Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-06-15

Are you gong TO l1stenY
'Is there a lady at the other end?'
yes" replied the lieutenant.
'Then I will not listen" said Hen
bricks. He lifted his hat and walked
away.
This little unexpected show OF
chivalry touched Stocking. The mo
ment that he was alone the following
colloquy took place:
Miss Laport-Is that you?
Lieutenant-Yes.
Miss Laport-Are you getting well?
Lieutenant-Yes, I'm all right.
There is good doctor here.
Miss L.-Are you prisoner?
Lieutenant-Yes.
Miss L.-Are you happy?
Lieutenant-No. How could be?
Miss L.-What can be done?
Lieutenant-Nothing but wait.
Miss L.-Suppose | come down.
Lieutenant-Can you?
Miss L.-Yes. | think ! shall prefer
it Mrs. Hendricks is coming.
Lieutenant-Hasa anything happened
since on the grounds?
Miss L.-No. Everything is quiet.
But it is lonesome and Mrs. Hendricks
is going away.
Lieutenant-Do you know where she
is going?
Miss L.-No.
Lieutenant-Whyd do you not seize
the opportunity and go with her?
Miss LII must Stay here little
longer. / cannot tell you why.
Two days after this conversation
nl Han1riol~c
down in the Laran, and with Miss En-
dicott and the negro servant this made
four women now In the underground
community.
The hurly-burly of preparation and
excitement of camp life extended at
this time from the rotunda for at least
two miles ana filled all the echoing
spaces far beyond the lake. A little
community was living in comparative
peace in the Portal arena. The fragile
cottages that encircled the space locked
like pore pict4sa under Che central
light, and dried branches that profuse
ly ornamented column in the center
space fretted the ground with sharply
outlined shadows. 1t was eternal
night here, but man hAq sohnea IL OF
mast af ITS p6xious terrors and woman
had left the traces of her presence
round the doorways of some of the
habitations. In front of one cottage
there was stand Of straRge plants,
curious crYtogenoas sRowths that had
heen gathered iu the reeesses of the
place; and arranged in symmetrical
order were crystals of carbonate OF
lime, symmetrical and translucent
stalactites and fossils dug rrom the
walls oi the distant passages.
1t was Stockings amusement to
gather these curiosities in his moody
rambles, and it was Miss Laport's mel
ancholy delight to arrange them where
the electric light played fantastic
tricks with them at all hours. Under
the awning which on one side of the
little house offered protection from
the light, sat Miss Laport and Lieut.,
Stocking. At short distance an the
same side were two athee and similar
ahodes. one OF which was given over to
the lieutenant and Calicot; the other,
connecting with Miss Laport's by
latticed alleyway, was in possession of
the doctor, Miss Endicott having u
room in Miss Laport's establishment.
Now that you have told me about
your father, Miss Franklin, said Lieut..
Stocking, ''and there Is nothing to pre-
vent you both from leaving this place,
why do you not urge him to go at once?
Mr. Calicot asked me to speak to you
seriously about it and impress you with
the urgency of It,"
"Why should he be anxious about it?"
asked the girl.
HE has made up his mind about the
result of the conflict and he fears if
you delay much longer you will not be
able to get away at ALL"
"And you?" said the girl with real
solicitude.
"I'm In Calicot's hands. l suppose
we shall be liberated at some time. He
seems to think So"
You appear to admire and trust him
very much"
Eyes. ! wish could get you to trust
him. He says you ought to go away at
once. Shall l tell you what he said
to me?"
Eyes. Do"
at was this: Stocking, he said, you
can get Hendricks permission to take
that old man and his daughter out, if
you Will give your word of honor not
to betray his retreat and to return.
You could then put them in boat and
help them to cross the Mississippi
why | asked, ARE you so anxious
to get them out?'
Il want to save them,' he said.
( " But you do not care to save me-
objected.
gNae lA coi1 tif fn1lA,,r
plan it will save YOU
. Then am not to return?'
"'Yes,you are. You must come back.
1 But IL win take you two days
:" TO come back here is not to be
saved said. You will have to ex-
plain YOURSELF"
YES" said the girl, with interest.
''Did he explain?"
"No He merely said: Il wish you
would take my advice
You are frank with me- l ex-
claimed.
" If you will do as bid you,' he re-
piled, everything will explain itself
and we shall all be released
''Then why not do it?" asked Miss
Laport
because have to pledge myself to
give up liberty and you, and come
back to this tomb to be buried alive.
Do you think that an easy matter?"
"And yet you say you trust your
friend. Now l would obey him i'm
plicitly and trust him II knew him as
well as you do"
"Yes," said the lieutenant. 1T is
characteristic of woman. But | am
a mana helpless one"
Twenty minutes later these two
young people had taken the train and
got Off at the platform in the rotunda.
1t was Miss Laport who first discov-
cred Calicot standing in a pensive at
titude, and, with a sudden burst of un-
selfshness, she said: '"There Is your
friend now. Why not go to him and
prove that you trust him? | am going
to leave you together and go back
with the doctor"
Stocking was disinclined to accede
to this request, but Miss Laport was
pleasantly firm and, few moments
later, he had joined Calicot. The first
thing he said, rather grimly, was:
There is murder going on over
head"
"Yes," replied Calicot. THAT Is the
name for war when we are not in IT."
The two men walked side by side
through the exit OF the rotunda until
they came to the lake, where ut inter