The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-02-13


: growing pale, and / drew her into th
warm room, bright with fire and candl
Light, the pretty rose-clored room, wher
the shining silver and crystal of tn
dinner table looking brighter still i
contrast to the outer gloom. 1 preter
ded to be hungry that she might b
forced to give up the watch for while
We sat down to dinner, leaving tn
warmest seat for viii, and each tried t
eat for the sake of the other; but at ev
cry gust the sweet little face opposite m
| show beneath the soft ewes; as yet til,
worst we feared for Will was struggl
with the storm, while we sat at hom,
wrappred from cold and all discomfort
| "The evening wore on; dinner was re
moved; the supper table laid, covered
with every dainty the little wife could
suggest. She hunted up fur lined
dressing gown, which he had used wher
stationed in Canada, and hung it before
the fire, then she went back to her post
beside the window, having warmed the
hearth and spread the table, all for Will
poor Will, who should never more en-
joy food for warmth in this world
flights We're placed in every win
dow to guide him through the snow,
which was now falling blindingly, dark
ening sight and hushing sound. Ser
wants were sent out with spades and Ian
terms; but unhappily the butler was old
and feeble, and the only other man at
our disposal was Willis soldier servant,
an Englishman, quite ignorant of the
neighborhood. They returned without
having been able to get farther than
where the road divided at the head of
the valley.
As the small hours crept by, the
cold grew intense outside the circle
warmed by the fire. l tried to wrap Ma
bic in mantle, but she put away my
hand impatiently, and shook herself free
from the soft folds.
II will not be warm, Will is cold"
"And she turned to the window once
more with a slight shudder, while her
weary eyes gazed on into the whirling
binding snow fall.
"At two o'clock 1 again tried to in
duce her to lie down, telling her what I
tried to believe myself, that her hus-
band had stayed weather-bound at
that Brown Colleen, the mare
he had taken, could find her way home
to the stables the darkest night; that
in short, l used every means; coaxing,
remonstrance, command, all in vain;
words she did not seem to hear. When
1 tried to draw her away she pushed me
gently from her, and the white lips
moved, though no sound came from
them.
"At three o'clock the wind lulled, the
snow-whirl ceased. / was holding her
burning hand in mine, longing intensely
for morning, turning with a sick shud-
der from the pictures which would pass
before my aching brain of Will sleep
ing his last sleep beneath the drift, when
she snatched away her hand
and started up.
HE is comingl hear himl' She
flew into the hall, where an immense
fire was blazing on the hearth Throw
on the yule logp she cried impatiently
to the servants who were standing about.
Don't tell you he is coming-he is
herer
II sighed to them to obey her, and the
great pine trunk which had been carted
home SO merrily only a week ago, which
she and Will had garlanded few hours
sinc9, was flung on. I asked softly
whether they heard anything; but the
men shook their heads, and indeed the
depths of the snow must have hushed
any sound. They said if their master
had waited in shelter at the mountain
foot till the storm subsiGed, the horse
might make his way beneath the shad-
DIV of the rocks which overhung the
road, and which must have kept COM
clear track.
"Mabel had gone back to her window.
Now she rushed in, her face quivering
and flashing with excitement
"Auntie, he is here! see himl'
'She began tugging furiously at the
at the great door. Stronger
hands came to her aid, in an instant it
was flung open, and before any one
could interfere she had rushed out. We |
'aw the white flying figure fit over the
NOW like a wraith-snow drift so desp
md light that it seemed bird must
nave sunk into it; we saw the dog cart
,reeping slowly under the cliff at a foot |
pace, Wills upright soldierly figure
showing dark and clear against the liv-
d back ground; we saw her reach him |
md spring up to him; then there was a
silence. 1 do not know why we all |
ooked on as at a scene in which we had
10 part, until a cry; low, anguished, ex-
,eeding bitter, laden with terror and
cut through the dead heavy
stiffness. felt hands holding me back;
saw dark figures struggling across the
white lawn; then something was carried |
n and laid on the soft furs before the
not Will, never Will
my more. The kind strong hands gave
back no answering pressure to the cold
,lasping fingers which clung to them,
he loving eyes had lost their light; he
ay beside her as he had lain not twelve
hours ago, on the same spot, in his own
but it was VIII no longer.
He was dead.
Something crueller and fercer than
he storm had been abroad that bitter
light. He had been tempted from home
o his death; the murderer had reckoned
IN his loving heart answering to the call
If sorrow and sickness; the false message
Is to McCarthy's illness had been but a
ure to draw the victim to the tolls. He
nad set out on his return journey, drop
bed the doctor at his own door with a