Katy Did Find The Bear's House

"Where yon doin, Tousin Taty?" piped a tow-headed urchin, as he hung upon the gate, beside wbich stood a handsome horse, whose flashing eyes, small, nervous ears, and restless motions spoke as plainly as worda his impatienco to be going. His chestnut coat was like satin ; dark in the shade, but ■with a golden glint in the sun. "Tousin Taty" carne sweeping down the path, in trailing habit, high hat and riding gloves, and giving the tow-head a tweak of the nose and a kiss, replied mischievously. "Doin to'e woods to find'e Bear's House." "Don't go far Katy," called the mother of the urchin, f rom the house door. "These Jersey woods roads are all alike, and you are a perfect stranger, you know, and it will be the easiest thing in the world for you to get lost. And if you should, you might ride for hours, without seeing a house or auy person to direct you home. " "Oh, there's not abit of danger aunty. If I should get lost, wliieh I dou't propose to do, the horse wou't. He'll briug me back all right. Won't you, old fellow ?" - stooping from her saddle and patting his glossy neck. "You'll not see me again till tea time, mind that," she shouted back, as slie cautered gaily away. There was a hint of rain in the soft moist October air, and in tiie light clouds that at times hid the face of the sun ; but to Katy, fresh from the prairie countries of the west, there was something so now and deUeimis, and nlluring in the shadowy stillness of tho piues, their murniurous wiiispering, and spicy breath, that she rodo on and on, oblivions alike of time and distance ; now threading somo old unused "wood road," a winding avenue, ahut in overhead by interlaeing branches, and carpeted underfoot with tho "ueedles" of the pine, and now, emerging snddenly into a grassy opening - oncea cnltwated field - with the remains of a liuman habitation yet visible - a heap of broken bricks, an old well, an apple tree or two, and a clump of sweet briar - and then plunging again into the pleasing gloom of the pines. Once or twice she passed a house with a few sandy fiolds about it, and ragged sunburnt children playing upon the roadside. She bethought herself at last, to look at her watch, and was thunderstruck to find that she had been out two honrs, and that it was past four o'clock. Her aunt's tea hour was five, so quickly turning her horse's head, she gave him the rein and began retracing her steps, ohiding herself soverely for tho anxiety which her long absence would cause her aunt. "Come, Barney, my lad !" said she, "let us get home, now, as quickly as we can. We'll leave the bear's house till another time. It was your part of the contract to take me home, you remember ; so the responsibility of our getting there safely, rests entirely upon you I wash my hands of the affair altogether." And well sho miglit, for she was porfectly at a loss hereelf as to the direction, even, she onght to take ; for, during the last hour, the clouds had been gradually thickening, so that now the sun was totally obscured. After riding half an hour or so, she began to suspect that they were not npon the road over which they had just past. She soon became assured of it. "But what of that?" she reasoned. "There are so many roads, and they all run into or cross each other, sometime or other. It's all right, I dare say, Barney knows, of course ; and we'll be home all in good time yet - and none too soon either ;" she added, glancing up at the clouds, "for it will rain within half an hour, or I'm mistaken." Another half hour of brisk riding, and still no familiar landmark appeared. Kate's dai'K orown eye wiaened a littla with the uncertainty of the situation, but she was not in the least dismayed. She had long ago, by her ready wit, presence of mind. under difficulties, and ability to "take care of herself," earned the sobriquet among her friends, of "KatO the Dauntless;" and now, although she realized that she had been guilty of a very foolish thing in thus ventunng into a strange country, trusting to the sagacity of her horse, to guide her back, still, she feit no fear, and even thought she should rather enjoy an adventure of some kind, one that she could afterwards relate - so that it did not prove of too serious a nature. So she dashed boldly on, wherever Barney's inclination directed. It was near eunset, when they merged into a well traveled, but rather narrow and sandy roadway. Here Barney halted, raised his head and gave voice to a loud and joyful neigh, and thou