Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-17

got there under the papers,"
'sPhotographl o, that's Of Clara Ray
mond, " said Eric carclcssly enough, as
he drew it from the hiding place.
''What did you put IL out Of sight
FORT"
"Out Of sightl IL was purely me-
chanicai movement on my part"
"You arc in love with Clara Ray
mond." declared Nash, bluntly.
"Who says / amt" asked Eric, TO gain
time.
II say SO. I've been watching the
game from the first"
"Then / wish you'd tell me exactly
how the case stands on her side" re-
marked Eric.
"You would know yourself, IL you
weren't binder than bat. She has been
fond of you, but she's weaving herself
now rs fast as possible"
Eric stared at him helplessly.
"How long do you expect self-re-
specting woman to stand with her heart
in her hand waiting for you to ask for
itg" demanded Nash.
Eric still stared blankly. Then his eye
fell upon the sealed compact. He took
1t up obviously.
''Break it open!" exclaimed Nash.
Eric obeyed Nash had the whip hand
of him. He drew out the sheet of paper
and handed it to the other.
"Shall read it9" asked Nash.
eyes, If you want to-"
Nash's brows puckered over the reso-
luton.
"This is a pretty piece of tomfoolery,' v
he declared. "But keep the compact by
all means. To be kept until October 10,
1890, nine months ahead. BY that time
Clara will be as far beyond your reach as
the moon. She'll reject you, as you de-
serve. and you'll see at last what a one
sided, selfish specimen you really are"
Eric was kindling now. He caught
the document" and tore it in strips de-
liberatcly.
"Good," said Nash. ''Now. if you
want to win Clara Raymond, don't LET
grass grow under your feet"
"But. Clara, l have loved you from
the first. My profession of mere com
radeship was mask. have lived only
in your presence. But / have been de-
ceived once / feared to trust myself, OF
you. meant to be true and wait"
"You meant to treat me as child, to
keep me on probation" she interrupted.
''You compromised me in the eyes of the
world. / was pitied as woman who
had given her heart to man who cared
nothing for her. Eric may have loved
you once, but l love you no longer.
have outgrown my weakness. But we
can be friends STILL"
Without word he turned and left her
And so these kindred spirits, mis-
guided, the one by suspicion the other
by pride, went separate ways.
Went separate ways, but not for 9
lifetime Two years later they met in a
scene OF death and disaster. There had
been frightful railway accident. Pas
senger cars were hcaped up at the foot
of steep embankment The engines
red, angry eye glared through the star
lit gloom upon the men and women
struggling amid the wreck, and crying
helplessly over their dead.
Clara was among the uninjured. Sh'
had not been even stunned, and now fel
marvellously clear-headed rs she walked
around trying to infuse courage into tn,
panic stricken. Suddenly she came upor
and death-like by the light of that pitt
less red eye. He was pinned down il
the wreck so that he could not move
muscle.
ave are both here, it seems" he salt
with weak smile, as she stopped before
him.
"And one of us is prisoner, she re
joirfed in a cheerful tone, though he
heart was heavy. Can you not move a
all2"
mo. / think my arm is broken, and
cannot breathe easy in this position
Still, l am much better off than man,
others. If they would only move thes
things off, | could"
II am pretty strong" she interrupted
''Perhaps can help you"
She stopped suddenly with strange
look in her eyes. A fire had kindled from
the engine. The flames were already
leaping toward her.
Clara wonders to this day at thu
strength which came upon her. Sh'
moved the wrecked sections of the ca
around him, sufficiently to extricate anC
drag him to the brookside beyond thu
reach of danger. BY that time he haC
tainted from the pain of his shattered
arm. She bathed his face with water an,
he revived presently to sec her standing
over him. He could feel that strong
soothing influence outfiowing from he
toward him, as in the long ago. 1t wa
bracing. 1t gave him strength to ris
above his pain.
"You have saved my life," he said
''My arm will lie all right after
while"
''But you will suffer great deal o
pain, first, she suggested.
eyes, but If might hope that the wal
is broken down between us" he began
wistfully.
"You may hope, she said softly. AM
then they heard the ambulance coming. :