The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-25

his point of view that of a man who
mad To work for his living. and that she
could not grasp the complex influences
at work i'm such mean scheme of eX-
istence. She left him with unaffected
disgust
Mr.. Markham's visit was nearly over.
The last evening had come. A large
skating party had been improvised.
All the guests except the secretary,
We're ON the ice: a lake five miles over Il
lonely moor. Warrington Wen, there,
too, but only to look on. He did not
care to join the skaters. They did not
care either. One, perhaps-but that
vanced snow began to fall 1t came
gently at first and the skaters enjoyed
II. II made them white and pictur-
esque. 1t dulled the sharp ring of their
skates into mufiied rumble as they
sped over the fast coating Ice. 1t clung
in delightful little frosty filaments to
the eyelashes Of the girls and whitened
the mustachss OF the men. II was
grand. Then the snow king changed
his mind suddenly. He sent forth his
tempest in a moment. The little fieecy
nakelets We're followed by binding
drifts. Darkness covered the land and
an impentrable Snowfall the skaters.
Racing blindly for the lake shore they
found bank here and there in detached
groups; sometimes three or four to-
gether hand in hand; often one by one,
blinded, daZed. demoralized.
The secretary sat on tree-stump by
the bank and watched, careless of his
snowy jacket. The thing interested
him--nothipg more. He told himself
that he did not care a straw If the
whole party, man. woman and child,
per!Shed in the drifts Still he wait
ed persistently. He did not tell himself
for what. At last he arose. just then
he tpd "a Df
sounded far out on the ice. The sound
waxed louder and fainter alternately.
Like the traveller in primeval forest
who had lost his way, this skater was
moving in a circle. Let him circle
there till he persisted. She must be
now well on the way to the castle. But
duty. Warrington put his two hands
to his mouth and sent a deafening shout
across the Ice A faint cry answered
back. He shouted again to indicate the
direc ton. Then he heard the sound
OF skates plowing through the deepen
ing snow straight for him. The sound
swerved to the right.
This way" Warrington roared from
the shore. This way-hang you
In ten seconds Miss Howard fell eX-
hausted into his arms. II was impos-
sible to keep the snow off her. He
could onlyywaituntil she had recovered
breath. and then without a word of
and carried her into the partial shell
ter OF a belt of underwood. The cold
became intense. Warrington soon saw
that before she had even recovered
strength the girls circulation was run
ming down. She must be kept moving
or she would freeze to death. She was
already half asleep. Fortunately he had
a small flask of brandy that the house
keeper at the castle. who took pity on
him. .'he seemed so lonesome had
pressed upon him when he started.
lie forced some drops into the girls
lips and, when she partly revived. said,
sharply:
Now then! March,"
II cannot move a step. I am faint.
cannot breathe! This awful snow"
He shook her roughly. She would
not stir. He hardened his heart and
struck her in the face with his omen
hands. She only moaned and hid her
head upon his shoulder. He tried to
cover her from the awful downfall.
which momentarily increased. Then,