The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-03-09

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"rHE ONE TO THE LEFT Is THE SHORTEST"
he said: II have been over to the Gray
Peak shaft. My father and are interested
there and at the Eagle. He leaves the man.
agement here good deal to me, as he has
other interests at home in the East. My
name is Paul Elchard." Then. as if he were
suddenly conscious that there was lack Of
reason for saying this, he flushed little.
"My name is Trean Hartman" said the
girl. simply, and he bowed again. and, turn
ing, with more of color in his cheeks than
he came with. he strobe swiftly across the
little plot of green to the road. vaulted on
his horse, and set his face toward the west
ern mountains. For few moments the
girl stood motionless upon the porch and let
her eyes follow him. kind of light rising
in them as if she saw pleasant vision. then
they darkened as if cloud had swept over
her and she turned and entered the house.
But almost instantly she came out again,
and turning down through the orchard,
stepped upon wall of stone that ran beside
it, and looked from under the archway of
her hand toward the ford below.
In moment the galloplng horseman en-
tered clump Of trees, then reappeared and
rode straight into the foaming creek. Near
the water the track Of recent passers turned
down the stream to Q new and safer point,
but in the failing light he did not observe
this. With the first plunge his horse was
swept around and lost his feet, then caught
upon q portion of what once had been the
shoal, struggled. sank. then caught again,
but lost it, and, whirled around by the boil
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him. In a heartbeat Of time they were
dashed into sort Of swirling bowl below,
the man struggling with the horse, but
thrown against the overhanging bank and
bounding Of with the shock: then they were
both sucked round like lightning and flung
down and outward, the man striking
against a pile of logs half buried in sand
and scooped up silt, where he caught and
hung, while the horse went whirling down
the torrent. but got his feet at last and
scrambled up the bank and shook its
dripping hide. It seemed but little in
iured, but its master, half conscious and
with some threads of red trucking down his
temple and across his white neck, still chung
to the logs, seemingly more from instinct
than clear reason, while the water wrenched
ard tugged at him as if bound to pluck him
loose. The horse moved about and began
to nibble at the sward half-heartedly, but
the master still held fast to the logs and
labored for breath. Suddenly the young
woman who had watched from the orchard
wall sprang down the bank with face
colorless from the swiftness Of her coming.
With the first sweep of her eyes along the
edge curious note of horror came through
her lips, and she bounded across the logs
and caught the dashed and buffeted figure.
In her fright she seemed swift and strong
almost beyond women, or rather the under
lying power Of this slow, hard-working.
mountain-matured girl flowed through all
her being, and she lifted the man up and
across the logs much as if he had been q
child.
Are you hurt bad.' she painted, as she
hung over him.
For answer, he turned his face, all pal
lid and pinched with pain. toward her, and
tried to get up. He seemed to hear and see
her. but could not speak save with the ago
ny in his eyes. At that, the look of fright
and horror deepened in the girls face, and
half lifting him she painted: 20, if father
was only herer' and the injured man strug-
gled to his feet, and they went wavering up
the bank and stopped.
Il am crushed in here" he gasped, with
his hand pressed against his heart. II
struck the rocks-it is dark to me, let me-
he-downr and he sank forward upon the
grass and was still.
20. he'll die, he'll dle!" cried the girl.
''Father! fatherr' and her voice went ring
ing In long, trembling echo across the val
ley and up the canyon. "Father. father"
Then she held her breath and hearkened.
mo. he's not come vet" she painted. and
bending down she laid her hand timidly
upon the mans face. ''He's faintedr' she
said. and Strengthening up stood still in the
gathering twilight Filmy spirits seemed
descending out of the air and grouping
under the trees, the silvered tops of the cot
tonwuods began to grow leaden, and the
great lake Of light that filed the valley
went slowly from pale rose to cloudy amber.
while the vast fakes Of gold that lay upon
the mountain heights flickered, and seemed
turning into ashes. Suddenly the man
started up with . sound Of agony, and the
girl, with startled, half-so0thing exclama-
ton, put out her hands and caught HIM
Are you better now!" she asked. He
looked 1t her in . dased way. II am Trean
Hartman" she said, 'could you ride to the
house i'll helped you to mountf'
He looked round him curiously and his
eyes grew clear. 'sYes, I think So" he n
bored out Then she brought the horse
quickly and led 1t down depression almost
under the bank.
Now" she said, ''if you can step into
the saddle from the edge will hold Jour
horse steady"
Slowly and with his teeth set to keep beck
the groan that came up from his heart The
young man lowered himself into the saddle.
Gan forward with your hands On his
neck, y" sad the girl; then srasping the
reins Just back Of the bits she led the horse
carefully up the hank and along the road 10
ward the house. She said nothin9, and ths