Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-12-02

CHAPTER xyHI-CoNrINurn
where's her father?'' he said az al.
stood beside him.
HE been away all evening hunting
TOR Manu. she said.
"And I've been idle.' and he Iooke6
aa her IN strained, strange way
linen he mounted quickly and sent hi:
morse at headlong run through the
town, and came laundering across the
bridge by the mill-dam into the wood
lands lie drew his horse up as he
reached the crest of the sIope and
nstenedi whippoorwills were caIIino
DOWN In the silent valley and some
nlght-birdS were twittering in subdued
anc dreamy notes about him; he could
scarcely hear them, his heart beat so.
- nttle way before him some men were
olseingulshable in the road. He went
forward quickly, but Maun was not
there; Beyond them were other men,
anu the girl father going about under
Maun. In an eager, wild, half-mourn-
full way. The pale slashes of moon
nght lit him up momentarily as they
fell through the boughs, and John
Earring saw that he was without a coat
or hat and his gray hair was shaken
ABOUT his white face. Springing from
his horse the young man went directly
70 him. At sight of his kind old en-
pioyer's grief and fear and passion his
own milling nerves at first seemed
TO Vlorate with shock and then grow
calm The blood seemed to 90 along
MS veins with a kind of burning steadi.
ness, the steadinesS that seemed al
ways to come to John Earring with
anger, anger that was often little more
than a fierce, pitiful sorrow. He laid
his hand on the old lawyers arm as he
reached him. What has been done
to find her?" he asked, steadily.
The old attorney turned quickly and
peered into his face with an agony of
apprehension IN his eyes .Don't-don' t
you know where she is?" he asked. IN
a tone that sounded piteous. coming
from this man who was ALWAYS so
strong and bitter. Mo-" he went on,
without waiting for reply, .syou dom
know; but you'll find her, boy. you'll
lind her for me, She's all I've got,
and L meant her for YOU, I meant her
for your
For an instant John Earling was
shaken by this appeal; then he said in
thick, calm voice: What has been
done? Where have you searched9"
'.Everywhere. ereryscheret" cried the
old man, with his clinched fists flung
up and away from him and his ewes
flashing" 20! o, if any one has
harmed her, boy. if any one has
touched her" ground the words
as they came through his teeth
peace, sir; do not be violent; she
may not be alive" said the young man,
huskily, "then anger would detiIe you,
W ait awhile: she may yet be alive.
You had best 60 home and rest, sir l
will find her before morning and
bring her to you He spoke SO ten
derby to the distracted father that it
half dissolved his own fear and rage
No, no, no. said the old man, Il
can't go home without her. and he
turned away under the trees and began
calling: .-Maun. Maun! Maun," as he
went down through the brambles.
Johr. Earring stood still in the sill
very gloom, and his blood thrilled and
he shuddered as he heard him call
ing so lonesomely, so yearningly,
so fearfully along the silent river.
He went back into the road where
one of the men had caught his
horse and was holding it. At
that moment Absalom Heater came
striding along the road. When he saw
John Earnings white visage he stopped
and grasped his hand Wen find
her for you," he said. in low voice.
He had seen John Earring with the old
lawyer daughter at Joers party. ana
somehow guessed that they were con-
nected tenderly.
.Have you seen her, or any one that
might harm her, ABB" the young man
asked
WAS standin' in the mill door bout
dusk, saw the girl cross the lower
bridge an ride up this way. Let's
see; there was number comm out this
way. all farmers though; yes-ohi
there was that mouse-co1ored still tell
er that keeps the books at the store; he
went up this way about the same time
the Miss did.
John Earring gave start, and
mounting quickly went galloping into |
the town and ran up the stairs to Fowl |
er's rooms above the store. He felt |
about in the dark hall and found the !
door and knocked. No one answered. |!
He called the mans name close to the |
door, then putting his foot on the door
knob sprang up and caught in the tram
som and pushing it open called the |
mans name into the room, but all was
breathlessly still. Then he went down
and rode hard to the woods again. and
all the night long pressed his horse
through the lanes and paths and high
WAYS about Openstone. 1t was the
deadIiest night of his life; darkling.
burning, longing. hearing in fact and
in fancy, the wandering
father calling: "Maun! Maun! Maun.
he drove his painting horse to and fro;
now crossing some ghastly-looking OBJ
iect to find it moontit log or waver-
inc shadow; now bursting through .he
bushes into an opening, and again rid
ing miles along the white road, and
thrilling as some cow or other animal
started up In the moonlight; then turn
inc into the woods and crossing dark
streams and hoilows and hills, until,
W hen the dawn came, his hat was
gone. his clothes and flesh were torn,
and his face as gray as ashes with
emotion and fatigue
Until the moon went down others on
foot and on horses had been searching,
but John Earring and the old lawyer
never ceased: and when the first amber
puff appeared in the East, heralding the
blossoming of the dawn, andksen its
wan film of light along the streets,
touching with gray the faces that
the gurgliag water from the
bridge, and crept on up the winding
road under the trees, it found john
tho oraSt of the slope His