C30
THE WEST SHORE.
" Well, I don't suppose yoa care whether there is
anyone within five miles or not, so you can have your
adored Carlos," said Ruth, winking at me. " Then,
there will bo the children. Oh, Fan, imagine them
calling Shirley mother! 1 Wouldn't we like to be lit
tle birds for awhile?"
Her sister blushed a little, but looked very hap
py and proud. " I know I shall love them."
" How old are they?" I asked.
M Oh, really well, you see I don't know, exactly.
Carlos says Will is quite a boy, and then there is
Mary and Mig, younger."
Christmas that year with us was a genuine Wis
consin one snow drifts piled everywhere and the
thermometer at zero. The ketn air seemed to fairly
reverberato with the music of bells.
"How perfect!" cried Shirley, joyously, as she
perched in childish abandon on the broad window
seat At that moment a ray of sunlight fell on the
proud little head with its wealth of long black curls.
" Happy is the bride that the sun shines on," she
quoted, gaily, catching at the beam with her slim,
white fiogers. A moment later some one else was at
her side, and had imprisoned the fluttering hands in
his own. I turned away. For some unaccountable
reason I shared John's distrust of the stranger.
There was a restless watchfulness about him that
made me nervous, and I could not account for the in
variable start he gavo when the door bell rang. They
mado a handsome couple, but in spite of his florid
complexion and smoothly-shaven face, he looked old
enough to bo her father.
The day following we bade them farewell. How
sweet she looked, smiling through her tears.
" God keep you, sister," I heard John whisper, as
ho held her for a moment in his arms. " If anything
happens, or you need a friend, let me know."
" I will, John, if anything happens to my hus
band," sho answered, a little proudly, and then she
went away, blindly changing the known for the un
known. Owing to heavy storms the bridal journey proved
rather tedious, but they finally arrived in safety at
Seattle, Hero they were met by the " boy " of whom
Lee had told his wife. Imagine her surprise when
introduced to a broad-shouldered six-footer, about
whoso rather firm-sct lips curled a dark, heavy mus
tache. As she raised her eyes to his she encountered
a look of surprise equal to her own, yet in the midst
of it all she was mentally saying: "John would like
his eyes," they were so frank and blue.
It seemed a long way that they rode, catching
glimpses now and then of the beautiful waters of
Paget sound, while in the distance gleamed the
nowy summits of the Cascade range,
" And that is Mount Baker," explained lobl
ing to the solitary sentinel looming up against IK
northern sky. b e
"How grand!" exclaimed the bride, her whole
face indicative of extreme appreciation. "And it
does not seem like winter here. I can scarce believe
it is the new year time."
There had been no rainfall for several days, aid
the sun shone out fitfully.
" Do you think you will like our free west?" uV
ed WilL
Looking brightly into the blue eyes that had in.
stantly won her confidence, she answered
" Yes, I'm sure I shall like it, but not love it as I
do dear old Wisconsin. There is no place like home
you know." '
" But this is your home now, Shirley, bo you may
as well take the oath of fealty first as last," Baidher
husband, looking down at her in a fond, proud man
ner. Will, turning at the moment, caught the look,
and a troubled expression came into his face, that did
not leave it again for days.
That evening he whispered something into the
ear of his favorite horse. Now, Ross was used to hit
master's confidence, and merely replied by rubbing
his head against his shoulder. " Yes, sir, old fellow,
it's a burning shame, I say; only think of bringing
such an angel out here to share this torment curse
his selfishness!"
This last was spoken aloud, just as a form dark
ened the barn door.
" Who you talking to?" questioned Carlos Lee,
looking suspiciously about
" Only Ross," was the short reply.
The Lee farm was t wenty.fi ve miles from Seattle,
in a little valley upon which nature had lavished her
choicest gifts; but, as Shirley soon learned to her dis
may, with the exception of a family of Danes, there
were no neighbors within four miles.
The house was a long, low, frame building, con.
taining four rooms. One of these, a large square,
cheerless one, served as kitchen, dining room and
family Bitting room. The other three were used ai
sleeping apartments. To say that the young wife'i
heart did not well-nigh fail her as she stood on the
threshold, would be but to pervert facts; but she wai
young and hopeful
In the family, besides her husband and Will, vers
Mary, a delicate, misshapen creature, who looked with
illy-concealed disfavor on the intruder from the fint;
Miggie, golden-haired child of six years, destined to
be the light of the young wife's life through many
home-flick, gloomy hour; and old Madge. The latter
Beemed to share Mary's dislike and prejudice, though
she said nothing.