The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-10-19

trNo, no. We must let him suspect us, or It
is all up. When we come to a good place we
will propose stopping to eat something. One
of us must keep near him all the time. Or,
better still, you must get faint and insist on
taking his arm. You must never let it go. AS
long as he is with us we are safe, for L scarce
ly expect his wish for revenge is strong
enough to let him risk his own safety"
VI believe he means to thoroughly tire us
out before he does anything, and hat won't
take long, so far as / am concerned; my legs
are beginning to give way, and he is going on
as fresh as paint. Let's bring matters to a
~crisis.n
s.Hi, Walter,n shouted Hardy; "we're get
ting hungry. Well stop here aud have some
bread and cheese"
Their on" replied the guide, "where there is
a spring"
ton.; I. Be as careless as you can."
As you like II there is a spring 1t will be
"An right; let's go on if it isn't far, " said
Harry aloud. " But my friend is used up; you
must give him your arm, and IN take that
knapsack, if youlike.n Is uzaE. :
Linton moved forward to take his arm.
Hardy had already taken hold OF the knapsack
so quickly that the guide had no time to move
away, even IL he had wished He made nc
objection to the proposal, and Linton put his
arm through his, Hardy keeping close in the
rear. They could stillit talk to each other, for
they knew that Walter did not understand
English.
In this manner they plodded YEARLY on for
another mile, no slight distance when the
path is over rocks and loose stones.~The scene
was a most impressive one; but at present its
exceeding desolatiou was the characteristic
which the two friends feltmoststrongly. Not
hous Was insight, aud scarcely a tree
nothing but the rocks and earth. Below there
lay a deep, dark valley, with arushing torrent
which now looked a mere white thread; above
them black rocks capped with everlasting
now For all thatthey could tell theirs were
the irsthuman footsteps that had ever fallen
in this desolate spot. ~
Walter had spoken truth. There was
spring ahead Of them, and the sight of it re
slieyed their spirits. They ook it in turns to
drink, one filling his cup while the other
mounted guard over the guide. The latter
seemed to be conscious by this time that he
was the object of suspicion; but his action
and look did not alter. He ate his crust and
drank the water without making any attemp;
to move away from them, and Hardy hall
began 10 hopesthat he had been wronging him.
AT any rate he determined to make one more
attempt at conciliation.
sWhat time shall we reach Werhausen,
1Walferao he-asked. @%
"I shall get there about six" he replied.
"Allowing howlong for rest2Y asked Hardy,
purposely taking no notice OF his using the
word III" E4| EA AZ g
'You can rest as long as you like" was the
answer, but l am going on"
"Whatd do you meant zWe'ye hired you as
our guide, and you'll havet stop or go on, as
we wish.n
~ am no. your guide. L would not take
money from you II I were starring Ionly
brought you here to take you away from Nina.
1t will be a long time before you find YOU
way back there again, my fine young gentle
menu II =4aIieAd 10 saG Eio HEs2ns
This was a declaration of war, and all felt II
to be so. Walter rose and faced hem, stand
ing about two PAGES of. Hardy looked straight
at him and said: 500 you mean that you have
brought US out of our way because of some
harmless flirting with Ninaa'a a
Yes, ''shouted Walter, losing all command
of himself n maldngs his voice echo down
the mountain, "yes, b would come Will
your full purse and your smiling face to turr
her away from me who love her and work for
her, and live from week to weekon the chance
of seeing her. You give her fine presents,
which she wears, and she tells me with an in.
nocens smile that she does not know where
the gentleman who gave them to her is gone,
u dtenminates afterward IEind him at the
cottage and wanting to kiss herr She little
thinks 1 saw him kiss her this morning when
he sent me in to feteAthis alRensteck.sBatznoN
it isrny turn ;you are in m ypower.a &
Hardy stepped Onward to seize him, but he
stretched out his hand.
Did your hear thats" he asked. "Look
downthe y%alley."
