Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-02-11
CHAPTER VIII.

Kate was stirring early, but not as earlyas
her sister, who met her on the threshold of
her room. Her face was quite pale, and she
held a letter in her hand. "What does this
mean, Kate!n
"What is, the matters" asked Kate, her own
color fading from her cheek.
"They are gone-with their horses Left
before day, and left this"
She handed Kate an open letter. The girl
took it hurriedly, and read;
"When you get this we shall be no more;
perhaps not even as much. Ned found the
trail yesterday, and we are taking the first
advantage of it before day. We dared not
trust ourselves to say 'Good-byp last even
ing; we were too cowardly to face you this
morning; we must go as we came, without
warning, but not without regret. We leave
package and letter for your husband. 1t
is not only our poor return for your gentle
ness and hospitality, but, since it was acci-
dentally the means of giving us the pleasure
of your society, we beg you to keep it in safe
ty until his return. We kiss your mothers
hands Ned wants to say something more,
but time presses, and l only allow him to
send his love to Minnie, and to tell her that
he is trying to find the red snow.
GEORGE LEE"
"But he is not fit to travel,' said Mrs.
Hale. "And the trail-it may not be pass
able"
at was passable the day before yesterday"
said Kate drearily, "for discovered it, and
went as far as the buckeyes"
"Then it was you who told them about it,"
said Mrs. Hale reproachfully
NO" said Kate Indignantly. "Of course
l didn't" She stopped, and reading the sig
nifcance of her speech in the glistening eyes
of her sister, she blushed Josephine kissed
her and said:
"It ,cas treating US like children, Kate,
but we must make them pay for it hereafter.
For that package and letter to John means
something, and we shall probably see them
before long. l wonder what the letter is
about, and what is in the package~
"Probably one of Mr.. Lees jokes. He is
quite capable of turning the whole thing into
ridicule. dare say he considers his visit
here prolonged jest"
"Wth his poor leg, Kate9 You are as un-
fair to him as you were to Falkner when they
first came"
Kate, however, kept her dark eyebrows
knitted in piquant frown.
ITO think of his intimating tuhat he would
allow Falkner to say! And yet you believe
he has no evil influence over the young
man."
Mrs. Hale laughed. "Where are you going
so fast Kates" she called, mischievously, as
the young lady hounced out of the room.
@1vherea Why, to tidy Johns room. He
may be coming at any moment now. Or do
you want to do it yourself" .,. .-.e
@No, no. returned Mrs. Hale, hurriedly,
@you do it Ill look in a little later on"
She turned away with sigh. The sun
was shining brilliantly outside. Through
the half-open blinds its long shafts seemed
to be searching the house for the lost guests,
and making the hollow shell appear doubly
empty What contrast to the dear dark
days of mysterious seclusion and delicious
security, lit by Lees laughter and the spark
ling hearth, which had passed so quicklyl
The forgotten outer world seemed to have
returned to the house through those open
windows and awakened its dwellers from a
dream.
The morning seemed interminable, and it
was past noon, while they were deep in a
sympathetic conference with Mrs. Scott, who
had drawn a pathetic word picture of the
two friends perishing in the snowdrift with
out fiannels, brandy, smelling salts or jelly,
which they had forgotten, when they were
startled by the loud barking of Spot on the
lawn before the house. The women looked
hurriedly at each other.
"They have returned" said Mrs. Hale
Kate ran to the window. A horseman was