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Show couldn't get 10 rods if 1 was to cl for it!" " Miss Minnie had reached town and mailed her letter and started back again when the storm broke. Hcfore It camo she thought the could make out a human figure on tho road ahead of her, but wasn't ure. The very first gust picked her up and turned bet nroutid and deposited her under roadside tree. She remained there until the gale began to whip the branches off. and then let go her hold and ran for It. There were limbs falling all about her, and the hall-I hall-I atones peppered her until she ran almost al-most blindly. She hadn't gone quarter of a mile when, as he crouched and covered her face, she was struck by a flying limb and knew do more. It was tho dim sight of the girl and the scream sho uttered when hit, that sent the man who was dinning to the roadside fence back Into the , highway. He bent over the uncon-j sclous form and picked it up and j staggered back to the fence and followed fol-lowed it until he saw a Hsht and found the gnte of a farmhouse. Hl lusty calls for help soon brought out a man. and the senseless burden was carried Into the house and received by a womon. "I don't know who rhe Is, but 1 1 found her In the road." explained her rescuer. "There Is blood on her hair, and I think she was struck down." "We'll do all we can." replied the man and woman together, "but you mustn't look for much. X (. mighty poor folks. We hnln't got no camphor nor whisky, and aa for getting get-ting a doctor out from town It can't bo done to n'ght." The girl was carried Into the only bedroom and laid on the only bed, nnd when her wet clothing had been removed and she was between tho sheets, the woman got a cloth and a bnsln of water and washed away the blood and whispered to the stranger: -I don't think she's bad hurt Sho' just falnta.t away with the scare of It. When she opena her eyes I'll tell her to go to sleep, and she'll be all right In the morning." "Do you think It's some young lady from the village?" asked the stranger of tho farmer ns they talked In whispers whis-pers In the outer room. "No, I don't reckon o. I reckon It's that new girl that arrived at Turner's a few days ago. I snw her going towards the village two hours ago." "Arrived at Turner's! Fay, man. are you sure? Is It a strange girl to the neighborhood?" "I've heard any It was ITnclo Boh'a niece, and that she come from th city. What ails you, stranger? Dots this storm upset you?" It wasn't the storm. Percy Klncnld had quarreled with the girl he loved and had asked to be his wife. It wa about nothing, almost, as most lovers' lov-ers' qunrrels are, but pride on either side held off a reconciliation until the lover finally learned that Miss Mlnnlo had gone on a Journey and left no word for him. Rho was going ; to spend Thnnksrivlng week In the j country. Within two days she hod re- j lented; within three lm was making , every effort to locnte her, that ho mlTht patch up a peace. He had succeeded. suc-ceeded. Ho wns going to throw himself him-self on her mercy and ask 1'nclo Robert Rob-ert for a place at his Thanksgiving table. Tho storm gr.w flereer ns tho night advanced. The girl woke and then slept a drenmlcHB uleep, and tho lover had lon't hours In which to ponder find thi'nk. When another day cntnfl even the cattle could not fnce the storm nor man move from his door. It was ThnnkHKlvIng day. At Cnrlo Itohert'u fhere wrts a fenrt to be eprend: at Prndlev's there wns hardly better than S poorhovso fnre. Hut the victim of the accident was no long'-r In bed, nnd the rettcuer no longer enred about the weather, and the furrier foil's looked et each other nd smiled nnd whispered: "Even If wo bnd tnrky and cranberry cran-berry Kauco I don't believo they'd cnt sin-le mouthful. They've Jut. sorter sor-ter frtifd each other, and tire tickled to d.nih." ' j And when fit lnpt they cell mike J ih'-ir wav to Turner's ai d Inl Hob i titterd and Aunt. Htnii't cr'ed fer Miss Minnie nrJ-.ed In a way