Arolr of thunler reverberated from mount
ain to mountain, and instinctively the two
friends looked down in the dark valley below
them. A. the same moment, with a knocking
laugh, Walter sprang down the rock. His ruse
had succeeded, and they were alone on the
But his triumph. was a short one.- Exasper.
ated beyond measure at the trick, and des
perate at the state of affairs, Hlrdy seized q
stone as large as his two fists and threw II
after the retreating guide. He was a good
cricketer and his missile sped truly, hitting
Walter on the left shoulder. With aqcry he
fell forward, rolling over several times before
he stopped. The two friends leaped wildly
down the mountain in pursuit., reaching him
while he was stlll-on the ground Linton
him with a grip that showed that he
meant to give him no further chance of escape,
when a groan broke from the guides lips.
''Gently, CHARLIE said Hardy, s'you,re
hurting him; Pm afraid he's broken some.
thing. WHAT'S the mat err, Walter!"
"My arm" replied the guide, feebly; 81
think it is broken.'' e,sF .-s5l-
Hardy knew something of surgery, so he
the arm, and found it was broken
below the elbow. Ithad become doubled up
underneath him as he fell. Hardy tore up
their handkerchiefs and bound the arm up,
after setting it as well as he could; a shirt
from his knapsack was ma lie into a tolerable
and when all had been done that could
w ~ u w ~ OdOh1bO III otJfIQG
and bathed his shoulder N head, the one
bruised by the stone the other BY the fall. He
received their attentions without thanks, but
any objections. He was evidently in
great pain, and appeared to have forgotten
the recent excitement that he was in.
stNow, Walter, said Hardy, after a short
rest, ''do youfeel well enoughto walk again
You can take my arm, and whenfsI am tired
Linton will help you along. We must rest
every now and then, for we don't feSl very
frnch Harr forf . IL - ~ .
Two hours walk away there is a cottage;
we can't reach Werhausen tonight. We must
start at once or we shall have the storm on
u.s.
Without more talk they rose and set off. It
was a weary tramp; they began by retracing
their steps for nearlya an hour, and hen turned
off by the side of a pine forest in the direction
Of Werhausen. By this time it had come
turn to help the invalid, and he
could not refrain from telling him how mis-
taken he was about=Nina. -
stShe had noidea 4 was coming to the cot
ago. And that necklet l gave her two years
ago was when she was a child and nursed me
when. I sprained my ankle. Besides, Walter,
when she found that you were angry with her
to me. Look here, here it is. She gave it to
me. before breakfast This, morning, whenyou
US together, and were so savage alb TOUT
it." So Boz -ssfEgAH asGO 3 =
us that all truef' he asked; az -r.F-A
every word, on my honor"
"Then l have been a Jealous fool, and have
come very near being something worse. /
would have killed you if / had dared as we
up the side of the mountain this
morning, anddnow you are saving my life,
though you know | meant to leave you on the
to die. But look the storm is com
ing. You must run and leave me. The cot
tageis oundt that next point. You will get
there in time.n
No,1you must come, too. Walk as fast as
you CAM n .s
"No; leave me. Twill shelter under this
rock till 1t is over"
"Nonsensel You'll never be able to walk a
yard by yourself. Lean on me as much as
you like" 10. .-o .Tar - s.r,
Walter had been getting more feeble dur
ing the last half hour, and had once or twice
symptoms of fainting; il. would have
been almost certain death to leave him alone
now with a storm rapidly approaching. So
the two friends toiled painfully on with their
heavy burden, f~ootsore and weary, and scarce
able to drag one foot before the other. They
had abandoned all hope of reaching the cot
tage before the storm broke; they knew that
it had begun there was very little
chance of proceeding, and hope of safety had
Suddenly, however, Linton caught
sight of a peasant making all speed for the
shelter of the cottage; they shouted to him.
and he came to their assistance. Another
and the rain came, a thick mist filled
The air, and, for all they c1uld tell. they might