief which a dead world! An opaque sky, sprinkled disgusting leer. her i escuer wore at a mask the night And it's mesilf will help yex down with small, pale stars, and dimly lighted Tracks in the froxen snow of before. from your sate, me swate craythur, if by a dull young moon. the path showed where he had walked A strip of deserted road, winding yell be afther extinding a hand to a de to the road and back again. While farbetween undulating fields, which were clnt mon Och, will yex stop wid yes ther along the creek bank a horse had dotted with blask pines and naked syca- scraming and foltlng like a heathen-tige- r been tied ia the shelter of the bushy cat enthirely? the other snarled mores. pines. At a turn of the road these fields with an awfu, curse. All this might have added to her perWoNatalie had screamed as only a sloped downward to the thickly wooded it happened she knew the banka of a shallow stream, now froxen, man can scream, while she struggled plexity, ofonly handkerchief. owner the with all her strength to prevent the rufpulseless, mute. A wild, roysterlng and unscrupulous Not the faintest sigh of a breexe, not fians from getting any nearer. who was reckless rather Wbilo WiiUil at a Villa Mtatlea d Bo-Pe- oid-tim- rt Le-ande- f the smallest gurgle from the frost tangled creek, not the flutter of a dead leaf disturbed the almost unearthly silence of that lonely spot. .It is more lonely than I thought, or ; for I to begin regret not having stayed with Lucie tonight, Natalie Ewing said uneasily to herself. She looked wistfully across the wide, undulating fields, which showed no sign of a human habitation; a vague dread of possible danger oppressed her senses, and she urged her pretty, dappled brown pony to a faster pace. She had spent the afternoon and early evening with a dear girl intimate, who was ill. It was getting rather late when she started for her home four or five miles distant. But she wss familiar with the road and the idea of being afraid, or of having any cause for fear, had never occurred to her. You had better atay with ine till morning, Nat. Several people have been annoyed by trampa out in your direction lately. And that Sycamore Hollow la a wretchedly-lonesomspot. I am sure I shouldn't dare go through there alone after dark, her friend remonstrated. Nonsense," said Natalie, putting on her driving gloves with serene unconcern. My pony, small though he may be is fleet enough to carry me away from danger, if any Knight of the road should attempt to stop me. Well, I quite agree with our friend, interposed an attractive looking young fellow who stood ready to escort Natalie out to her cart I think Sycamore Hollow decidedly unsafe after nightfall. And if you will permit me to do ao, I ahall be happy to drive home with you. Natalie turned her pretty head with a quick, surprised movement. There was a gleam of mockery In her large, luminous gray eyes. You, Stevie? she cried with increI thought it dulity, real or pretended. was your creed to run away from danger? I do not believe one ought to run Into danger needlessly, Stephen Randolph explained with a slight flush on his manly young face. "To risk life or limb for the sake of another is a very different thing. Oh, that's it is it? Natalie replied with the faintest gibing note In her soft, pretty voice. But never mind, Stevie, I dont think there's any need for you to risk life or limb on this occasion. He bowed in silent, courteous submission to her decree; but his flushed face turned very pale at her rallery. Natalie thought of it now as she drove through the weird shadows of Sycamore Hollow. I wonder what makes me say such fateful things to poor old Steve? she perhaps I am more of a coward e young fellow, than brave, and whose strength was of muscle rather than of heart and brain. And he was her masked rescuer! Natalie threw herself down on a pine log and wept aloud. he was disenchanted, humiliated, miserable. Its too mortifying! she cried. 1 cant hear to think ho v I owe my safety to Barney DArcy how I have made a hero of himP Then she thonght of Stephen Randolph hia beautiful patience, his nobility of soul, his grand moral courage! I might have loved poor old Stevie just as passionately and loyally as he loves me, if he were only bold and daring and courageous. But he cant be; he would have let those dreadful footpads carry me off before his eyes, she murmured dolefully. Footsteps, crunching in the froaen snow under the trees, startled her, and the next instant she sprang to her feet with a frown on her pretty brows. It was the disparaged Stevie who stood before her. Nat, my little one, you have been Oh, child, what has distressed crying. he eaclalmed with all love's you? passionate analety shining from his voice. grave blue eyes. She did not reply. Her own eyes were But won't you let me thank you? silk on a bit of blue fixed of brave name the I the know not May man to whom I owe so much? Natalie just visible above the edge of a breast said wonderlngly. pocket. Where did you get that handkerchief? Drive home without delay. There Is in old that a gang of those vagabonds Why is