The Red Cloud chief., 1888-06-15
struggle. Apparently she had become

struggle. Apparently she had become
unconscious. After q time they turned into
q smaller canyon that ran up the mountain
toward the east. Here the road was not
good. and the smaller man got out and led
the team In a little time the canyon
seemed to cease, and they came on: upon
the side OF the mountain. Then they
stopped. Just above them was the dark
opening OF an abandoned miners drift.
They lifted the helpless figure from the
carriage and laid it upon the ground. Then
the small man knelt down and prayed
with his wild. dark face turned up to the
stars. Before he had finished h muHcd
hgure began to strain and struggle, and
when he had said Amen he arose. and
handing the large man q surgeons knife.
turned away with his face toward the
mountains top. As he looked the rim of
the moon came into a notch near the sum-
NIT, he heard u strange noise behind him, q
sound to be remembered IN dreadful dreams,
then a hoarse Mortified kind of shrek that
whirled him about with Its frightfulness.
Half of the moon was throwing its light
down the mountain side, and Hyrum Farley
was staggering back with arms lifted and
eyes p~rotruding. '.I've killed Cistene,, he
OA IN We hAASu NAotCHC. 1ilO
he caught his hands IN his hair. and
plunged about like q drunken man. His
limbs seemed to double up under the weight
of his body. and in a moment he fell head.
long among the stone and lay there beat
ing his face among them in frenzy.
The little man stood still and gazed in hor-
ror. All, they had shed innocent blood!
The objectionable sin was theirs! And tho
moon swung into the notch, and looking
down q moment with lncffab!e sorrow,
passed slowly behind the peak and left them
in darkness.
The explanation was this: Cistene. jeal-
Gus of her lord, had watched him slip away
mysteriOusly toward Hartman's. and had
followed. Standing in the darkness under
the trees to watch for him, the poor woman
had seen Trean ny by her like q midnight
spirit, and. stepping for ward in fright,
was hurled to the earth by the girls pur-
suers and gagged and bound. 1t was a sad
ending to a sad deception. Far away in
Norway, the same moonlight which had
just shown her pallid face to Farley had
fallen but . few hours before on III cottage
roof which sheltered her through all her
peaceful childhood. and had looked down
with seeming pity into the eyes of her gray
haired parents, eyes that longed n hun
gcrcd for their child, but should never be
satisfied.
But Trean. She had fed on through the
darkness, with her heart shrinking and her
feet winged with seak. She knew nothing
of the cruel miracle which had saved her,
but, in fancy. feeling the rough clutch Of
horrible hands upon her still, she strove
| only to gain her lovers side. Just beyond
the row of trees, into whose protecting
shadows she had plunged, a large gate
stood open. Through this she ran, and on
across the fields and around the town. In
a short time, from sheer exhaustion, she
ceased running, but still hurried forward
with quick breath and fluttering pulse, and
ever and anon looking back into the gloom
with a throb of horror and fear. When she
had entered the road below the town, she
suddenly remembered that Elchard was to
come by the other road, and she turned
| hack into the fields. and, crossing the val
lev. found the dim way and fastened on.
1t was q long walk to Eagle canyon. and
lonely as death, but At last she reached its
! gloomy mouth and entered. Then on and
on until it seemed her weary limbs would
fail her. At the entrance to the smaller
| gorge she stopped, not being sure Of the
road beyond that point, and sat dow in the
darkness by the wayside, quivering with
WEAKNESS. The mool was lining its pale
| disk over the mountains now, and pres
entity the yawning chasm broke open As by
magic, with all its huge powders, gnarled
pines and lowering lodges turned to gro
tesque phAntasmagoria in the misty light.
Then suddenly three horsemen came rid
ing down the gorge; the one in the CENTER
who was evidently wounded, beng steadied
in his saddle by the other two. The girl
shrunk into the shadow, and they passed
away toward the city. She could wait no
longer after seeing that, but ded like . wild
thing up the canyon toward the mines with
her heart crying out in apprehension. Blu
soon the blessed sound Of ca~rriage-wheels
came to her ears. 1t was like music, and
she hastened on. When Elchard saw her
standing by the road. with her hair fallen
down her back and her large eyes lustrous
with fear and yearning, he gave . cry Of
alnazement. In a moment she was in his
arms. clinging to him like . hunted thing.
20 Paul, take me away from this awful
place" she implored.
..Yes. darling, We will go now" he said,
! and before the dawn broke they had passed
from these valleys forever.