The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-03-22

/ Her husband laid his hand on he
shoulder and stopped her from sayinl
more. Mr.. Pelter heard the words ami
noted the movement, but he only saic
I'll help We to hunt fur yer child.
kin hunt fur mine later. Or mebb
we'll find 'em together. l reckon that
most likely"
All night long these two men, witt
the help of all the other men in th
settlement, searched the forest wit
torches for their lost children and foun
no trace of either of them. One httA
bit of information was given by ma
who came to join the searching party.
In the afternoon, while on a shouldF
of the mountain near the settlement, e
had stopped to look down at the hous
and the road. He saw little child s.
ing along the road toward the forek,
He thought that was not safe, so iei
started down the slope to capture tie
little rover. He was good while CT
ting to the road, and when he got thee
he saw only Rilly Pelter and her dg.
He asked her about the child he Id
seen, but she only looked at him ad
started off toward her fathers houe.
Thinking he had been frightened wih-
out reason, the man had gone his wv
without giving any alarm.
what time might that ha' been.
asked Peter Pelter.
Bout three o'clock, 1 reckon
81 war home jest afore that NJ
right afterwards" =
All the next day the search was Kept
up, and without success. At night the
men were exhausted and had p rest
But the second day the search was re-
newed with more vigor than ewr.
The two fathers kept togethe through
kind of sympathetic understanding.
They we're widely separate from the
other searchers when they ;ame upon
the tracks made by little fe't.
A moment later they bund larger
footprints and those of . dog close to
them. The men looked 1T each other
with tears of JOY running down their
faces and neither was shamed of his
weakness. They dashe forward over
the soft, moist groun, of the little
hollow they were in, no losing sight OF
single track. Suddeny Pelter stopped,
with smothered cry If alarm.
so, Lord. 0, Lord! Look at that!' he
groaned, pointing tothe ground, where
the tracks of another animal mingled
with those of the dog. do ye know
what them is? TEENS the footprints
Of a 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, put
ting 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
children's bones | want you to apoler-
gise to my Rilly. Right here! Right
now! Yc thought in yer heart as she'd
led yer little Teller off. | knew she
didn't. She's give her life tryin' to save
him fur We. How do | know? Cause
that's natural to Rilly, fur one thing.
Mother thing, them little tracks was
made afore the bigger ones nd the logs.
Mother thing, the baby was alone when
Bill Brown seen him, and Rilly was alone
when he seen her nd told her bout 1t.
An more'n all that, while was ou5eS tae
cabin after Bill Brown seen her she Vs.
there nd 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 apolcrgise fur
that insult ye thought, I'll kill ye!''
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 apollo
gy was made and accepted. The two
clasped hands. and then went forward
in fear and trembling.
Presently they stopped, having almost
stumbled over the dead body of nom
tain lion. At the same moment faint
weak whine of recognition sounded
close by, and then there was a happy
but very feeble cry of welcome, and the
two fathers knelt beside their living
children.
Il knowed ye'd find us, dad!' sale
Rilly. My legs broke, nd we had tc
wait. He broke it." pointing to the dead
beast; but me nd Ranter KEEP him of
the kid, nd Ranter killed him. The
baby's all right. Didn't find him Ill
last night An wasn't he hungry"'
With great rejoicing the lost childnI
and poor. torn Ranter as well-wer'
carried to the Fromer cabin. AS Mrs
Fromer was lavishing her tendernss
and gratitude upon Rilly, Pete Pel;e
came and stood beside her with a tri
umph in his face that was good to see
II knowed we'd find them two kid
together" he said. An knowed ye'C
change yer PINT O. view bout my GAL
James c. Purdy, in Philadelphia Times