it in your possession? she deremanded wildly. he barn half a mile up the creek, A guilty crimson wavered like a flame his curiously-harsin plied abruptly, over his honest face. The flush and his voice. He put the reins Ir her hands, and conscious look betrayed him, and the Nat needed no further conwrapped the disarranged robes about her. But she had no chance to utter a fession. Oh, I know, I know, she cried syllable further. You borrowed it from For, almost before his own voice had breathlessly. ceased, he was gone. Barney DArcy to deceive me. And As he came he went vanished with- you you were tt e one who saved me out sign or warning! from those wicked tramps. She dropped back upon the pine log Natalie did not hasten home with the hid her face in her hands. and precipitation which might be supposed. Stevie bent over her with infinite tenHer fright had subsided, if not Wholly in derness every motion. dispelled. And besides, she had unacI borrowed I followed you, dear. countable feeling that her unknown rescuer wss somewhere near her, that he Barney's hat and coat. I was afraid you was holding himself ready to defend would be angry. And and I wanted her, and that he would watch over her you to , love me as you had known me, until she should be safe under her own not because I happened to possess a roof. little brute strength and darling. Oh, he Again and again she turned, half, un- darling, what more can I say? consciously, looking for the one the pleaded. could not see, listening for the voice Don't say anything. Go away from that singularly gruff and muffled voice me, Stevie. I a at sick with shame to she could not hear. think how I have wronged and hurt you She was still nervous and excited; hut how I I Instead of fear and dread, her predominThe choking voice ceased. ant feelings were perplexity, curiosity, He drew the pretty hands softly away and some little pique. from the grieved face. Who was her strange hero? Natalie?" And why, oh, why had he disguised Just the one word. But it asked the himself? question which she had at last learned The loathsome brutal visages were peering gloatingly into her beautid face, four big, red, ful, were hands clutching for her hairy the girl (fit that throat; could avert a of Heaven miracle only and dreadful her doom; just then Then, an arm looking larger than human in the pale weird light flashed seemingly out of space, and one of her assailants reeled backward and dropped senseless in the road. Again that mighty arm circled through the air and the other ruffian fell headlong on the opposite side of the cart. The tramp at the pony's head whirled for flight. With a leap Natalies invincible rescuer was upon him and he was forced to share the ignominous downfall of his accomplices. Not a word had been spoken. It had all happened In a breath. But now this son of Anak turned and approached the cart. For the first time Natalie noticed that he was disguised; a handkerchief of some durk color was fastened like i mask over his face. Drive home as fast as you can, he said shortly, in a hoarse, terror-blanche- half-faintin- g stern-soundin- g pink-figure- h keen-witte- d d how to answer. Yes, Stevie," she whispered. And the blushing face drooped for-ird against his heart. Natalie had found her love and lord. w An Important Crop. A correspondent in a rural writes as follows : Speaking of cultivating, irrigating and fertilizing the farm crop, let us not neg- lect the crop of bright boys and that are growing up around us. The undervaluation of book gills not hire our own boys and which included pretty Why farming on the farm and to girls help keep much everything that pertained to them with us and not take it for agriculture, which happened to get granted that their work belongs to into print ia not so common as at us, therefore we need not pay them. one time. Now the moat succeaful I am sure that to pay our boys 50 and prosperous farmers in any comcents a day and teach them how to munity are the ones who read. When spend it is better than to outone live man of thia class comes into other money on some lay a neighborhood and does not know son. I have in mind mans too much, nor is too conceited his inat home. my own experience fluence is soon felt. The advantage I received from 50 cents to $1 a day which the reading farmer possesses for planting and picking up potatoes, over thce who do not read are that then one-haof the profit for taking he can compare hia methods with care of poultry, and it was my spethose who do not read, and further, cial business to bring home and help he has the advantage of the ideas of milk the cows, clean the stables, etc., those who are public spirited and let for which I received of their neighbors have the benefit of the for the butter. money their experiences and methods I am sure I am not conceited through the agricultural press. The in saying it was done better actual experiences any one man can than by a stranger; with the have in life are necessarily limited money earned I kept myself in as compared with that of a great clothes, using my own judgment body of experienced men engaged with a