The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-05-12
'For not firing.

''For not firing"
ooh, indeed Perhaps, under the
same circumstances, you would have
fired"
"Why, certainly"
"That's curious" broke in two or
three. "For they say that you your
self were molested this evening and
that you didn't fire."
81 was molested as you say, but it
wasn't necessary to fire, fortunately
for me, rs | had not got gun"
eve won't haggle over tho word
gun. 1t is certain you had pistol.
ooh dear, no." said Warrington,
knocking the ashes off his cigar. 81
had only pipe case"
The subject was dropped, and with
it the private secretary. When Miss
Howard received the report of the
committee she laughed immoderately.
So they had had their trouble for
nothing. At the same time the girl
did not forgive the secretary certain
sins of omission. He had treated her
from the first with marked indifler-
cnce. Still she was glad of the over
throw of the committee. She wanted
to be her own executive.
Miss Howard told her best girl
friend that she began to hate the sec
rotary heartily on his own merits.
She often met him as he was entering
or leaving the castle for his daily
walk. When she was wearing a 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.
MIR. Markham's visit was nearly
over. The last evening had come. A
skating party had been improvised.
All tho guests, except the secretary,
were on the ice lake five miles over
n 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 muflled rumble
as theyysped over the fast coating ice.
1t chung in delightful little frosty
filaments-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 n moment.
The little fleecy hakelets were followed
by binding drifts. Darkness covered
the land and an impenetrable snowfall
the skaters. Racing blindly 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 n tree stump by
the bank and watched, careless of his
snowy jacket The thing interested
hlm-nothiDg more. He told himself
thai he did not care straw if the
whole party, man, woman and child,
persisted in the drifts. Still he waited
pcrsistently. lie did not tell himself
for what. At last he arose. Just then
muilied hum of pair at skates
sounded far out on the ice. The sound
waxed louder and fainter alternately.
Like the traveller in primevM forest
who has lost his way, this skater was
moving in q circle Let him circle till
he persisted. She must now be well
on the way to the castle. But--duty !
Warrington put his two hands to his
mouth and sent deafeuiug shout
across the ice. A faint cry answered
back. He shouted again TO indicate
the direction. Then he heard tue
sound of skates blowing through tine
deepening snow straight for him. The
sound swerycd TO the right.
The way, Warrington roarcd from
the shore.
I'm ten seconds Miss Howard fell ev-
haustcd into his arms. Itwas impos.i.
BILE TO keep the snow off her lie
could only wait until She had recovered
| breath, and then without word of
/ apology he took her mp IN his arms
and carried her TO the partial shelter
OF bolt of underwood. The cold be-.
came intense Warrington soon saw
that before she had even recovered
strength the girls circulation was rum.
ming down. She must be kept MOVING
or she would freeze TO death. She
was already half alccp. Fortunately
I fe had small fash of brandy thot the
| housckcepcr OF She castle had pressed
upon him when hostortcd. Gre forced
some drops into the girls lips, and.
whom She partly revived, said sharply /.
''NOw thenl March I"
'I cannot move q step am faint
] cannot breathe. This awful snow r'
Tie shook her roughly. She would
not stir. lIo hardened his heart and
struck her LOO the facl with his opcn
hands. She only mooned and hid her
head upon his shoulder. lie tried TO
cover her from the awful downfall
which momentarily increased. Then,
failing in this he burst out passion
ately