The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-10-06

" O0s0 and close the door behind him. whllof
ID" rioters drew t. gether for n conference.
They divided their men, some so ~. to tho
rear and Others to the front OF the house.
''Dtmn him." shouted one man. hes gotl
his place we'll locked up, but we'll forcs It orl
burn it over his he"d"
There was yell o. approval. and then fol-
loves! shown Of ston.s and bricks against
he heavy oaken doors and closed shutters.
Unohserved in the confusion Ma Raret hal
|crept along under some high shrubb-ry to the|
shell er OF number OF dsn1e. short GO lars,
growing close against the sid. OF the house.
door ut ,his point md knit hoping to fini it
open. but It did not yield to her e1orts. Paus-
ing 10 think how she could force an entrance
she heard a bolt slip softly from within and
tho next moment Fl-tcher's bood-stained faco|
appeared.
He started "a Margaret put ont her hand
aud whispered. 'hen h"r words resssnr"d him ::
"lts me-. Margare' Gwynne, sir. For Gods
sake crouch low ia th"-e bushes or you're a
dead m"nl Creep after me through yon
shr"bbery and on to the woods. Ills our only
lhope OF escape"
lie ob-ved her without word and whom
they had reached the woods asked:
"How came you her,. Margaret This is mol
pl'ce or woman. Surely YOU were not on
The hiE' road upon such night as ths?"
II did not como bv the hixhroai, sir" she
answered simply. "but ha T." us crash r.
FUNDED through the AIR, 'they have broken
in the honss and vii! begin arch for you.
We must hurry" The with q quick glance al
his white face she added:
Il fear that You are badly hurt. sir. and need
|help.'
He did not answer and, as sho ceased speak
ing. the hiding place was brilliantly lum-
ined. The rio ers had nred tho house.
Margaret look j .ies' airin3ly from tb"
dropping figure aud death-hke face at her
aide. 10 the open country. rapidly growing ns
It.h: As day. "nt' then up at tho impassabls
|drifta ben nd them.
eth res the tunnel. 'tis our only chance"
|she fal'ered. Il came that way, and We must
|go back!'
"Yon came that w.v, and for M, Marear t?
My hr we girl" exclaimed Fletcher. d eply
moved.
1t was only by a supreme effort that he
gathered strength to follow her. She divine !
Of this mortal weak meas, for holding
her lii he young arm about him, sue aided bis
faln ing footsteps into the darksome tunnel.
For few moments neither spoke. Tue way
must be more than halt traverse:i. Mar .aret
thought. with boating heart she hurried
him. onward. Suddenly an. stumbled, and che
felt the sw"ying Of he powerful form against
her.
''Keep up. Mr.. Fl 'tchsr, keep up r she cried.
j'Only . few moro steps, sir, and W-'ro safe.
On, God," for b had fallen BY her side - she
Is!okos He has tainted. psrnaps is dying, in
this awful placel''
She sank on h.r knees beside him and placed
her ear TO his heart. In the solemn. dsea,ful
stiffness she heart faint pulsa ion aud knew
ha1 he lived. She must leave him AMI 20 tor
rein. Then hotrib possibilities suggesting
themselves abe paused.
Amy lust. MT q train might pass and what II,
haf conscious, h" sno"ld move during her
"bsence9 Even now he might liz close enonvh
% tho track {" be swept into eternity BY IN
lonc"ming locomotive.
She bent. and drag ing his PROSTATE body
IN ~Novn e1i. HnpA ak,
ingly for the cruel steel OF the track. 30 dan
|gerously near. Az her haud touched the rail
she fancsa! sho felt vibration, tot was it
fancy? Holding hor ear to the ground 49,
listen d. There was rumb a. OF thnn,fer
ana faint quaking OF 1the earth h.nea'h her
through the bla"kn"ss, a fiery rod eye iltu.
min d he far distance AMI IN approachtn"
train was speoIin. on toWArd :ha narrow
way. MarKaret's cheek blarot,ed AMI her lips
moved in prayer. An instaut later tl.s loco
mo- i've had IA cred the tunnel and, with one
gl inca up at the swift, onco u
Fins than ON Of sudden death, she threw her
protecting arms over F!etcher's form aud sank
INFO merc4ful uuoonsc. business.
Joe Dar,le, living in the town below. awoke
some tim. after mi.iniyht, conli not slee. ;,
md rising, walked TO his win,ioW to 500 il tn,
ii n of MarH.r-t's homer The sky wa "liv"
with tho & mo and spar.s OF y bnrnin: bu.Id-
ing. In II moment he h"d dressed and the
next Was out under the fe sky. dashinv
with mai haste toward Axrgaret's cot aga.
he door wa unla'o S.d, and looking through
the rooms he found he house empty. Wa. i,
possible that she had ventursd out upon such
niyh:7
He lighted lantern he found near the door
and began 80 'roh,nx for footprints. VS..
STRANGELY enough, instead OF leading to thu
highway, th1y pissed around to tho back al
the house and on through tho wool. He fol-.
lowed to the st ep deolsity, and then marked
the slide. No of some h"avy body. tow I'D the
hollow baackness Of the tunnel. Like flash
"'ood God r. he exclaimed; ':she would nae
| ri~k Mat for nimc'
He knew in his heart that love such rs hers
would count death a. n"thin,', and he resoiv.
I'd that biz should brave 10 much.
"And she such chit Of a girl, he half sob.
bed. 40 10 stopped to pick up y bit Of black
fringe from q woman . shawl. lying just with;
in the tunnels mouth. but she's gone In hero
lsurs."
! He recalled with shudder that only few
moments NUT h"ve elapsed since tho lss
trnin entered that way.
Il Cautiously b. stepped Within. searching fol
The dared not think what; tnen. ut the s,knt O
a dark OH ct lytn close to tbs wall. b. hur.
ried on with dated br,ath and quickeninx foot,
steps. He held the Ian ern al0ft AMI looked.
i No mnnvled body ih-re. thank Coli Bot I'D
he thank God In that ae>t awful momsnt7 70,
81 her. lay the ono woman he loved on tn.
hoson o1 the man he had hated with the Bit
ter hatred Of cast: ell these years.
u meg" he cr'ed. taking the sight form II
his arms. "for Gods cake say ye amt dead
my sweet giri"
j TO his Joy xargaret open"d her startled
eyes. taen slipping from his arms looked
Iaround her.
"Where am !, Joss How came in thi,
|0r0l6fnl OlaOe9n
i Her eye. tell upon Fletcher and she cried:
u ''NoW, I know, 'twss ths oarsl On. quick
help me- get him home. at onoel They'v,
shot him, Joe"
i No th.,uxnt Tor Dartl- OF his constant love.
sixhing. be seooped and took Fletcher IN hi,
lstronR arms. Margaret went ahead with thu