The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-04-18


What" / demanded. nearly stu
pefied with amazement
Leave II all 10 me. - she said. "and
/ will save your friend. No-I'm not
crazy. Listen: Last night the gov
ernor proposed 10 me. OF course
love him dearly. but don't want TO be
too cheaply won. and so / refused 10
| give him an answer. He dimes with
US tonight. After dinner. when his
stomach Is full and his heart easy
10 get at I'll promise TO marry him on
the condition that he pardons poor old
Duke
Then and there. on a public train
though we were, Rugged and kissed
her.
She was as good as her word. and
six hours later was on board another
train. homeward bound. and in my
pocket was a reprieve for Duke-the
case against him being so strong that
the governor deemed "A full pardon
impolitic then.
The reprieve granted him another
three months. though, and by that time
popular sentiment was likely 20 cool
down sufficiently TO make pardon
feasible.
On the way home was fairly happy.
and tried 10 picture TO myself Dukes
face when he knew he was safe.
This made me so comfortable that
fell "a sleep.
Nothing disturbed my slumbers UNI
I'll the trainmen called out the name OF
the junction where | had 10 change
cars for the branch road which ran
through my town.
And there. 10 my CONSERVATION. /
found myself unable TO move Men
tally was awake. Physically was
asleep. | was fully conscious OF the
stir and hustle made by those who
were getting on and off the train; but
could not move n muscle.
With all my might tried 10 throw
Oft the trance-like spell that held me,
but all TO no purpose. The train
moved on and took me with IL.
Cold pcrspiration oozed out through
every pore, anG think | would have
gone mad then and there had not utter
unconsciousness mercifully co me TO my
rescue.
II was more than an hour before |
rcgained possession OF my senses.
BY that time IL was impossible TO
get back TO the junction IN time 10
catch the homebound train on the
branch line.
Springing up. the moment | was con-
scious. explained things to the con-
ductor. offering him any price he chose
TO demand II he would run his train
back TO the junction and take me
home.
That was out OF the question. He
could only do such thing on the order
OF the general superintendent aud that
peronage could not be reached. because
a storm the day before had blown SO many
wires down that all telegraphic com
munication was cut off.
All that could do. then, was TO re-
main on board the train seven hours
moro. when by tramping - or 10 miles
over a craggy, roadless mountain.
could probably get home by noon.
Though the probably" discouraged
me, thanked the conductor for his
advice, shut my teeth hard on my
misery and tried TO make the best OF II. I
That was the longest night OF my
life. II seemed to me that IL would
never end.
Day was just breaking when we
reached the station where | was TO
leave the train and begin my foot Jour-
ney over the mountain.
Hard as was the ascent OF that track
less, precipitious mountain-side. il was
vast Improvement on the train.
was in motion myself now-doing
something. whether IL would avail me
anything or not
Soon the sun was up Although too
soon it had accomplished half its Jour
ney from horizon To zenith.
IL was then that reached the noun
tain-top. with good seven miles OF
rough walking still before me.
Duke was 10 be- hanged at noon. UNI
less was on time.
At 10 o'clock | was but two miles
away from him; and with all the hor-
rors OF my journey presumably behind
me. smiled self gratulatively at the
thought OF how easy the rest would be.
and how should disappoint those who
were even then gathering 20 SEQ my
client hanged.
A vine caught my foot and threw
me. Falling. | sprained my ankle.
and the pain was so intense that had
10 exert every atom OF my will TO keep
me from going into dead faint
Breaking forlSed stick from a sap
ling. presently, extemporized IL into
crutch. and hobblcd of as best
could.
AZ the end Of an hour / had made
but half mile. and was SO exhausted