Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-05


crmstances: So George, who was
young, tall, muscular. and provided
with revolver, started on his way
through the town.
He could hear the roar Of the waves
as they broke upon the beach: he had
to fight against the wind when he
reached the corner of the street. But
on the whole the walk. for n strong
young man, had its pleasures. for the
snow had ceased to be binding. and
battle with the wind stirs young
blood into pleasurable excitement. In
very short time he had rot clear of
the town, and was on the high road in
the open country.
Here the snow impeded his progress
more than he had expected: fer there
was nothing in this high bleak spot to
check the caprices of the wind. which
swept almost bare great patches of the
open land, and swirled the snow into
heaps in unexpected places. 1t was a
lonely walk enough, and George began
to be puzzled as to whether he was
keeping the right way. There were
so few hedges or trees, and the feature
less character OF the country made it
easy for the snow to blr1rr its outlines
until they We're quite undistinguish-
able
He felt rather relieved when he
caught the sound of human voices He
waited, as they seemed to be behind
him. He heard them again in there of
the wind. He hailed the unseen persons,
but then the voices ceased. He pres
emily went on again until he was
startled to see in the darkness
between him and the sea the dim out
lines OF two figures keeping pace with
him at little distance. lie hailed
them again, and the figures promptly
vanished.
Without giving way to any cowardly
fears George began to wish that he had
been more discreet and THAT he had
stayed at hotel. There was nothing
to do now, however, but to go forward
rs quickly and carefully as he could,
for more than two-thirds of the dis.
lance must have been traversed by this
time.
Unfortunately, however, soon after
this incident he lost his way, hopelessly,
undeniably. He found himself loan,
dering, lnee-deep. in snow, over some
thing which might be freshly-plowcd
field or which might be the ruins of
house, but which was certainly not the
open road.
After a few fruitlcss struggles to
rat H,.,-, ffnn,,frfn
again caught sight, a little way
to the LETT this time, of two figures,
which he perceived to be those
Of man and woman. just ut the mo-
mcnt Of his Discerning them The figures
parted, that OF the E2au disappearing
from view, while the woman held on
her way.
As she was evidently on firm ground,
George made towards her at once, not
calling out, lest he should brighten her.
Before he came up with her, he saw,
by her walk and by her figure. that she
was young; and when he addressed
her, saying that be had lost his way,
she turned her head quickly, and
showed him that she was alorably
pretty. So entirely was he thrown off
his balance by the unexpected sight OF
such Il lovcly face, that he ctopped
short in the middle OF his speech, and
left her to answer n question which he
had not finished asking.
lyon arc on the high road--to St.
Placid'a," she said, quickly. Keep
straight on"
k,,l 4l,o-, chr r-l,-,nol 18th - s,,1,lo,
change of expression, at The bag he
was carrying. Before he could do
more than raise his hat and thank her,
she had hurried past him like hare,
with just one more look, penetrating,
intelligent, from his face TO the bag in
his hand.
George remained for moment stupe-
fed; he stared at the rotreating figure
before him, and fancicd he saw her
tnrn, with a gesture of invitation to
him to follow and catch her up Act
ing on the impression, he ctartcd for
ward, and then there fics,lcd into his
mind the words used by the detective
at the station: Two vcll-llnown
thieves, man and aromcn." had trav-
Ciet GOWN ny bHc SsLHc Tram t-S Hill
self, He was at once ashamed of his
momentary suspicion that the bcauti-
full girl he had just spoken to could be
anything but the angel she looked; but
her furtivc and eager glances at his
bag required again and again to his
mind.
The wind was still blowing very
hard. and the snow, which had for
some time almost ceased. began to fall
again in great fakes, 50 that Che land
scape was soon entirely blottcd ont
from view, and George found mere dit
iiculty than ever in keeping the road.
At last he saw a large, dark object in
front Of him, which he recognized as
the clumo Of trees which marked the
srot where there were crossroads, and
where he should have to take the road
On his right to get down into the vii
iage, where DIR. loves house stood
The crossroads were at the highest
point of the neighborhood, and George
could scarcely keep his feet. much less
choose his way as he approached it.
Just before he reached the turning
he came to a fair-sized house Of only
1.