Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-04-01

the tent but at the END OF an hOur :,
the full sense of their own danger 9,
forced itself upon them to the exclu- 4
sion of every other subject The fire a
had burned out, and there was not t
stick in the place they could use for S
frewood; the cold was intense; and .
their situation was growing every mo- i
ment more perilous.
'.Dick," said Gentleman George,
"before Tom commenced his story you
fancied you heard something. What
was it?''
'.Men crying OUT" replied Dick
Driver.
Perhaps" said Cornish Tom. '.the
men from the next gully. What do
you say, mates, to going to look for
them? No ones in the humor for
sleep, and the moon is rising, so that
we shall be able to pick our way.
Who's for itp''
They were all glad for it, glad of the
opportunity for action. 1t was resolved
that all but William should go, and
that he should be left to take care OF
the tent. They calculated to be back
before sunrise, when they would COM
menee in serious earnest the task OF
cutting their way out of the region OF
snow. They took some long poles and
ropes with them, and in a few moments |
William was alone.
Standing by the tent door, he watch |
ed his mates treading their way care |
fully along until they were out OF sight, |
and then he set himself to the task of
getting together the things they should
need to take with them in the morn
ing. This occupied him an hour, and
then he threw himself upon his stretch
er and fell into doze.
Lying thus, strange fancy haunted
him. Cries for help, sounding from
afar, travelled toward the tent These
cries. growing fainter and fainter, I'M
til they died away altogether, formed
part of his dreams, and it was only
when they ceased that he aroused hlm-
self and listened, in doubt whether they
had actually been uttered. The wind
had lulled, and, hearing no sound, he
dozed off again, to be again awakened
bv faint cry. Yet when he went to
the door he heard no sound. Nothing
but the snow-covered peaks and hills
could be seen. No sign of human life
was visible, and he shuddered at the
fancy that he was alone in the world,
and that he would never look upon
mortal face again. AS this fancy
grew upon him with the
strength of conviction, the scene
reminded him strangely OF his last
Christmas Eve at Warleycombe. He
looked around. almost expecting to
see the queer faces and the shadows OF
his dreaming The hill down which
the avalanche had swept was before
him: the faces he had seen at Marley
combe were not there, nor the tree be
meath which he had fallen asleep, but
he saw the white plain undulatlng
His tevered fancy peOpled its surfaces
with snow-elves and shadows, staring
at him with glittering eyes and beck
oning him to approach. Like one ii
dream, deprived of all control owe
his will, he walked toward them untl
he was some distance from the tent
The shadows continued to multiply II
numbers and waved him onward. A
he advanced toward them they retreat
ed. but beckoned him still to come. I'll
seemed to be drawn forward by an III
visible power, until, overcome by nerv
Gus excitement, he sunk, half lnsens
BILE, to the ground.
s.My life is over" he groaned "Hop
has departed from it; love has melte
ont of it. The woman / adored ws
falser'
MOI cried thunderous voice; an
the word was echoed and re-echoed
thousand times by the surroundin
hills. Then, as at a word of command
the echoes suddenly ceased. and, like
bell-note upon the rarified air, clei
and sweet, stole another voice, whie
smote him with mingled pain an
pleasure.
MOI it said; .'the woman you love
was faithful. She is as pure as tl
snow which may be your grave. Mi
cradle man, you have destroyed al
withered her young life. Tear from tt
Rose of Love the Parasite Doubt, al
awake from your dream.
The voice ceased, the shadows fad'
into thin air, and William rose FRO
the ground, writhing at the possib
truth contained in this delusion OF Il
senses. He had wandered far from t
tent. and he was about to turn thithe
ward when dark stain on the VIII
surfaces caught his eye. He NOV
forward, and saw, stretched upon t
ground, the bodies of two men.
knelt and tried to rouse them.
vain. they were insensible, perha
dead. The cries he had heard we
real and had proceeded from these t.
men. He could see plainly their fatt
in the monaghan; and one, beard
as it was, struck upon his memory u
that of an almost forgotten friend.
DIV one lie wiz
MINDED, to the tent, and, without s.
cess, tried by every means in his poV
to restore them to consciousness.
searched in their pockets for means
Identification. On one he found
matchbox full of gold and an EN-
pipe: on the other he found poci
book. As he knelt over him to take
from his breast and looked into
face the same expression of an
familiar association occurred agaii
him. and he passed his hand across
brow i'm the endeavor to trace the
Meeting link to the fancy which
thralled him. The next moment
opened the pocket-book:
Was he dreaming still! he sta'
TO his feet, aglow with excitement,
in his hand lay the picture OF La
Harrild, with her truthful eyes dlre'
TO his face. With trembling HAND
opened a letter, the characters OF w
were familiar to him, and with a
spairing cry he dropped into a
All was clearly revealed. rms
living at his feet was Laura's brot
II was he to whom she was pia'
farewell on Christmas Eve; and
William read, his eyes became oiu
with repentant tears. de rememp