Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-01-07
CHAPTER xII.-CoNT1NUED.
copyright. ,s9,. by A. N. Kellogg Newspaper Col

Wanda watched the men start, gazed
with kind Of dazed interest on Dol
man and few others as they dragged
the wounded horse up the bank; and
then went back to the house. Oh,
how hard it was to be a wOman-to do
nothing but stay indoors and wiring her
hands, when her loving friend was in
such fearful danger. She had hardly
reached her room, when she was told
that a man was waiting below to see
her. Harry! All, it was Harry come at
last, she thought-now she would have
strong heart to lean upon-now She
But it was not Harry. 1t was only a
white-haired man, with face SO CHASTITY
in expression that it chilled her blood
to look at him.
''Where is George Arundel, Miss?
What have ye done with Master
George?''
There was 4 reproachful appeal in
the mans manner which struck her to
the heart.
''Have you not heard? Do you not
know? We fear they were lost on the
river last night-he and Mr.. Damiens-
they started late, and one OF the horses
came back badly hurt
''Oh-h-h," Bladon groaned.
''They may not even be hurt, if you
will only wait till
But the old man did not seem to hear
her.
''Lured him to his ruin, as the other
Wanda did his hapless father"
The poor girls bosom heaved in deep
distress; her lips moved as though she
would have uttered a remonstrance, but
the depths of the old mans sorrow
awed her into silence. --f-----
''You might have spared him, MISS"
he said presently. 'You might have
left him alone in the care of his old
servant-he was blind you know-not
much of a conquest for a bonnie lass
like you. 1t was too bad, too bad"
''Ob, Mr.. Bladon," but sobs cholked
her utterance.
'Then you must have them both at
tinued, "both this gay young French
man and Master George. True, my
poor lad couldn't see the others eyes
dcvouring your pretty face-ah, you'd
better have took to one instead of
wrcclSing both their lives"
But bark! A shout. 1t is man rum
ming on the ice, who calls to those
ashore to send a bobsleigh with
featherbed in it to place above the
point.
Old Bladon was among the first to
respond to the cry. Now that there
was something to do, the old man had
cast aside his air of depression, and was
busy making preparation to do his
duty. Nothing was forgotten in the
hurry-blanl<etS, brandy, hot water
bottlcs-and he alone thought to send
ancn off in hot haste to Glastonbury
to fetch a surgeon.
Then the sad group set out up the
river, with host of women and chill
dren at its heels, and Wanda Arlington
renained behind, agonized with the
pain of an almost unbearable suspense.
They came at last, with the terrible
story, carried by excited schoolboys,
preceding them.
Yes, they had found one of the miss
ing ones-pOor George Arundel. He
was lying with his face buried in the
snow, and with the wreck of a cutter
and the body of dead horse beside him.
And when Wanda Arlington learned
this dismal story, she brushed aside her
tears, and, with a group of eager, chat
tering children around her, started up
the river to meet the rescuers. It was
easy to see by their dOwncast looks that
the worst had happened-the worst, she
said bitterly to herself, was not death.
''You will bring him to my room at
Mr.. Dolman's," she said, with a COM
posure that did not deceive the kind
hearted rivermen, who were tender as
women when trouble was to the fore.
''No, no, lass, not that, not that"
The speaker was William Bladon. He
was walking beside the sleigh little
aloof from the others, but he advanced
to her side when she spoke.
''And why not?" the girl said holly.
''What have l done that you should
treat me SO cruelty? George Arundel
was my dear friend, -as-weh as yours,
and claim my right to be near him in
his hour of need
''But, miss
'sNay, hear me. If he could speak,
do you think he would approve your
harshness?'' .-.--- 1885,
-.'They think he'll never live to win
this journeys end" Bladon whispered
1T matters little where they take him,
lass; your lodgings as good as any
where else, so have thine own way,
child. P'raps 1 was too hard on thee
this morn, but l loved the lad dearly
an I'm old an set in my ways"
So they bore the poor, MANNED body
to Dolman's house, and laid it tenderly
on Wanda's bed.
Then came the dreaded hour, when the
physician was making his examination,
and all the stricken girl could do was
to pray ceaselessly and pitifully that
Heaven would spare her the worst.
Good, kind, gentle DIR. West, who had
been her friend from the day after her
arrival in Glastonbury, came from the
sick chamber at last.
mo, he is not quite dead,'' he said
"But I do not think he viii Enger
through the day"
And, without word, at his feet
Wanda Arlington fell, as though the
verdict had stricken her with death.
Meanwhile the villagers were hurry
ing to and fro searching for traces of
the other participant of the nights adj
venture, who had SO mysteriously dis
appeared from the scene. 1t was i'm
possible that he could have fallen
through the ice, for the snow-prints of
the horses hoof were too fresh not to
tell the exact story of their wanderings,
and there was not an air-hole near them.
But towards noon, a fisherman, who
had moored his ''hut" at the further