The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-04-09

II war nome lc1- NtOfe InaJ' IeIJ
right afterwards
All the next day the search was kept
up, and without success. At night the
men were exhausted and had TO rest.
But the second day the search was re-
newed with more vigor than ever.
The two fathers kept together through
kind Of sympathetic understanding.
They were widely separated from the
other searchers when they came upon the
tracks made by little feet.
A moment later they found larger foot
prints and those of dog close to them.
The men looked at each other with tears
of joy running down their faces and
neither was ashamed of his weakness.
They dashed forward over the soft, moist
ground of the little hollow they were in,
not losing sight of a single track. Sud-
denly Peter stopped, with a smothered
cry of alarm.
ooh, Lord Oh, Lord Look at that !"
he groaned, pointing to the ground,
where the tracks of another animal
mingled with those of the dog. "Do ye
know what them ISL Them's the foot
prints of mountain lion!"
1t was true. There was no mistaking
the nature of those later tracks.
"You and me know what them marks
mean for both ov us, said Peter, putting
his hand on Mr.. Fromer's shoulder.
'Ther hain't no hurry now, fur we're
too late. So afore we go on to look fur
our childrens bones | want you to apol-
ergise to my Rilly. Right here! Right
now! Yer thought in yer heart as she'd
led yer little feller off. I knew she
didn't. She'd give her life tryin' to save
him fur ye. How do I know9 Cause
that's natural to Rilly, fur one thing.
Mother thing, them little tracks was
made afore the bigger ones md the dogs.
Mother thing, the baby was alone when
Bill Brown Seen him, md Rilly was alone
when he seen her md told her bout it..
An moren all that, while was out O
the cabin after Bill Brown seen her she
was there md carried off grub enough to
last her nd the baby-if she found him
alive-till she could git him hum. An
now, Jake Fromer, if you don't apoler.
gise fur that insult ye thought I'll kill
yep
Without speaking Mr.. Fromer looked
into the other mans eyes and held out
his hand The look and the gesture
meant more than the words he could moi
control himself to speak, and the apology
was made and accepted. The two clasped
hands, and then went forward in feal
and trembling.
Presently they stopped, having almost
stumbled over the dead body of a mount
ain lion. At the same moment faint
weak whine of recognition sounded clos
by, and then there was happy but yer!
feeble cry of welcome, and the tw,
fathers knelt beside their living children
II knowed yc'd find us, dad!" saiC
Rilly. "My legs broke, nd we had t.
wait He broke it," pointing to tn
dead beast, "but me md Ranter KEEP hin
off the kid, md Ranter killed him TIL
baby's all right. Didn't lind him till las
night. And wasn't he hungry"
With great rejoicing the lost childrel
and poor, torn Ranter as well-wer
carried to the Fromer cabin. As Mrs
Fromer was lavishing her tenderness anC
gratitude upon Rilly, Pete Pelter cam
and stood beside her with a triumph il
his face that was good to see.
~ knowed we'd find them two kid
together, he said. CAN l knowed ye'C
change yer pint of view bout my gal.
-PhiJadelphia Times.