The Irish standard., 1896-03-14
a QUESTION OF COURAGE.
. FRANCIS LYNDE.
Copyrighted 1885 by J. B. Lippincott 4 Co.

son for thinking that they'd make war
on Hugh" H..
i Perhaps not; only / thought they
might have identified him in some way
with the Latimers."
Ludlow secuted the idea; and during
the afternoon he instructed the mine
bosses to have their men gather at
'The Laurels' early the following
morning, prepared to make a thorough
search for the missing man.
After supper the colonel's man came
down with pote from Hester. Moth
ing had been heard of Ringbrand.
either at the Cravens' house or in Dun
bar, and the writer asked if the search
party had been arranged for the next
day, adding that the colonel and
Henry wished to join it.. Ludlow sent
back word that he would be at Tho
Iaurels" at an early hour in the morn
ing with as many men as he could
gather, and Mrs. Ludlow wrote q post
script to his note, asking Hester to
spend the day with her.
The third day of Ringbrand's absence
dawned hot end clear, and when Lud-.
low reached ''The Laurels" with his
men he found the colonel and Henry
waiting impatiently. After . short
consultation and the arrangement of
definite plan, the quest began: and
as soon as the men were out of sight
Hester mounted and rode to Ire.
garthen. The suspense of the previous
day had been hard to endure, but it
hid been mixed with the hope that
some of the means employed would
bring news of a cheering nature. When
her father aud brother returned from
their fruitless errands, and she had
read Ludlow's note, the girl began to
realize in dread earnest what the pro-
longed uncertainty meant for her, and
she YVES glad enough to escape from the
ordeal Of another lonely day of wait
ing. Mrs. Ludlow saw her galloping
down the road, and met her at the door.
"Did the men get started before you
left?" she inquired, putting her arm
to the cool sitting-room.
eyes; they had planned to throw a
line all the way across the mountain,
;1.oving it northward, SO as to cover the
whole plateau" .;. vi
"They can hardly. fail to find him;
that is, if he still on the mountain"
replied Mrs. Ludlow. t
ooh, yes, Helen, but just think of it.
this is the third day! They can scarce
" hope to find him alive if any acct
dent has happened" Hester's voice
betrayed her emotion, and Mrs. Ludlow
fastened to comfort her.
'You mustn't be discouraged, dear:
it'll come out all right just feel that
it will. All day yesterday l was just
as blue as could be- but now am sure
we'll hear good news before long "
81 wish / could be; but can't: and
I've tried so hard. All night long ! was
haunted by the most dreadful pictures
Of him lying in sorne desolate place.
Sometimes it seemed as if he were only
wounded, but at others his face was
livid and CHASTITY. Oh, it was terrible!"
Poor dear!' said Mrs. ludlow,
alphabetically, t'does it mean so much
to you?"
Hester covered her face with her
hands, and the compassionate. COM
forter saw tear trickle down one of
the shapely fingers. 'There, there,
Hester, dear; don't cry: know you
can't talk about it yet, not even to me-"
The girl looked up with her cheeks
afame. ''And you know why can't!
IT shameful to even think of such q
thing!" t... .--
%, "No, it isn't-not from my point of
view; you must remember I know
some things on the other side, and it
Hugh hasn't spoken it's because he has
been restrained by a nobler motive than
most men could find a place for. Oh, you
needn't hide your face again: I'm not
going to do his wooing for him; you'll
find he can do that for himself. some
day, and then he'll tell you all about it,"
. Hester rose and crossed to the win
dow. commanding the view of the
mountain, and Mrs. Ludlow went away
to attend to her household duties.
When she looked in an hour later, the
girl was still standing at the window,
looking with wistful eyes at the forest
clad slopes of the great hills, as If seek
ing TO read the secret of the mystery
on the fair pages of the landscape. 1t
was long weary day for the two wom-
en-. and in the afternoon Hester an
nounced her intention Of returning to
''rhe I.aurels." -.
81 shall hear sooner, if go back"
she said, in reply to Mrs. Lndlow's eff
fort to detain her, land the helay is
pitifully hard at best"
''Shan't l. have John get out the
phaeton. so I can drive you up?"
NO replied Hester. with her face
averted. II think it will be better for
me to- 20 by myself. Tiff it should
turn out as fear: should want to be
quite alone for awhile
Mrs. Ludlow understood, and did not
seek to change her plans; and after the
girl had disappeared in the windings
of the mountain road, the tender-heart-
cd little woman took the vacant place
at the window, watching eagerly for the
first signs Of the returning search
party.
She was standing there yet when the
sun went behind the mountain and the
first stragglers of the party began, to
appear. in the road; and she was try
ing SO earnestly to distinguish the form
of her husband among the men that she