San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-02-16
The Daily Eight.
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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY. IS, 1899.

with their work; 50, loading up their logs,
they started for home. Steve had been drink
ing more than usual that day and was very
uncertain in his movements Finally by a
sudden lurch he fell under the team, and must
have been killed outright if Gabriel had not
quickly pulled him out As it was he suf-
fered very serious injury, while Gabriels
arm was terribly lacerated
Heres bad business" said Eben Wren
than as he held Steve upon the cart Snow
ing, too, like all possessed How d. ye feel
now, Stevef Looks like death, don't heF In
an audible aside
Steve was ghastly pale, indeed, and his
teeth chartered and his eyes rolled round
continually.
"Oh, Lord" he moaned, I'm all gone TO
smash Get me home, boys quick"
Gabriel spoke to him reaSsuringly as he
started up the team. But at the motion
Steve gave a groan and his head fell to one
side. Then he opened his eyes again and
called feebly, "Gabe!"
Gabriel bent down. "What is it, Steve?"
'I'm done for" said Steve, who evidently
fancied himself dying "and-and want to
tell We something. Gabe III he'd to We that
time, about-about Lefty
Gabriel had drawn away his hands and
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 that no was going
away on the morrow. AS he held her hand
in parting he bent down and kissed her; but
Lefty sternly freed herself, with an exclama-
ton OF anger. Underhill laughed and prom
ised not to offend again, and presently they
separated This was the kernel Of truth in
that lie which had changed Gabriel's whole
life. AS for the repeated meetings, the fire.
quent embraces, these were al the coinage of
Steve's angry and enviOus mind, bent on in |
juring the three against whom he had a |
grudge.
When Steve had finished his story, Gabriel |
said hoarsely: You swear before Cod this |
is truef'
las hope to be forgiven!" sasped Steve
Gabriel lifted his clinched hand. Eber |
Wrentham caught it. "No, no, Gabe, you |
wouldn't-no: when Steve's hurt so badIn-
Hurt" muttered Gabriel, "hurt-where's |
my babyl That's dead!-and Letty2n-
He wrenched his hand suddenly free, and |
brought it down so violently that the blood |
gushed afresh from the ragged wound made
IN reScuing Steve. Curse the hand that
saved himr he muttered again as he dashed
down the road
The Wrentham brothers, after one blank
stare, turned back to the business Of the mo- I
ment well, Steve" said Eben, "a good
job you've made Of it altogether | s'pOse
Wen 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 q singing wind.
The next day dawne&bright, but with that
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 sperkled. Lawyer Fernald,
looking out at the piled up drifts, concluded
that he would have to wait yet another day
to see Gabriel Dallas
The WTentham brothers, however, who
lived in Gabriel's neighborhood, were con
cerned to know how he reached home, il |
view Of his injured arm and his desperate
state Of mind So 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 OIL
with the logging party. Eben 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 holloww exclaimed
William in the same breath.
They hRrnessed heavy sledge and started
out toward the old house There were no in
Gications that Gabriel had passed along the
wood road diverging to the hollow, but yes
terdays abundant snowfall would doubtless
effacs his tracks They labored on until the
house itself was reached Here, too. was the
same silence the same desOlate loneliness
The only suggestion Of ife-a life which had
gon9 out in death-was the little white grave
under the hemloCk tree,
They won't up to the door, which the wind
had wrenched partly of in the night.
great heap Of snow lay within tho small pas
sage as they stepped inside, but there was nc
sign Of human presence, only a dead cold |
that seemed to chill the blood in their veins
William stopped with his hand on the ratch !
II don't believe they're here, Eb," he said |
hesitatingly.
They must be, Lofty at any rate" an
swered Eben; open the door, will you, |
Bill"
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 chattering teeth, for the cold seemed to
increase at every stop. The door was lust