Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-07-16

uncertain in his movements Finally by .
szhiien lgreh hs fen under the team, and must
have teen killed outright II Gabriel had not
quickly pulled him cut As it was be SUI
fered very serious injury. while Gabrieis
arm was terribly lacerated
Here's bad bGsiness,' said Eben Wren
than as be held Steve upon the cart. Snow
ing. too, ike all possessedi How d We feel
now, Stevef LOGS like death, don't her IN
an audible aside
Steve was CHASTITY pale, indeed and his
teeth chartered and his eyes rolled round
Continually.
.'Oh, Lord,n he noansd, I'm al gone to
smash Get me home, boys, quieAl'
Gabriel spoke 10 him reassuringly as he
started up the team But at the motion
Steve gave groan and bis head fell to one
side Then he opened his eyes again and
called feebIy "Gabe,-
Gabriel bent down What Is it, SteveE'
I'm done for, said Steve, who evidently
fancied himself dying, ''and--and want to
tel We something. Gebe, II lied to re that
time, aboUt--aboUt Lefty
Gabriel bad drawn away his hands and
stood pale and lowering over Steve. The
other two fell back, looking On wonderingly,
while Steve in broken sentences told the true
story of that evening Underhill had met
Lefty by chance In the wood road and had
said good-hy to her. saying thst he was going
away on the morrow. As he held her hand
in parting be bent down and kissed her; but
Lefty sternly freed herself, with an exciama-
ton Of anger. CndsrhAl laughed and prom
ised not 10 offend again, and presently they
separated This was the kernel of truth in
that lie which had changed Gabriels whole
life. As for the repeated meetings, the fire.
quent embraces, these were all the coinage Of
Stoves angry and envious mind, bent on in
luriug the three against whom he had
grudge
When Steve had finished his story, Gabriel
said hoarsely: You swear before God this
is truef"
AS hope to be forgiyenl' gasped Steve
Gabriel lifted his clinched hand Eben
Wrentham caught 1t. NO no, Gabe, you
wouldn mot when Steve's hurt so hadn'-
Hurt" muttered Gabriel, ''hurt-where's
my babyt That's dead and Lefty p
He wrenched his hand suddenly free, and
brought ii down 50 violently that the blood
gushes afresh from the ragged wound made
IN rescuing Steve Curse the hand that
saved hint" he muttered again as he dashed
down the road
The Wrenthain brothers. after one blank
stare, turned back TO the business Of the mo-
ment We'll, Steve" said Eben, "a good
job you've made of it altogether | spose
we'n have to get you back somehow now"
Steve only groaned as they started up the
team again They were forced to go slowly
on his account and the rapidly failing light
and fast falling snow rendered progress diff
cult, while the night was setting in bitterly
cold with a singing wind
Tba 10 IL i,rio k,t viii hat
intense cold which sometimes follows heavy
snowstorm The sky had the clear pale blue
of ice, the air was like ice crystals, every
thing froze and sparkled Lawyer Fernald
looking out at he piled up drifts, concluded
that he would have to wait yet another day
to see Gabriel Dallas.
The Wren,Lam brothers, however, who
lived in Gabrel's neighborhood, were con-
cerned to know how he reached home, in
view Of his injured arm and his desperate
state of mind 50 after breakfast Eben broke
his way over
Gabriel was not there The house was shut
up, and there was no appearance of life about
the place. Eben made his way to the next
house, where Gabriel had used to take his
meals since his wifes departure. But moth
ing had been seen of him there either, since
the previous morning. when he started of
with the logging party Ebcn, uneasy, went
home and informed his brother Of the result
of his expedition The two stood looking at
each other and the same thought came into
the eyes of both.
Lefty" said Eben
THE old house in the hollow !" exclaimed
William in the same breath
They harnessed heavy sledge and started
out toward the old house There were no in
dlcations that Gabriel had passed along the
wood road diverging to the hollow, but yes
tcr1ay's abundant snowfall would doubtless
otface his tracks They labored on until the
house itself was reached Here, too. the
same silence, the same desolate loneliness
The only suggestion of life-a life which had
como out in death--was the little white grave
under the heulock tree
They went up to the door, which tho wind
had wrenched partly Off in the night A
great heap OF snow lay within the small pas
sage as they stepped inside. but there was no
sign of human presence, only dead cold
that seemed to chill the blood in their veins
William stopped with his hand on the latch,
II don't believe they're here, Eb,' he said
hesitatingy
They must be, Lefty at any rate" an
swered Eben, open the door, will you.
Billr'
They entered, but there was no one there.
They crossed the floor and paused on the
threshold of the next and only other room Of
the rude little structure William stood still,
with chatterng teeth, for the cold seemed to
increase at every step The door was Just
ajar, and over his brothers shoulder Eben
reached forward and pushed it gently open.
At first they thought that this room, too,
was empty but after moment tho figures