suggestion now and then in the aarne occupation or following from father and mother. I felt juat the same line of buaines. It does a independent as if I had worked not matter what occupation a man out. I was counciled not to spend may follow he should try to escape foolishly, but was taught the full the narrowness of view, and the value of every dollar. The boy or farmer can never get who girl spends only for pleasure out of that old rut if he fails or will always wish to do so. Do not neglects to read or post himself upon give your boy a piece of ground, the approved methods. The man from the products of which he exwho sees only his own farm is in pects to buy a saddle, horse or gun danger of falling into a rut. No and then sell the crop and use the one will but admit that it does him Do not money. give him a calf or good to now and then take obser- a colt, and then sell it when grown vations of his neighbors doings and and pocket the cash. That is what exchange experiences with him. and drives from home many The reading farmer extends the disgusts a young man and woman to seek principle to a large field, and gets work and perhaps bad habits elsethe advantage of a wider experience where. than can possibly be secured by perEncourage your children to read sonal experience. Reading farmers and books, let them are the first to recogize the obliga- good papers use some of their earnings for the tions they owe to the papers that are subscription of a paper or magazine. printed for their use. They do not They will find it more interesting blindly follow every printed sugges- than if In these you pay for it. tion, but think over all, and take of good, cheap reading matter, them at their values, using only days farmer should be supplied. every such as are good and sensible. The Make the evenings so enjoyable reading farmers boys take an inter- with games and reading, that the est in their work and are better conyoung folks will not go away to tented with their work. find a good time. If the children are ambitious to The Value of Cash. get a first class eduIn many respects it is more profit- cation, it is vour duty and privilege able in the end for the poor farmer to help them, if you have to deny to raise crops that can be sold im- yourselves that they may make mediately for cash, so he will have bright men and women. It is your ready money to pay for the necessi- duty to give them a good start in ties of life. In studying the crops the world and I would say God to be raised for another season, the bless the children and give us the question of ready sales for cash wisdom of King Solomon in trainshould be considered in its true ing and bringing them up. light. If the crop must be carried over for a long time to sell for their Old Hens vs. Pullets. true value, it may be that some othIt has been claimed that the hen er will suggest itself as a substitute. the largest number of eggs The cry is raised every fall that lays her first year, and that ahe is during d the farmers, in their more valuable then than at any othto their in rush market craps way, er time. This view is a greatly misorder to get some ready moaey, taken one. The principal point to and thereby secure less for them be considered is, which is the first than they could secure later on. In year of the hen ? If ,he is hatched some cases this may be d out in the spring she will not lay policy, but we believe in the major- until the next fall, and if she then Realis this not of true. cases ity lays a large number of eggs by the izing the value of cash to pay ac- end of the next year ahe has really cumulated bills drawing very often been supported two years and laid heavy interest, the farmer does make one year of the time. much sacrifice in telling his produce, during only In other words, she had to be raised but not so much as many outsiders to maturity before she began laying imagine. at all. Her next, or third, year, will We believe we are perfectly safe without doubt be more profitable in making the assertion that the far- for the reason that the first cost of mers of the region raising will be proportionately redo not produce sufficient small fruits duced, and the older she becomes to supply the demands of the fam- the more profitable ahe is, provided ilies engaged in such pursuits. It she keeps up her full quota of eggs. would seem strange that such is the We have observed that age effects of the seeds they can rely ander the number of eggs only when the hen has lived to that point when her ordinary circumstances in plantto A great many seeds too species begin fail. It may be five ing. to scvcii or even u lon u twelve weak to germinate if planted in years, greatly depending upon the open ground, could be made grow treatment received when younger. if planted in rich, warm noil and A hen that is only two or three In the years old is in her kept sufficiently watered. prime and should results which follow such tests not be condemned as long as she seeds are counted as good. fair produces a proportion of eggs. Book Farming. lf one-thir- d non-readi- 1 short-sighte- short-sighte- Inter-Mounta- ig . |