dashed off along the sandy track at the very top of his speed. "Good I" ejaculated Katy, thinking they were nearly home at last ; but what was her surprise, when in about ten minutes time, she suddenly found herself at the ejlge of a considerable clearing, where ui the gathering dusk, she distinguished what she took to be a sawmill, and at little distance, two or tliree dwelling honses. Bofore she had liardly timo ro collect her thoughts, Barney had cleared the space between them and the gate of the largest of these latter, where he proclaimed their presence by another resounding neigh. "Well done, sir 1" said Katy. "Yon'vi innounced me very becomingly, 1 must say !" And then, after waiting a íew moments, she continued, suiting the action to the word, "Well, as no one seems disposed to appear, I think I'U dismount and go in !" She knocked twice or thrice at the open door, and receiving no answer, stepped inside out of the rain, whispering to herself as she did so, "And thold bears were not at home I A supper table, neatly laid for one person, stood in the middle of the room, and at one side there was a parlor organ, open and with a variety of sheet musie scattered over the keys. Katy was seized with an insane desire to seat herself and play a tune; but before she had time to do so wild a thing, she heard a strong springing step outside, a glad whinney from Ban:ey, and a cheery "Helio, old fellow ! You here ?" in reply. "By and by the old bears camp home," thought Katy, and smiled, as a portly figure darkened the doorway, and the same cheery voice that had greeted Barney, said, "Good evening ! I siippose there's some one here - it's too dark to see. I'll have a light directly. I've just been ont to get my daily allowanee of milk. My housekeeper bas left me alone for a few days, and I am enioying the luxury of waiting upon myself. I like it well cnough, but I get a trifle behind hand with iny ouliaary operations sometimos." Talking on in this strain, he procoeded to light the lamp, and placing it upon the table, he turned toward his guest ; and then Katy saw that he was a man of apparently forty years of age, witli a somewhat florid face, clean shaved excepting the upper lip, whioh was covered by a heavy moustaehe of light brown. a full, keen blue eye, a nose sligUÜy ■quiline, hair a shade davkor than tl ixmotache, and altogether, what sh iionounced a decidedly handsome mau, hough rather stout in figure. A slight shadow of surprise orosser! ïis face at encountering a lady and i. ifcranger. Surprise, however, quite unnixed with displeasure ; and suraly the man must be a misanthrope past salvation, who could feol displeasure at sight of Katy'e bright dai'k face ; at thie time, flushed and eagor, with a dash of anadety, eiubarrassmeut and fun visible in the brown eyes and fine mobile features. Lifting his hat, he bowed, and then hastily bringing forward a chair, asked her to be seated. "Thanks, no," she replied, and tlion in a few words made him acquainted with her situation, adding: "I trustod to Barney there to tuke rao lióme, and he has brought me here instead. Could yon oblige me by sending snme one to guide me to my uiicle's, Mr. William Dare ?" "Mr. Dare's! To-nicjlit !" exolaimed the ppntloman, whosennme, by the way, was Dr. Ray - Katy learned it later- "Do you realize, young lady, that you are fiftcen miles from Mr. Dare's, and that it is rainins unlimited numbera of thoRc traditional cats and dogs, and Vffl continue to do so all uight, probably." "Fiftoeu miles !" echoed Katy, aghast. "What M-ill auntie think has bocome of me ? Tha Í; unprincipled brute must have come straight here," "Doubtless he did," was the reply. "He has the bad taste to prefer his old master to his new one. I sold him to Mr. Daré a v?ar ago or bo, and lm takes every opportunity that offers to pay me a visit. Hear the rascul whinney - " "Excuso me, Luterrupted Katy, "but I must return instantly. Is thero some one whom you can sond with me f" "Certainly, if your going to-night is inevitable. I will go myself - there is ao one else I would like to send. But my advioe is, that you content yourself to remain here till morning. Your uncle's people are well aware of Barney's little weakness - strange they should not have warnod you agauiat it ; they know where you are, and that you are safe, depend upon it," replied the doctor. "But I fear," said Katy, not at all pleased with the idea of 6pending the night in a strange house, alone with a strange man, though the other