The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-02-04

have been a cry, but it had such a
strange and suffocated sound in it that
it was impossible to tell if q human
voice had uttered it.
"Iou heard that?" said Barron, who
felt irritatcd that the other should feel
SO little interest in this sign of distress.
"Yes; but I don't know what to make
of it. Some dog, perhaps" .
"Whatever it is, l shall follow it up"
And he turned off to the left and be-
gan pushing through the thick growing
wood, while Holt kept by his side sui
lenly but pcrsistently, as one having no
interest in the affair in hand.
In q moment the two had emerged
into q space where the trees had been
cut that winter. 1t was a somewhat steep
slope down the hill, and here and there
were still small patches of snow, fast
melting beneath this Il
On one of those patches OF white,
close to where a small group of walnut
trees had been left standing, both men
saw at the same instant the same OBJ
ject.
That object was a spot bright red on
the snow, something resembling what
women call q "cloud."
1t was like what Naomi Barto had
worn Il half-hour ago.
Holt dashed forward q step by the
side of Barron; then, recalling the
smile he had seen given to that man, by
an effort which took all his will, which
WAS not weak. he drew back, and fol-
lowed the impetuous rush that Barron
made down the hill.
II will be ready to help, but will not
be first was what he thought.
AS they came nearer they saw that a
tree seemed to have fallen, and the next
moment revealed to their eyes that a
woman wa pinned down beneath one OF
the branches. ,
They saw the dark hair loosened and
living on the snow. The lace was
turned from them, but neither seemed
to see it to know that it was the woman
they both loved who was in such need
of help.
Hollis eyes mechanically tooRin the
whole scene, aside from that
HELPLESS figure. He saw that the
tree which had fallen had been sawed
nearly through the butt, and that 1t
stood ready for the first blow OF WIND
from the right direction.
He knew, too, or thought he knew,
whose careless work il was.
Strange how many swift thoughts
raced through his mind in the brief time
while he was flying down the hill.
Barron reached the spot an instant be
fore Holt. The two men saw at a glance
the position of a heavy branch across
the girls chest, and saw also from what
place it must be moved.
But Holt had the better Judgment, and
in this terrible moment the cooler eye.
He felt as though every nerve and mus
Gle were strung to the utmost tension.
His swift glance at the suffering face
on the snow told him with almost uner-
ring precision how many minutes longer
Naomi could endure the burden that was
pressing her young life out.
Barron leaped at once to the place,
| close to where the tree-limb joined the
trunk. Before Holt could cry out to him
to wait. that they might unite their
efforts, he had seized the limb, and with
violent and sudden strain, like the lift
ing of one miraculously made a giant, he
raised the wood that lay over the woman
pinned there.
His face was purple, his eyeballs in
iected with blood, as he did so; but no
one saw that effect save the girl for whom
he was working, and whose face was
turned toward him.
Holt, as socn as soon rs he knew that
Barron would make his first effort with
out waiting for aid, directed his whole
attention to watching if the load was
lifted enough for him to draw Naomi
from under the tree.
His own plan, formed instantaneously,
had been that they should both endeavor
to raise the load and push the log under
meath, thus relieving the weight.
To his unspeakable surprise, he saw
the thick branch rise slightly beneath
Barron's power. He had not known
how thoroughly that gentleman's muscles
had been trained.
As quickly as light, as strongly as love,
Holt now acted.
In that flash of time while the weight
was lifted he drew the girl from beneath
it.
Having done 50, he fell down on his
knees beside her, not looking now
toward Barron, who did not come for
ward.
Naomi, whose senses had been pain
fully kept alive, had now become uncon-
scious; but, being naturally strong and
we'll, she revived in a few moments, as
Holt rubbed snow upon her hands and
temples, keeping himself outwardly calm
only by a great effort.
When she opened her eyes and looked
at him, though his heart thrilled beneath
that glance, he felt that he must not
Weld to the temptation it brought to
him. Now he remembered Barron.
lie rose quickly and glanced over the
tree-trunk, some stifed cry escaping
him as he did so.
He saw Barron lying on his side, his
face almost as white as the snow near it,
and n thin stream of blood slowly trick
ling from his lips.
Something resembling a smile came
into Barron's eyes as Holt came round
and bent over him.
SIS she safe2" whispered Barron.
Holt nodded. He did not think he
could speak. Young. unused to death
as he was. he knew that death was near
the man before him-so near that he
never thought of going for aid.
"'They said | was fcklc," said Barron,
slowly, "but how could I have been
tickle to herr"
He looked up w~istfully at the strong,
moved face before him.
II suppose it is all right" he said,
after q pause. Then more loudly and
strongly: "Whcrc did l read, the other
day, that it was not difficult TO die"
As he finished speaking his glance
met the eyes of Naomi, who had risen,
and had come to Hollis side. A gush Of
blood came faster. His cyelids fell softly,
peacefully.
The man and women standing there
remained silent and motionlesS for
| several moments.
Then Holt turned and looked at the
pallid, tear-wct face Of the girl beside
him.
He took off his hat, as A'~esNently
said:
II do not wonder, Naomi, that, as I
love you, so you loved him. Even l
could not help having an affection for
him.
The blood came painfully up over Ma
omi's face. The pulse at her throat
beat heavily.
"You mistake" she said, in n voice
that, sad as it was, started Holt into
what seemed to him then to be a guilty
happiness. IL did not love him. l have
always loved you"
Holt took the little half-frozcn hand
quickly in his.
"tIc gave his life, as l would have
given mine" he said, as soon as he
could speak without too much tremor in
his voice.
She made a sudden movement toward
him.
II am not ungratclul to him." she