The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-06-05

| sun came OUT auu Dlluheu a0 eAcu, Oo'
by the time they had struck into the
deep woods he had thought better of il
and retired behind a flaw of snow.
"This will all blow over, said Strath
ley, confidently.
"Or maybe we'll outstrip the storm
and reach the camp ahead of it," agreed
Lorrimer.
But, though the storm seemed in nc
hurry. it meant business; from a slight
flaw, it grew into lazy tumult of snow.
flakes, obliterating landmarks, and max.
ing the woods murky and bewildering.
"Six miles are soon travelled in the
worst weather." averred Strathley. "lt's
getting confoundedly dark, though,
Lorrimer; it seems to me We have walk.
ed ten leagues already"
"Ill be blessed if it isn't the longest
six miles ever footed" confessed Lor.
rimer. "We ought to be close upon
the camp, unless.
But Just then Strathley stumbled IN
the notwithstanding darkness, and
fell, with q groan over the ragged rem.
nant of Lightning blasted stump.
"Tough luck" said Lorrimer, rub.
bing his face with the new-fallen snow,
and chafng his hands; for Mr.. Strathley
was prone upon the ground in dead
faint. "What if he never came to life
again ?" Lorrimer asked himself. What
would Margaret do? Would it be hap
pier for himself?"
"Where have l been ?" asked Strath-
ley, suddenly, sitting upright and trying
to look through the darkness.
"That's more than I can tell you,
answered Lorrimer. "You had fall
that knocked the breath out of you a
spell. Do you feel better? Gould you
walk, think?"
"Certainly. Let's be Jogging. There
give me your hand. I'm trifie stiff
from the fall yet. It's deuced cold,
seems to me-"
"That's 80; it's left off showing a
mile back, and the wind has stiffened.
It's going to be a rough night. We
haven't any time to lose; you see, we
must have missed the path some time
ago; that rascally snow pelted fellows
face 80 fast and thick. Eh2 ? what's the
trouble now?"
"I must sit down again for spell; I
can't keep up with you"
"But you must, you kuow."
81 couldn't walk another rod Just
now If death himself were at my heels. "
"Nonsense Trudge along; it's
growing colder every moment. It's
death to give up"
Strathley sta ggered along for few
PAGES, with Lorrimer's aid, but soon
came to q halt.
''I tell you, Lorrimer, it's no 60;
you'll have to leave me, and push
ahead"
"I'll carry you first"
"That deuceu fall took all the pluck
out of me. T might find courage to
crawl if + we're sure it wasn't a tomfool
errand-if we were on the right track
but it would be sin to keep you here
in this weather. I'll wait awhile and
catch my breath. Do you go on. I'll
overtake you sooner or later" .
evil you? If 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 to keep Jogging till
we drop; anything else is suicide, and"
with an effort "there's Margaret.
eyes," drowsily, "there's Margaret,
to be sure. I must make-an effort
I'll follow. I couldn't walk just yet to
save myself from perdition, I'm 50
stunned aud shaken; no-I-couldnt. "
Lorrimer leaned against the nearest
tree and waited in desperation. 1t was
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 then? Was he his
brothers keeper? 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 few PAGES
perhaps the camp was near at hand
and he could bring help. But what was
he doing? Deceiving himself? Should
he leave Strathley behind? Would he
be able to find him in the dark? Would
any hallooof 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-al-
ready slipping into eternal slumber-
and half dragged and half carried him
forward. Sometimes he rested and took
breath; sometimes his sluggish burden
slipped from his hold awhile 4; sometimes
he shouted for help and the bowling
wolves seemed to mock him. ...
! For Gods sake, lay me down and
let me die |" groaned Strathley, be-
tween fainting and sleeping. "Mar
garet-can e1plain-everything-whe
could bear a grudge-against ghost
She loved me through good and evil re-
port"
Lorrimer picked up his burden ano
trudged on. Was that star glintine
through the trees, or the moon rising
big and red; or was it-great heavens
could it be the campfire shining likt
gates of Paradise? Some one coming
out into the night closed the rude camp
door behind him, and shut them out init
darkness again. Lorrimer plunged for
ward with cry for help, and fell faint
ing with his burden within yard of th'
camp.
eff 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 O
spicy boughs, such as the camp afforded
cit it hadn't been for you, I shoult
have stepped out last night. And it wa
OF the risk of yonr own life, tool Create
love than this had no mani And yo1
thought I was Margaret's lover all tn
while? That's what I call heroic. Tn
going to put you out of your misery
Look at me, John Lorrimer Did yo'
ever see Ben Bevis-Wild Ben, the,
used to call him-though I believe b
was lost at sea, wasn't he, before yo1
we're grown? I see there's stone il
the burying-ground to his memory, eh
Well, the prodigal son has returned.
I am Ben Bevis-Margaret's brother
It was hardly worth while being jealou
of me, was it2 I have been winning m,
grandfather's heart; that's all of m,
deep-laid plans. If I had appeared be
fore him without disguise of any sort, b
would never have believed in my refor
nation; never have proited by a stive
of my money-weu-gotten gains, too
AS a stranger had some chance of earn
ing my way into his good graces. Yo
see, I left here twenty years ago, strip
ling, with haxen hair and beardless face