Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-09-22
THE WELDON ESTATE.
By ALFRED 3. CALHOUN.
Copyright. lse6. by American Press Associar
ton.
CHAPTER XIII.

ton.
CHAPTER XIII.
Under the guidance of the Indian
herder, Valentine Kyle and his wifo
succeeded in reaching the caves to which
the Prophet had sent them. They went
down TO the valley Of the Great Spirit
through the canyon by which Howard
Blanchard first entered with Captain
Brandon. Though broken hearted,
weary and on foot and muclraccustomed
TO the wonderful scenery Of this mar
velous land, they could not but be awed
by the sublimity Of their surroundings.
The shadows and gloom were in SYM
pathy with thc.r own hearts, and as
hand in hand they went down deeper
and dcercr into the canyon it seemed
to Mrs. h,yic hat she must have died
with her husband. and that in death, rs
in Lie, she was still clinging TO him
and leaa.u,s him through the darkened
way out to the gate called Beautiful.
And when the sunlit opening TO the
valley came III SIGHT she stood and clung
to him and closed her eyes, not daring TO
look at the glory that seemed of another
world
Here is the valley Of the Great
Spirit, said the guide, pointing out to
the light. Il can hear voices.
Above the sound Of the waters, hurry
ing down to the placid lake in the cen
ter Of the valley, Mrs. Kyle heard the
singing and laughter of the immigrant
childIyn, and the sound came 10 her
ears liko the seraphic singing Of angels.
What muse j. there 10 the mother like
the laughter # children? Even Valen-
tine kylc was awed, and so filled with
the supernatural exhilaration that his
face glowCd and his gray hair and beard
looked like a sanity halo.
Let Us f,t into the light" called
out the gu.Gc 1t is pleasantcr in the
beautiful valley"
They followed him out, but STOPPED
again at = int whore all the glOrios Of
the enchanted scene burst upon their be-
wildered gar
There We, children playing ly the
lake. and st the sight of the strangers
they ran sh uting 10 the caves in alarm,
and their cries broke the illusicn a:,1
told Mn. Kyle she was still in tho land
Of fear and sorrow and danger.
AS they crossed the valley thcy could
see anxious flc,s peering at them from
behind the rocks
just Us Valentine Kyle was about &c
call 10 them not to fear, tall, rosy
faced girl made her appearance and mp
preached them with extended hands
Il am Mary Clyde, " she said Como
with me. You seem to have trouble,
like ourselves -
Indeed we have trouble, my child"
said Mrs, Kyle. May You never know
so much.
And may yours soon be lightened,"
said Mary, and twill be if 1t is in our
power We are only women and chill
dren with one old man here, but the
Prophet says we are safe. -
Mary Clyde then led them TO the cave
entrance, and here the women and chill
dren came swarming out, all ashamed
Of their alarm, though their recent ex-
perieuce warranted them in the precau-
ton. Mr. Kyle let his wife answer, and
when she told them her name they all
asked i'll chorus, Are you Louis
kyle's mother?'
Il am
Then, said Mary Clyde, Il shall
kiss you. And thereupon all the other
women and all the children followed
Mary's hospiiable example.
When Mrs. Kyle told them that her
home had been destroyed by Bouton,
and that her daughter was then pris-
oner in his hands, the Indignation Of
the immigrant women became extreme,
and Mrs Clyde, Mary mother, declared
with much emphasis that death would
be something like pleasure if she could
Just see Bouton tortured as she would
aave him tortured and as he deserved to
De tortured ''for just five minutes.
Mr.. Kyle told them the little he had
learned from the Prophet about DIR.
Blanchard and his family. The report
was that the doctor had escaped, but
that the girls were still in the power OF
the outlaws.
"All our men are out aiding in the
fight" said one woman, "and we'd be
willing to go and help them if 1t wasn't
for the children.
The immigrants did all in their pow
er to comfort their guests, and all spoke
of termination 10 the trouble which
the most imaginative did not feel IN
her heart. About the middle Of the aft
ernoon the children, who never tired OF
the beautiful valley nor ceased to won
der at the grand caves, came running
in, the leader shouting:
"The Prophet! The Prophet is COM
ingv'
Without asking a question all hur'
ried out and saw the Prophet crossing
the valley accompanied by Clara Blanch-
ard and her father The women and
children ran to meet them with shouts
of Joy, but Valentine Kyle and his wife
remained back III the shadow.
Il cannot meet him, wife. cannot
meet HIM" cried the unhappy man.
uHf.e. H., L,ckapI E'ypp IL he