St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-03-15

SHOW Hdu DtSuu TO ldii at III 81 sly
hardly knew it, but it was lying IN
heavy fakes on his head now. 1t
was wet on her own face. 1t was
coming heavily and fast.
A little distance from them, only
few steps, was sheepfold with one
corner roughly rooted in with
bracken and branches. She put her
strong, young arms around the
wounded man, and with a God
given strength, half lifted, half
dragged him to the shelter. She
made a bundle of some dry ferns and
put his head on it. Then she put
her mouth close to his ears: Alan"
she said, can 'eer hear me? I'm to
rim as fast as ever l can hame, an
mither an l wull TAX We hame to
your ain house. He shook his head
and pointed to his breast pocket.
She took out small brandy flask
and poured some of the liquid down
his throat. There was very little
and he drained it dry. Then he
spoke huskily. in quick, gasping
breaths.
"Pll be deid man gin ye come back,
Lizzie. Bide, bide! l haze lain here
for oors. Yell gang sumo eneuch fan
ye hear what haze to tell We. Dinna
start, lassie; it's nae mair words O
love l haze tae vex We Wi. l kent that
was nae use lang syne. Ye're mourn
in for Sandie thinkin aye on him
an the bonnie lads lying deid and
still at the bottom o Loeb Effock."
The girl stared al him wildly
then started to her feet, shuddering
and trembling. The dying man
effort
81 killed him." he half sobbed.
1--WE had words. l told him he
medina fash himself tryin to win ye,
for l wad had We for my wife, fair
means or foul. An he lookit in my
face wi that LAUGH O. his. 1t was
on the Eagles Crag. l struck him,
pushed him over. He went doom,
doom, ye ken whaur."
He was choking Once he tried to
open his lips. His eyes sought the
girls hidden face with a piteous, hunt
ed look. When she lifted her head
from her hands, he was dead.
Dead in the walled sheepfold by
her side, and the snow was falling,
whirling, driving in the gathering
darkness.
Lizzie used to wonder afterward
whether she sat there hours or only
a few minutes. 1t seemed to be
black night ali at once. To venture
out into that maze of binding drift
would be worse than madness. She
crept out of the shelter through deep
snow and feeling for the wall strain
ed over it with a vague, desperate
hope of seeing her mothers light.
Darkness unbroken! Only one of
two things remained to be done
fight her way out and perish in the
storm or crouch down beneath the
scanty roof beside the body of Alan
Grant.
She sobbed once or twice helpless
ly. What would her father and
mother do without her. Then when
she had CROPPED her way back, she
knelr down in her wet clothes and
said some words of a prayer. Then
she felt around for some still dry
bracken, and gathering it togethe
piled it on top of her. Once or twice
she touched the dead man in the
darkness, but hardly any feeling of
horror seemed to touch her now.
1t was the pitiful thought of that
other man that filled her mind-the
man she loved-deep under the black
ice on Loeb Efock. This was where
all her fears and hopes had ended.
This was the reason he had not met
her by the Queens well that April
night. She always knew he had not
played her false, whatever others
might think
Would she let him sleep on there
and never make known his brothers
crime? What would it matter?
Only one could judge him now. Oh,
to think that she, the woman who
would have given her life for him
and whom he loved so well, had
been the very cause of his death
So these cruel thoughts and many
others came and went, and always
the snow fell, and the dead man Law
within touch of her hand. 1t was
strange, but the former almost I'M
reasoning hate and horror which
she had felt in regard to him seemed
to have melted away.
Then the cold took hold of her,
and that awful numb feeling, chilling
blood and brain.
She thought perhaps she would
sleep till day. But was not that
cry somewhere far off ard faint to
her failing senses? What was that
dazzling her eyes waking her out Of
her deathly stupor? Something hot
and fiery was trickling between her
icy lips.
Some one was lifting her in great
strong arms, and voice was rous-
ing her as no other voice could.
How like Sandie's it sounded She
must be dreamingl How warm and
real dream kisses felt on her face and
lips.