The Red Cloud chief., 1885-10-09

49, 'f'N'' -
Then John was dead. The father of
her crippled boy. her companion Tor 80
manv wears. Wa drowned. il IN Oh; be.
il the anCry water thai even now were
pouring through the gorge with the
roar o. 4 demon. Or he was wing N
the road. cold and s:.a. with his ife.e,-
eycs starngup into tn blackened hcav-
ems, the pltlcss ram beating upon his
face.
Such were the thoughts that burned
their way through the tram Of Martha
Parsons a. she stood dum5ly looking at
the broken rem by the dun light Of tne
lantern. The impatient paving OF the
horse, demanding To lie let under
shelter. recalled her 10 4 knowledge II
her surroundings. and quite mechanic
ally she opened the stable door. The
horse entered. rubBct hi nose aga list
that n: HI fellow and began az once 10
eat from tn bin IN front Of him Mr..
Parsons followed hiu n. removed tie
sadf . and bride, and taking the Ian
ten from the floor where she had set II.
ratra~ci her steps through the storm to
the house
Fortunately. johnny had not Weakened
. Nl1.Ef-fIl-h To lD' ~. sD-flsi-- " WI
unaware of the return o. the horse
vgi;nou; has father. and sae could st
down and think what 10 10. WHAT
could she do, over and over again
she a-Ecd herself this question II wa
two III g. 10 the nearest ~nel.nDOr-, and
between ran the gorge, IN attempting
10 cross which. perhaps. John had lost
hs lie. !, VS. too dark 10 sea more
than 4 frw feet ahead OF one, even 10y
the aid of a lantern. and i that were 10
70 out. it would leave her N utter ina
hility t. return. BESIDES, there wa
tie sick child. who would scream him
self 10 death Il he Weakened and Dan
himself alone n the house. And Just
tAcn he did wakcn. and She went To HIM
and gave hlm the water he asked for,
and induced hun 10 again close ms eyes
and lie p. dong ii all without showing
TIE terrible agony al her heart. or say
iu- Il wor! about the return OF the
horse without his rider.
When she thought Johnny asleep.
she aro-c and went into the kitchen.
Sh" did not daTr 10 rcma u in the room
with the child lest he should suddenly
open hi eyes and Sc tue agony VIII en-
she fl; She could no longer ,upprc->.
There was nothing She could do for her
husband, living OF dead. except - keep
The lamp burning in the WINDOW - Il
beacon, ~ case. - was Iu-t 100 s.Hlc,
he had been thrown after cro-~.ng ia"
"Orgc. and was now wandering about
IN the darkness.
But Tor johnny she would have set
on. to follow ,le road back towards
town. hoping to lind ,OInc ira" 81 her
husband, but to do "a and cave Johnny
when There WAS 80 little chance of any
good coming Of i. WA, not - "e -rrl-
ou7!y thought Of She must Wal. until
DAYLIGHT. and thcn-cycn TIA u w4at
could -he do? il the RI Il -bou.d cease
il would still be dav, and may be- W ckS
before any one would Toe likely IL visit
the cottage. But this fact did not
change maitors. There was positively
nothing She could d. keep 30 wait and
keep The lamp IN the window burn NJ
a. brightly Il pO>S. bic.
For MANY moments she sat notion
les. and then stole tuirt Y To the de
OF her Calid, whom she found much ~
b" had been for some hours past sleep
ING unra>i.y and with considerable
fever. As Sc w"> slipping from the
SICK room - II. she heard a NOISE a.
# some one were fumb!fuC II the
kitchen door n "a vain ond"aEor - find
The latch she listened with 4 feeling
ol returning hoD". mingled with Il ho"-
r.hlc, ,upcrstI dread; the latter
born of her excited coud ion and the
terrible Grcarinc-s of hey SUrroundn ms.
p. -.rr, an. r,,.l Of, .nn. gArr|i
not br mistaken. j; WAS some one tn
inm 10 omen the door. and VIII" else
could it he but her hush nd? With Il
feel n of iantu">>. - If she Lad nd
denly been caught aS She MAS about Ia
drop into a horrible abvss. she in tened
t. III, The ! ten. A. She did 20 Il form
covered with mud. hat g., and with Il
louk q death upon his face and IN his
ewes. entered For an II tan. he did
no; recognize the form ~ tHat oi her
husband. but when ne staggered for-
ward MO the light and sam upon a
chair. she saw that It WAS he. and in an
instant She WAS nj Ms de. STRIVING 10
remove nI> storm soaked garment,
Tell mc where on AZ" hUrt John:
, tell me what 20 do. quick, she sad.
Ar YOU wounded anywhere. or only
terribly bruised by Nour fall? Tell mc
quck. q | can help YOU
But hc only stared AT her and made
no rrn.,.
,.Iohu. John she or ed. now douhlv
alarmed. what i 1 wncr" i it, tel
m. Cca~. l. il vour head that hurts
He .oobrd II her 80 strangely that
81" thought hc must nave ben cyazed
hy 81 blow upon the head
Slowly e raised ms hand NJ last and
r drew i: across his forehead.
Il d now. Marty" he sad. in Z
hes Eating tone. Il reckon ! dkrOw-
exactly what j. the matter
Tie sill sat gazing al her with that
strange look in hi ewes. as if he WAS
not certain of whcrr he was.
Mrs. Parsons hurr.eily placed the
tca-kct.lr hack on the stove. where il
instantly began TO sing. and n moTcnt
later had a cup OF tea prepared. Then
She came ana put her arm about her
husbands neck, pay M no attention TO
his filthy garments. while she he'd the
cup 10 his lips.
Drink this. dear. she sad. land
then II. get Your We; clothes of and gc,
T you 10 bed. and Won will feel better"
!. He took = sp f the tea and then,
looking M NJ his WIFE rs she ben;
over HIM. aSkcl:
.'Do YOU think they'll lie: rs stay till
morniu's"
And Martha Parsons & ed 10 keep
her VOICE from trembling and maze I
sound che riul Is she answered; oh
yes. dear. they sad we could : Az untll
morning.
She saw tina; ne WAS out Of ms head
and knew that the bet ev WV WAS 10
l..nn-- - 49,. Af - H.. I'D