Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-01-14

thew startad late, and one OF the horses
came back badly hurt"
.Oh-h-h," Bladon groaned.
"I'hey NAV not even be hurt, II you
will only wait till"
But the old man did not seem to near
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 remonstrance, out
the depths of the old mans sorrow
awed her into silence. :.
sYou might have spared him, MISS
he said presently. "You might have
left him alons in the care of his old
servant-he was blind you know-not
much of conquest for bonnie lass
like YOU. 1t was too bad, too bad.
'.Ob, Mr.. Bladon," but sobs choked
her utterance.
''Then you must have them both at
your heels" this dreadful old man con-
tinued, 'both this gay young French
man and Master George. True. my
poor lad couldn't see the others eyes
devouring your pretty face-ah, you'd
better have took to one instead OF
wrecking both their lives"
But harlx A shout. 1t is a man ruin
ming on the ice, who calls to those
ashore to send a bobsleigh with a
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-blankets brandy. hot water
bottles-and he alone thought to send
a man 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
remained 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 cutter
and the body Of dead horse beside him.
And when Wanda Arlington learned
this dismal story, she brushed aside her
tears, and, with group of eager, chat
tering children around her, started up
the river TO meet the rescuers. 1t 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
posture 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 hotly.
what have | done that You should
treat me so cruelly2 George Arundel
was my dear friend, as well as yours,
and claim my right to be near him in
his hour of need.
But, miss"
Nay, hear me. If he could speak,
do you think be would approve your
They think he'll never live TO win
this journeys end,H 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 | was too hard on thee |
this morn, but ! 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 I
on Wanda's bed.
Then came the dreaded hour, when the
physician was making his examination,
and all the stricken girl could do was
10 pray ceaselessly and pitifully that
Heaven would spare her the worst.
Good, kind, gentle DR. West. who had
been her friend from the day after her
arrival in Glastonbury. came from the
sick chamber at last.
co, nc y not quite dead, he said.
But do not think he viii linger
through the day"
And, without word, at his feet
Wanda Arlington fell, as though the
Terdict had stricken her with death.
Meanwhile the villagers were hurry
ng to and fro searching for traces of
he other participant of the nights adj
Tenture, who had so mysteriously dis
from the scene 1t was inn
'ossible' that he could have fallen
through the ice, for the snow-prints of
he horses hoof were too fresh not to
ell the exact story of their wanderings.
md there was not an air-hole near them.
But towards noon, fisherman. who
lad moored his hut" at the further
nd OF the bay, came into the village,
nd told a story which set the tongues
4 the gossips wagging
lie said that the preceding night, hav-
ng his hut well in the shelter of a b;g