Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-04-22

or leaving the castle for his daily
walk. When she was wearing new
or particularly attractive gown she
was certain to meet him. This CO.
Incidence was without exception. The
secretary's tired face began to bright
en- as she passed. Her antipathy was
really less violent than she had de-
scribed it to her friend. But he was
still contumacious. He had not yet
bent the knee and did not seem likely
to do so.
Mr.. Markham's visit was nearly
over. The last evening had come. A
skating party had been improvised.
All the guests, except the secretary,
were on the ice; lake five miles over
lonely moor. Warrington went
there, too, but only to look on. He
did not care to join the skaters. They
did not care either. One, perhaps
but. that would anticipate. AS the
evening advanced snow began to fall.
1t came gently at first, and the skaters
enjoyed it. 1t made them white and
picturesque. 1t dulled the sharp ring
of their skates into mufled rumble
as they,sped over the fast coating ice.
1t clung in delightful little frosty
flaments to the eyelashes of the girls
and whitened the mustaches of the
men. 1t was grand. Then the snow
king changed his mind suddenly. He
sent forth his tempest in moment.
The little Aeecy fakelets were followed
by binding drifts. Darkness covered
the land and an impenetrable snowfall
the skaters. Rscing bliudly for the
lake shore they found banks here and
there in detached groups; sometimes
three or four together, hand IN hand;
often one by one, blinded, dazed, de-
moralized.
The secretary sat on tree stump by
the bank and watched, careless of his
snowy jacket. The thing interested
him-nothing more. He told himself
that he did not care straw if the
whole party, man, woman and child,
perished in the drifts. Still he waited
persistently. He did not tell himself
for what. At last he arose. Just then
mufied hum of pair of skates
sounded far out on the ice. The sound
waxed louder and fainter alternately.
Like the traveller in primeval forest
who has lost his way, this skater was
moving in q circle. Let him circle till
he perished. She must now be we'll
on the way to the castle. But-dutyl
Warrington put his two hands to his
mouth and sent deafening shout
across the ice. A faint cry answered
back. He shouted again to indicate
the direction. Then he heard the
sound of skates plowing through the
deepening snow straightfor him. The
sound sweryed to the right.
"The way" Warrington roared from
the shore.
In ten second Kiss Howard fell ex-s
! hausted into his ms 1t was impossi-
BILE to keep tn low off her. He
could only wait H. ihehad recovered
breath, and then w Aout word of
apology be took heI up in his arms
and carried her to the partial shelter
of belt of underwood. The cold be-
came intense. Warrington soon saw
that before she had even recovered
strength the girls circulatioRR was run
ming down. shsmrst be kept moving
or shbe would freeze to death. She
{l'@as already half asleep. Fortunately
he had small flash of brandy that the
housekeeper of the castle had pressed
upon him when he started. BE forced
some drops into the girls lips, and,
when she partly revived, said sharply:
"Now thenl March" |"
"I cannos move step. I nm faint.
I cannot breathe. This awful snowl"
He shook her roughly. She would
not stir. He hardened his heart and
struck her in the fsca with his open
hands. She only moaned and hid her
head upon his shoulder. He tried to
cover her from the awful downfall
which momentarily increased. Then,
failing in this, he burst out passion
ately:
"Listen to me. Where are your
friends gone? Why have they deserted
you? (They had not really missed
her.) Do you hear me? I am going
to stand by you. And won't you even
Try to move?"
az cannot, save yourself" she
moaned.
s'No; I am not that sort. Now
| then2"
he raised her in his arms and slowly
plodded through the snow. He had
tramped that pathway often and knew
: it we'll. But the snow was terrible.
Down it came, thickening every
minute. It beat him soon. He was
knee deep in it-and he was of the
track. When he discovered this by
the uneven footing underneath the
deep coating he stopped. Warrington
was no coward. But his heart failed
him. He was physically incapable OF
carrying the girl farther. No shelter
was near. The girl herself was abso-
lutely exhausted. He appealed to her
again.
"Could you not try to walk bit
just to rest me? can do no more.
Do try"
"What's The good of tryinga" she
answered feebly. cit is impossible
Why don't you leave me2 I want tc
sleep. J. want to die"
"That's where the trouble is.
don't want you to die.
Again he struggled forward. Some
shelter must be OF hand. Some help
must be near. If neither ore mol
other-well, he could take leaf from
the book of the dainty little patrician
he carried in his weary democratic
arme. He, too. could die game. And
SO; forward The snow was worse
than ever. The girl by great effort
aroused herself and said:
s'You have done enough, too much.
am sorry have not quite under.