alternatire of riding fifteen miles through the pines with him, had loss attractive features still. "I fear that I shall inconvenience you too much, as you are quite alone. There are other houses near, I believe, oould I not be accommodated at some one of them with less trouble ?" "There is but one place in this immediate neighborhood where you could be even tolerably entertained, and that is at the house of my Mead sawyer - and nnfortunately it would be very inconvenient if not impossible for them to take you in to-night, two of the faovly being dangerously ül ; but there is a farmhouse some two miles further along, where no doubt you could find shelter and a welcome, and I will accompany you there with pleasuie, if you persist in refusing to remain my guest ; which I sincerely hope you will not do. I assure you that so far from your incommoding me you will confer a favor upon me by remaining. Our 'guest cl'ainber is quite at your service, or, if you prefer, you can oceupy Mrs. Page's room, where, by the way, I think you can find plenty of dry clothing to take the place of those wet garments you have on. My housekeeper is one of the neatest of old ladies, as well as the most obliging, and you need feel no hesitation in making a temporary use of anything of her's you may need. " During this speech, Katy had been closely studying the countenance of her would be host, and after it was ended, her clear penetrating gaze continued to rest there so searchingly that he could but not notice it. He bore this scrutiny, which lasted for a minute or more, bravey, though he colored a little, and then laugbingly asked : "Well do I look like a brigand?" It was Katy's turn to blush now. She was not aware tbat her manner had betrayed her thoughts so eompletely. She hastened to atone for her rudeness by replying with genuine frankness : "No, sir ! Yóu look liko a gentleman, and I shall stay with ypu." "Thank you," he replied with evident pleasure. "Well, then, allow me to show you to Mis. Page's room, and to beg of you to make yourself quite at home there. And while you are exchanging your wet clothing for dry, I will attend to the wants of my fricud Barney ; ani tbfin we will partake of my bachelor' fare. " Katy quickly exchanged hor wet riding habit for a clean, dark calicó wrapper, with a neatly crimped muslin rume at the neck, and then returned to the supper room. She tasted "the big bear's porridge," she thougut, as she seated herself at the table, and took the proffered cup of tea from her entertainer. The meal over and the table cleared, Dr. Ray brought forward a huge portfolio of drawings and engravings. When these were exhausted - which was not soon, for Katy was an enthusiastic admirer of jrictures, and there were anecdotes, and adventures, and legends connimteil witl many of them, that she iiust hoar - they turned, with ono impulso to tho organ. They wore both thorough performers and ardent admirers of music ; and as piece after piece was played and commented upon and criticized, the time went by all unheeded until twelve o'clock surprised them still at the instrument. "I am profoundly grateful to Barney for this one evening's solid enjoyment," said the doctor, as he handed Katy her bed-room caudle, and bade her goodnipht. Katy's aunt and thn Tow Head were waiting at the gate tho next morning when she, accompanied by Dr. Eay, drew rein before it. "Oh you good-for-nothing Barney !" said Mrs. Dare, shaking her fist at the horse. "I called after yon Katy, to teil you of his undying affection for Doctor Ray, but couldn't make you hear. I ought to have thought of it sooner. I was a little luieasy about you, but no oue else was. They all said that you were safe enough with Mrs. fapre." "For my part," said Katy, stroking Barney's glossy neck, "I don 't see how anybody could bear to sell a horse that manifesté so much inteligence and devotion. I'm sure that I never could." "I'd buy him mrk this minute," said Dr. Eay, impulsively, if - " He stopped quite as suddfinly, looking somewhat confused at tlie inquiring glances bent upon him ; and singularly enongh, it was six months or more before lie iinished the seiiteiice, although there is no doubt but that Katy guessed its purport long before that time. For fear some of my readers do not feel sure what it was, I will report it verbatim: "If the girl he brought me one stormy night wero my wif e. " "Well, Katy is not his wife yet, but she wenrs his ring, and Barney will go back to his old master in a few weeks.