that tvas almost heart l; k: "V.'Vv do you o ci so I ri"VC t! si:r-h a lovely Thank, giving In j !l r:iy life!" MINN'S THANKSGIVING i ' She Had Something Important on Her Mind. By DONALD ALLEN. "If I waa a girl I wouldn't go I walking too far," Bald old I'ncle Itob-: Itob-: ert as a girl of 20 passed him on ber way down to the gate of tbe farmhouse. farm-house. "And wby not?" she asked as she almost came to a pause. "Well, according to my Ideas, It's I going to rain and snow and blow and i ball, and when the storm does break j she's going to bo a buster. You live i In the city and don't know anything 1 about the storms we have out here, j I've Been It when we didn't have a j train along for four stralgh't days." I "I wanted to go to the poBtoffice to , mall a letter." "It' thra'- miles there and back. j and If I was you I'd put It off. Mcb- t be Bomebody'U be paslng that you can. send by. To-morrer' Thanka- ! giving you know, and we are going to have the awfulest, biggest, nicest dinner anybody ever act down to. It's In your honor, you know. There'll be turkey, a duck and a chicken; there'll be cranberry Bass, pumpkin pies, currant Jell, sweet cider and Bpple dumplln's; there'll be M "I think I'll just wnlk a little ways, anyhow," said the girl as she opened tbe gate and passed down the highway high-way towards the village and the railroad rail-road depot. "And If you come home as wet as a hen don't say I didn't warn ye. It's going to come, and it's going to be a buster." Half an hour later, a middle-aged woman, with a motherly face and voice came out on the steps nnd isked: "Pa. do you reckon U'a goln to itorm?" "Sure as ducks." "Wheres Minnie? "Oh, she's gone for a Btarter. I lire her warning. Wnat's ahe wantln' to mall a letter for? I hain't mailed a letter nor got one In 20 -4 M l : 'I Think I'll Just Walk a Little Ways." rears, and I guesa I'm about as well I )S aa most folks. I was going to ask ' jer but forgot it." 1 "Ion't you ask her a word about ( It." cautioned the wlfo ns she camo ' Jown to him. "I guess Minnie's got lomctblng on ber mind, but It hain't none of your business. I reckon 1 he'll tell mo when t ho gets ready. ' Leastwise. I hain't goin' to do any pumping." 1 "Something on her mind, eh? rhat'a funny. Didn't know that girls 1 ver had anything on their minds ex-!"opt ex-!"opt new clothes. Is that why kIio ' :ome 'visiting us all of a suddi n?" f ".Vono o" your biifines! I ptieis siy own sister's daughter can como ind r.eo mo any tltno ehe takes a no-ion, no-ion, and that without writing ahead. ' What's on her mind, ns M-.h :::4 I ' tin make out. Is about a yoM"? nvn. -If I don't tell you you'll worry the ' 'hlrt o.T your back. Pa, you've cot o bo as po!:y ns an fid ixsid. Vc;i ' can't see a plllar-eas f.opplnj; on the 1 rlothes lino but what you want ti know nil about It. Yes; It's shod a roijne; mnn. They are ervi"i d, cd they've had a falling out. and f'ii''s ' corter run away from him to find out 1 If ho rcnlly cares for her." "And i-he's got scared about It find ' das written him a Jett'T to t'!l ' whero fho s?" queried tho husband. "Go on! It's probably a lMer to her ma. though I didn't e it tier 1 ask. I hope she didn't s'art for ' town. It's going to storm for sure, 1 and there hain't but one houae on the I road where she could find shelter, t Ijook down the road and see if you ' can see her." ' "Can't ace bide tor hair of any girl." reported I'ncle Itobert after r going out to the highway and taking t a look. An hour later, wlih both uncle and aant fidgeting about their girl visitor, tbe black clouds that had been bank- 1 log up for hour begin to advance I before a breeie that soon strengthen- t d Into a gale. In five minutes the t gray afternoon had become twill-la twill-la If there waa cold rain and lively I haO, aad Uncle Robert was blows Into In-to tbe kitebejB to Ttclalra: I "I told aer It was going to be a better, and that ahe snustat blame ' me. I started down tbe road to meet t hr, but Lordy what a stora! X I |
