Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-07-20
CHAPTER XV-(Con,inucD


pass. The one yl;.riug fa;'' confronted
and appalled, nrc-Shr lad arrived 1T
lIopcdalC to see ilrr lover Vol another.
No exc use ot limo. eff absence could
conIunt such speedy transfer OF lifcc.
ton. He was shallow hearted, ,iiSlnNll.
inSncrrr. and she Hcatr.cn. Il Scilrm-
ing siren.
Mercy child. how white and fright
cncu YOU look. Bur. never milh
Thank heaven. You have coma back.
John has BE-, II ~ luutS ,lnH for another
Sight of YOU bnnmr tn,'". that he
hasn't cat. S!vp, or smiled since YOU
Went away"
'.'hat WAS Ms. BiAh.'S CHEEKY wei
come. and il Wn.'m d and cunliort,d
tic homeless wln,lr"r.'.
they asked ~ Gu. '>iiun> but tie
Keen moihr.ly eye OF The fallnc''$ wife
seemed to ln!Nilirrly TAX in Il tue
conception or Il s!"Hi gu, - OF lic
trth' STAT" Of affairs. AMI Wliluul lc-
tll!lly u'!1,,iill- Oh EuuN'S Gricf. size
spoke many Il t1irt, effective VOID Of
consolation. dried i" lead hey guests
thoughts 10 uth"r themes, ~ the days
Went by.
Thus il WAS t!ili III less than 4 W""i:
Edna had SslI!,%l iowa into Il life
peaceful. narpE, inil.'>vi.iahly ST.. only
wil,.! that dark shadow of the past
hHjnG;'d h"l liz Il pail
Her new friends naI talked plainly
to her. They lil>l Ncr; ::ii' llllrd Il
dead daughters place in lnrir hearts.
Sh' WAS welcome 10 ErMHin With thrm
as !: guest OF adopted chill rs long rs
81" chose
The little household du'icS she en-
ga-rd i'll busted her thoughts. She saw
Il new Mission i'll lifn in making iii"
declining Years of these two friends
happy With her presence ilrr ;;iu and
her smiles.
indul-"n' Fa.'mr.' John nrouyht her
new dresses. trained his best pony for
h"r U.s. in riding and driving. and i'll
sisted dat Sl" Try TO WOO back the
roses to her wan checks by u scllnprr
oNr. the m"urS and down the river
path every day.
The first fierce snow of autumn had
melted beneath the warm s.n. and No
vtmh"r seem Il like May. only for the
red fallen leaves ANA the crisp. Dra~-
ing air
one afternoon Edna set forth in the
little phacton for Il drive over the hills.
The gentle pony answered to the light
est direction Of the lines: the carriage
dog. Bruno. trottru placidly behind.
She could think in these peaceful
drives. and there was Il SOmbrr salts
faction in DrUoding once in Il while over
the past.
ibis especial day Edna prolonged her
drive beyond its usual limits. She
drove clear to and beyond the next vii
lag". aud only realized that she would
have difficulty in reaching home again
before dusk. when she looked up from
a sad rcv"le to find that the short
aft moon WAS waning fast.
The sight of Il flaming bush of Il va
riety quite rare in the vicinity OF the
Blake farm attracted her attention.
however. and she al;yhtrd from the
pilacton.
Mrs. Blake had & hobby of pressing
pretty lravns. and Edna remembered
that sh" particularly treasured This va
rirty. Here they seemed to grow i'll
prof!lsion. and She decided to gather
quite an arInfrl of them.
Sh" kept wandering through The lit
Il" wooded stretch where they grew.
allurrd by III" distant sight of Il still
preitirr rlump of bushes. Until. fairly
loaded. she looked up. intent Oh re-
tracing her way to the ihaeton.
Dear. she uttered With Il little start,
'Where is the road"
She penetrated the hrambly jungle
in two directions with no success, not
ing with a slight thrill of diSmay that
dusk was fast approaching.
Where was the road. the phaeton
and Bruno: Once she called the name
OF the latter. but she decided she must
be quite a distance from the spot she
had started from. for the usual prompt
tt,f fitI af in,
response to such a call was lacking.
Throwing down her leaves she ran
through the bushes straight ahead,
came to high stone wall. and catch
ing sight Of the towers Of Il pretcntiOus
structure beyond it, lined the moss
covered barrier until she came to a
broken gate set in the wall.
All was silent and forbidding about
the old structure. but there WAS evil
dance Of occupancy in the curIained
windows. and she flncicd she caught
the glimmer of 4 dress on the lawn
some distance away.
Il will find some one about the house
and inquire my way to the road, re-
fectcd Edna. timorously.
She picked her way across an uneven.
i'll kept garden. once SO nearly falling
into Il trap with great extending jaws.
evidently set for tramps or thieves,
that she shook with apprehensive ter
rOr.
"Oh. there is a lady. l see her now.
l will ask her Mercy
On the verge Of some pit or cXcava-
ton in the garden. Edna wavcrcd.
tried to draw back. and then. losing
her balance, plunged forward.
She fell fully fifteen feet. Her head
grazed the board side of the pit. and
half stunned her. Dimly realizing that
the hole, covered over with branches,
was a trap for intruderS. she looked
blankly up at the top with 4 shudder,
comprehendnig that she could never
scale the steep.
Help. help! help
Thrice the cry rang out, with all the
strength of her bell-like voice.
Hopefully Edna looked up as the
branches overhead were parted.
WHO Is there:' spoke IL woman's
voice.
II have fallen here" cried Edna: