The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-02-14

81 tell you, Lorrimer, it's no go;
you'll have to leave me and push
ahead
sTIl carry you first"
aThat deuced fall took all the pluck
out of me. I might find courage to
crawl if were sure it wasn't TOM
FOOLS errand we were on the right
track but it would be q sin to keep
you here in this weather. Pn wait
awhile and watch my breath. Do you
go on. I'll overtake you sooner or
later
Will you? If I leave you, you'll
never take another step, you'll Just
doze off into the other world. The only
safe thing for us to do is 10 keep jog
ging till we drop; anything else is sui
eide. and"-with an effort. there's
Margaret"
Yes,'' drowsily, there's Mar
garet, to be sure. must make--an
effort for her sake! But you push
along-pn follow couldn't walk
just yet to save myself from perdition.
Pm so stunned and shaken; no-I-
couldn't
Lorrimer leaned against the nearest
tree and waited in desperation. ltwas
bitter cold, he owned, and his powers of
persuasion were exhausted; but to
leave the man to his own devices was
certain death-and what thenP Was
he his brothers keeperp Why should
he hazard life and love for this stranger
who had stepped between himself and
happiness? Did he owe Mr.. Strathley
aught? He started forward a few PAGES
perhaps the camp was near at hand
and he could bring help. But what was
he doing? Deceiving himself? Should
he leave Strathlcy behind? Would he
be able to find him in the dark? Would
any halloo of his waken him from that
deathly sleep into which he was fast
fallingp But there was Margaret
would she not be all his own again?
And then he hung his head there in
the thick darkness Only an instant, it
may be, he paused in the shuddering
night, and he turned back to Strathley
already slipping into eternal slumber
and half dragged, half carried him
forward. Sometimes he rested and
took breath; sometimes his sluggish
burden slipped from his hold awhile;
sometimes he shouted for help, and
the bowling wolves seemed to mock
him.
For Gods sake, lay me down and
let me dier' groaned Strathley, be-
tween fainting and sleeping. "Marga-
ret can explain everything who
could bear grudge-against ghost?
She loved me through good and evil re-
port -----''
Lorrimer picked up his burden and
trudged on. Was that star glinting
through the trees, or the moon rising
big and redo or was it--great heavens!
could it be the campfire shining like
the gates of Paradisep Some one COM
ing out into the night, closed the rude
camp-door behind him and shut them
out into darkness again. Lorrimer
plunged forward with cry for help,
and fell fainting with his burden within
a yard of the camp.
IF it had not been for you, Lori
mer,' said Mr.. Strathley, next day,
when he found himself too lame and
frost-bitten to lift himself from the bed
of spicy boughs, such as the camp af-
forded. IF it hadn't been for you, l
should have stepped out last night.
And it was at the risk of your own life,
too! Greater love than this had no
mani And you thought was Mar
garet's lover all the while? That's
what call heroic. I'm going to put
you out of your misery. Look at me,
John Lorrimer. Did you ever see Bon
Bevis Wild Ben they used to call him
though / believe he was lost at sea,
wasn't he, before you were grownP l
see there's stone N the burying-
ground to his memory, Ell? Well, the
prodigal son has returned; l am Ben
acknowledgements brother. 1t was
hardly worth while being jealous of me,
was it? l have been winning my
grandfather's heart that's all of my
deep-laid plans. If had appeared be-
fore him without disguise of any sort,
he would never have believed in my
reformation; never have profited by
silver of my money-well-gotten gains,
too. As a stranger had some chance
of earning my way into his good graces.
You see, left here twenty years ago,
STRIPPING. with fiaxen hair and beard
less face, and I'm bronzed and weather.
beaten beyond recognition. When l
return to Ford, we will have it out with
Grandfather Bevis, and know the worst
or the best. And you, Lorrimer-well,
there's Margaret. Perhaps shall
dance at your wedding in spite of
rough night in the backwoods. -
Mary N. Prescott, u, Golden Rule.