Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-05-11
ing . real railroad, be would make speedy

fortune.
The path y as rough. Roland's boots alone
| had formed IL, tremping backward and for
ward TO his tree-felliDg. Generally he paced
| II four times day, going home for the mid
| dav dinner. The drifting snow had tressssser-
| one holes that well-nigh went to break Jen-
ny's ankles, as she stumbled on. The
Wind growing every moment more
| violent, pushed her on with giant
hand. sharp needle-points OF snow smote
her neck 1T will be rather sharp
going home she said, shivering and pulling
her scarf closer.
IN October she had come to the woods for
autumn leaves, and the spot WAS, In a de-
gree, familiar 10 her. But the path seemed
| 10 dispense and lose itself after entering the
| thicker parts; and she had TO direct her way
| by the piles OF wood that had been cut in
places where the trees could be most conven.
fently felled. II they had not said those
| dreadful words TO each other II they were
only as they had been yesterday when ko.
| land loved herl she might not have felt 30
desperately anxious. How was she TO find
| himg She called again and again, but the
wind overpowered her voice.
There was no sound OF the Ak. As she
paused, listening intently, she could hear
| nothing but tho dTeary whistle Of the blast
| through the naked trees, and the sharp, sift-
| Ing sound Of the snow as II smote their
| trunks
"David, where IL Roland where is your
master? Go and lind him this minuts!" i'm
| patiently menacing the covering dog Ia her
/ terror. Find your master, there's 6 good
| dog" she added, in q coaxlng tone OF en-
treaty, patting the poor animal, who stood
before her With dropping head. GOOD David J
good old dog,"
David went on then. In the lowest ma
lures Ia sometimes enshrined the pearl Of
| delicate feeling. This dog had bad news TO
! tell, and shraDk from telling IL. he made no
pretense 70 lighthearted pace. He crept,
halted. and seemed anxious to defer some
thing,
then another and turning tbicket OF young
oaks, that caught at Jenny's skirts AZ II they
would fain bold her back from painful
sight, he came to halt. There was no reason
why he should 90 further.
A tree had evidently fallen In an unlocked
for direction; or, perhaps, Roland Hardy had
heen a little reckless. II had swepr him 10
the ground, and was lying across his legs; as
immoyable to him as mountain. On the
rough bark, where he had been able TO reach
II with his knife was cut, Dear Jen--,p
showing that he had not intended TO call her
Janen on this occasion. Bat the fond work,
which perhaps was intended as last me-
ment0, had ceased. His arms were lying at
his side now, and a feck OF blood stained his
crushed out Of him; but 10 only came OF his
long and vain struggles 10 free himself
She did not scream. IL was not her way.
She rushed forward TO fling herself against
the fallen tree; pushing 1t, beating 1T, bruls-
ing her shoulders against 1t, like some mad
woman. This was her first impulse. and IL
awaited nothing. Then she sank down at her
husbands side, wiped the red drops from his
mouth, and covered his face with kisses that
might have kissed the dead into life, The
kisses made Roland family stir, and he moved
his hand instinctiyely toward the knife, which
had fallen In the snow. He was wanting TO
finish his message.
esiished voice, selling bis benumbed hands
in hers, and pressing them to her face and TO
Der warm, throbbiDg throat, "Oh, II he could
only speak 70 me once morel" she piteously
moancd. "Only once morep
"is 1t JennyT' came struggling family
from his lips. ~
"Yes, 1t is Jenny. ! am here! am here to
die with you, my own blessed heartl Oh,
what can dor raising his head tenderiy to
her breast. "Oh, my husband, look at me
speak TO met Are you terribly hurt"
But, though he opened his eyes and looked
at hen, he could not answer. f
Then she rememb ered the wine, aud filling
the tiny cup at the bottom of the flask, she
held IL 10 his mouth Roland drank the wine
with difficulty; partly because he was only
halfconscious, and partly because Jenny, in
her wild solicitude, seemed bent upon pitch
Ing the whole down his throat without wait
ing for the little fornality of swallowinHs
She continued TO rain the tendeTest express
sions upon him, Over his features began
stealing something that, under the depress-
ing circumstances looked singularly like a
pleased surprise. The eyes opened wider,
with a look Of recognition, and heaven Of
love shone up into Jenny's terror-stricken
face. He laboriousiy flung his arm about her
neck, and murmured her name again, as II 1t
would express the tenderness OF his whole
soul.
"Are you crushed TO death, dear Roland p
iilogicaliy cried Jenny.
Not quite. But am 30 tired! ! have
been buried under this horrible log these
four hours"
THANK God you are not killedw she as
pirated. "Tell me what / can do"
Poor child, you can do nothing. II a man
were here with handspike-"
His voice ceased; ceased In very hopeless
ness The nearest man was probably two
miles oil. And before he could be found and
brought, even II Jenny could find him, life
might have gone out. t5
~ will do it," said Jenny. "Tell me where
/ can find a handspike.n
"You could not do It, child"
but WILL }" she answered, cheerily. 81
bluuieu natural pNliCbDpHy Nv hcDDoi, anu 4
have plenty Of muscle. Did not somebody
say he could move the world Tiff he only
had things 10 do II with; lever, and that;
can cut down something for a lever, Roland
She was speaking In sheer desperation. But
desperate woman can put out an incredi-
BILE amount Of strength and the stake at Is.
sue was her husbands life. Roland saw how
full Of energy she looked, what an amount
Of determination her whole attitude betrayed.
IL impaired some degree OF hope even TO him,
and he pointed TO a pile OF oak rails.
I" II you could drag one oil those here"
She was flying for the rail- before the
words left his lips had brought u TO the
spot and then began 10 llft the fallen tree.
But the grim burden refused tonaoye.
"Oh. Jenny --~-"
~ see, Roland" she interrupted. Don't
be afraid. or course l am stu-- I'd at first
Walt. | am undertaking TO do too much at
once, you perceive"
Jenny partly withdrew the lever, making
the resistance less, and lifted again WITH
some effect Roland's legs were too much
like dead legs TO be aware OF the frightened
pressure upon them; but he saw the log move
a little.
Stars swan before Jennys eyes, and the
veins In her forehead looked like little knot
ted cords, as, averting her face from him,
she strained Mt the lever once more with all
her whole might. "Now ~ she cried. He
essayed to move his half-lrozcn limbs, but
only succeeded In grooming. They are
dead MS stones,r he gasped, and looked as
though he were going of into another faint.