Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-03-12

donkey and his pack were found at the
bottom of Glen Dyne. 1t was supposed
that he had been coming to Auchensack,
where he was great fayorite-that he
had been overtaken by the storm-that
the donkey had lost its footing, and in
his efforts to save the poor animal he had
persisted along with it. 1t was sad
story, and cast deeper shadow of gloom
over Glen Dyne, which indeed bore no
good name already. As Kirstie toiled up
the hill, it all came back appailingly
afresh to her memory.
About half way up the steep, precip-
itous side of the glen there ran very
narrow, insecure footpath, called the
"Tod's PATH" owing to fox-burrow up
near the head of the glen. Few people
ever ventured along it except the game
keepers and the shepherds, and even they
did not care to try it except in broad day
light At the point where this path turned
off from the face of the h1l "Laddie"
began again to jump upon his mistress,
then, running few steps along the path
and coming back, he wagged his tail and
looked up at her with beseeching eyes,
saying as plainly as dog could say in his
mute but expressive language: "Come
this way" Kirstie did not hesitate to
follow, bad though the way was, for 1t
led, she was sure, to her husband; and,
besides, as little child she used often to
come with her father before she knew
what fear was, and therefore knew every
turn and bend in the path. Toiling up
the wild solitude her feelings overcame
her, and unconsciouslv forced from her
lips the cry: "Oh, Archie, Archie! my
man, where are yer"
Just at this point little runlet Of water
which came down from the hill had
spread itself across the path in solid
sheet of ice Kirstie hesitated, but there
was no other way; il was life or death,
and she must hasten on; SO she did cross,
but her foot slipped, and she narrowly es-
capped falling The snow now began to
fall more quickly and in large flakes, and
she had to trust more TO memory for the
path than actual sight. On and on she
went, however, till she had gone nearly
mile up the glen, when suddenly Laddie
gave short, joyful bark, and she saw a
dark object stretched across the path. 1t
was indeed Archie; he was leaning
against large stone, which seemed to
have broken his fall; his hair was pow
dered with snow, his face was white and
rigid, and his lips were livid. Kirstie
never doubted but that he was dead, and
threw herself on the ground beside him
with cry OF agony, when suddenly his
eyes opened, "a conscious look came into
his face, and he said in faint, low tones:
is that you, Kirstieg | thocht / was
gaun to dee my lane, and never see we
mair."
"Oh, wheest, Archie, wheest,n she
walled; "ye'll break my heart; dinna
speak that way"
He continued, after a moments pause:
al slipped at the tap o. the brae, and !
maun haze dwamed, for Weakened as cauld
as stane WI Laddic licking my face; so
sent him hame, puir beast No help
could do me guild now, Kirstie," he said,
as If in answer to the thoughts which
were passing through her mind at the
moment. my leg is broken, and I've
hurt my side; and wi the darkness and
the storm there nobody fit to help me,
gin they were here, and it wad be hours
before anybody could come. o Kirtsie,
woman, l maun leave We and the wee
BARN" he added, with choking sob.
Kirstie did not answer for moment;
and then her face was lighted up with
look of high resolve, and she said;
"Mony time, Archie, have l won
dered why the Lord gied me my great
strength and my lang arms, but / see It
now; and if it be His will will save you
this NIGHT"
"Ye're no fit to carry me-" Archie re-
monstrated feebly; "and think what road,
Kirstie."
"Do no ken the road better than ony
herd in the country" shereplied; "and we
maun ask for help higher than mans"
As she knelt beside her husband, with
the snow falling on her upturned face, and
the wild wind whistling round, and in
few and simple words, as if she was
speaking of near and loving friend,
asked the aid of the Almighty arm TO
guide her on her perilous way, and to
keep her feet from falling, Archie Bry-
done, even in the midst of all his pain
and weakness, felt that he had never be-
fore truly known his wife. She then
lifted Archie, as gently and tenderly as
she could but he gave deep groan, and
she found that he had tainted quite away.
/" Maybe it's BETTER" she murmured; she
Wilma know till the dangers past" Then,
with another upward glance for help, she
set out on her dangerous way. II would
by this time have been perfectly dark, but
there was little moonlight, just enough
to show the mere outline OF the path and
glen. The path itself was by this time
covered with snow; every step was taken
in uncertainty; she hardly knew If she
were keeping the path at all. Strong as
she was, she staggered at times under her
burden, while everything around looked
wild and weird In the half-darkness and the
thick falling snow. Laddie trotting in
front Of her, and guiding her on her way,
was the only CLEAN Of comfort she had.
She went along more by instinct than
sight, and after weary while she began
to think that she must be coming near the
mouth of the glen, when suddenly she re-
membered the sheet of Ice across the
pathway. If she could hardly cross 1t
then, what was to become of her now
with heavy burden, and the snow cover
ing the path, 30 that she could not tell
where she was goingf Her heart sank
within her; she remembered that IL was
near that very spot that poor Tom Carson
was killed, and she felt as If she could not
move another step. just at this moment
q ray of moonlight pierced through the
drift. and allowed her Young Archie's