Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-12-06
the Office. She awakened Jennings

although uc DIV dkCicu III i1CA
none of the emotions to which girl of
her age is susceptible. She treated
Fenning with an undisguised kindness,
for he had shown a real solicitude, in
her personal comfort and her future
welfare, and had secured for her a
handsome salary which she scrupulous-
ly put in the savings bank.
When they went to Laran Mrs. Hen
bricks treated her as an equal and q
guest. But if it had not been for Fen
ming, her life there would have been
monotonous enough. He secured for
her the latest books, took her out for
long rides and looked after her a1nuse-
ment and comfort in thousand ways.
But Jennings was evidently not the
nature to touch her deeply. His cool,
mathematical mind may have won her
admiration when she saw it exercised
in a crisis or dilemma, but 1t did not
move her affections. She was under
heavy obligations to Fenning and she
would not hurt his feelings. The mo-
ment that Lieut.. Stocking became Il
guest in the house. the whole aspect of
things changed. Here was a passion
ate. heroic and emotional southerner,
who Immediately exercised over her
an influence that she could not resist.
His nature was the antithesis and the
complement of hers. He was immedi
ately attracted by her. They came to-
gether easily and often, and all the
amusements which had been enjoyed
with Fenning now wore a new ardor
of romance. l brief, these young per-
sons fell instantly and deeply in love.
= -
the fight, she had seen him wounded
and dragged fighting to the signal
room, her indignation was unbounded
and her misery uncomfortable. She
knew enough of Hendricks affairs to
suspect that he was in some way acting
in opposition to the authorities, and
she had gathered from Stocking some
thing of the peculiar nature Of his
visit. When. therefore, he disappeared
down the shaft, her heart sank within
her. She believed that he would never
return. In this wretchedness she took
to her room until Mrs. Hendricks en-
deavored to extricate her from her de-
spair. That lady found her in a con-
ditiOn of morbid melancholy from
which it was no easy matter to rescue
her. and it did not take her long to as
certain that contact with the lieuten-
ant had changed the girls views ma
terially. She wanted to go away and
reminded Mrs Hendricks that Hen
bricks had promised to release her
father at the eXpira ton of a year. To
this Mrs. Hendricks replied that he
had been at liberty to go for some time
| but had become interested in the COM
pletion of gun and was staying vol
unfairly to see it tested. She further
insisted that Lieut.. Stocking would be
treated well, and probably was anxious
| to communicate with her in the signal
room. This brought about a request
| from Mrs Hendricks to Hendricks to
let Stocking speak to her through the
| telephone, and the lieutenant was sur
prised to hear Hendricks say: There
is young lady who wishes to COM
municate with you at the shaft. 1
| will accompany you"
They walked to the instrument to-
gether. The lieutenant said nothing.
When he took the mouthpiece in his
hand he asked:
Are you going to listen?"
els there 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 we'll?
| Lieutenant-Yes, I'm all right.
There is a 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?
MISUNDERSTANDING but wait.
Miss L.-Suppose come down.
| Lieutenant-Cany you?
Miss L.-Yes. I think I shall prefer
it. Mrs. Hendricks is coming.
Lieutenant-Has anything happened
since on the grounds?
Miss L.-No. Everything is quiet.
But it is lonesome and Mrs. Hendricks
is going away.
Lieutenant-Doyo you know where she
is going?
|
| Lieutenant-Why do you not seize
the opportunity and go with her?
Miss Ii must stay here little
longer. 1 cannot tell you why.
Two days after this conversation
| Miss Laport and Mrs. Hendricks We're
| 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 and filed 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 looked
like Dore picture under the central
| light. and dried branches that profuse-
| ly ornamented a column in the center
space fretted the ground with sharply
outlined shadows. 1t was eternal
night here, but man had robbed it OF
most of it's noXious 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 a stand of strange plants,
curious crytogenous growths that had
| been gathered in the recesses of the
place: and arranged ia symmetrical
order were crystals of carbonate OF
| lime, symmetrical and translucent
stalactites and fossils dug from the
walls of the distant passages.
1t was Stockings amusement to
| gather these c,1rioSitieS in his moody