Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1891-12-19

lie had had MS Jealous DOUBTS ana
fears but back OF them all his love had
whispered words ofhope and encOurge-
ment. nhis heart he had never finally
abandoned his faith in Winifred. He
had believed that she would repent OF
herfcolish thrilling by and by. But now
all hope was dead in his heart. 1t lay
ruined and shattered thing, from
which life had been rudely wrested.
Hardly knowing what ne did, he rose
and went out in the pouring rain.
Down the garden path he STROBE, and
out OF the gate toward the woods a
hall mile off.
He walked on and on, never needing
the awful crashes OF thunder, his white
face stamped with look OF utter dis
may.
All, Winifred! Winifred, you should
have seen your work. Would it have
given you any satisfaction had you
seen your lover lying pale and appa-
rently lifeless on the moist earth, where
he had been hurled by the flying frag-
ments OF a tree which the lightning had
shattered?
Where is Mr.. Bronsoh?" Mrs.
Leary inquired. as her guests assemble
ed at the tea-table, when the storm
was well over. HAS any one seen
him?"
Il saw him do very foolish thing"
her husband observed. ale went out
about o'clock, when it was Just pour
ing down. | called TO him, but he did
not answer me.
where did he go, do you think?"
Mrs. Leary asked anxiously.
"In the direction OF the woods,
Mr.. Leary replied. II can't imagine
what was his idea in going out in such
a storm. He hadn't even an umbrel-
la"
HE ought to be back by this time,
john" Mrs. Leary obser we'd uueasily.
Winifred Erskine, in a lovely toilet
OF lowered foulard and Spanish lace,
sat beside Mr.. Terry with apparent
composure. Her face was trifle pale,
though, and her eyes unconsciously
turned toward the door with an ex-
pectant look every time it opened.
Il am really becoming anxious
about Mr.. Bronson" Mrs. Leary OBJ
served later in the evening. 1t is so
unlike him TO 90 off and leave us no
message. Do you think he could have
met with an accident, John?"
II hope not" Mr.. Leary replied, but
he privately dispatched his coachman
and butler with a lantern to look for
the missing guest.
He may have lost his way" he
said as he came up to where Winifred
was standing with her face pressed
against the window-pane, peering out
into the darkness.
Before very long the two men came
back. They had found Mr.. Bronson,
! they said. He had met with an acct
dent. They could not tell whether he
was dead or alive. His head had been
badly cut.
Mr.. Leary at once ordered the car
riage to the door, and went himself to
/ bring Mr.. Bronson home. For a while
/ the widest excitement reigned, and
no one observed Winifred Erskine was
lying in dead faint on the parlor
floor.
A servant was speedily dispatched
for a doctor. For several hours the
verdict was withheld. Philip Bronson
lay white and still in the silent room,
and no one could tell whether life OF
death was before him. At midnight
the doctor came downstairs softly and
went away. As he crossed the hall
he felt OBTAINING hand on his arm
looking around, he saw an implorins
look on the face of woman who
stood beside him.
is he dead?" she whispered.
"No; he is alive"
'Will he recover"
81 cannot tell yet. will know to
morrow"
The doctor went out, and WinifreC
stole up to her room to watch for the
morrow, which would decide the fat,
OF Philip Bronson.
In the morning the symptoms were
encour aging. DR.. Hannah succeeded
in dressing the wound and in ascer
tanning that there had not been frac
ture. Philip might have recovered
shortly had it not been that by hi
exposure to the rain he had contract
ed cold which eliminated in fever
81 think that he will pull through
all right" DR.. Hannah said. II hop
so, at I'll eveuts. But / fear he ha
been suffering mentally. That is yer!
much against his recovery. Who j
this girl he calls for so constantly, Mrs
Leary?"
Winifred Erskine. She has beei
spending the summer here. / thinl
they were engaged.
"Was there any difficulty, do yor
: know, before this accident happened?
II cannot say, doctor. She seem
, very anxious about him. She ha
} hardly eaten thing for a week"
Mrs. Leary's party broke u
: shortly. The doctor complained tina
there were too many people about tn
house, and he ordered them all away
Let me stay, Mrs. Leary," Win
fred Erskine had pleaded. 81 will no
:. make any disturbance, and can hel
1 you nurse him."
g She begged so hard that she was a
! lowed to remain, and, before man
days, was installed as an attendan
4 in the sick room. Philip did not kno'
e her, but, in his delirium, again an