Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-12-28
DARK DAYS
Ru HIGH CONWAY
THE MELTING OF THE SNOW.
By HUGH CONWAY.

of it and made the dread secret known
to all Who would be the first to DIS
cover l.? Doubtless some country man
or woman passing that way in the gray
of the morning. | drew pictures of the
discovcrers horror-the shrek of terror
he or she would give. l scarcely dared
to close my eyes; for [ knew that
if | dreamed, my dreams would take
me 10 stand over the snow
drift and force me to watch 1t
melting away! 1t seemed TO me that I'M
til Philippa was out Of the range or pur'
suit, I should not sleep again.
Faster and faster, now it bad once be-
gun, the thaw went on. Warm Wlnd,
heavy rain the next day, helped It.. mat
tremendous fall of snow had, indeed,
been the last effort Of the winter. l
dreaded what l might see in the morn
ing's papers.
For it was the third day from that on
which | spoke about going abroad; yet
we were still in London. When 1T really
came to making preparations for the pro
jected trip, there were IT, thousand ana 1Il
one things to be done. There was the
needful passport to be obtained; my moth
er had many purchases to make for both
PhiIippa and herself. She was now fully
contented with the prospect OF a long so
iOurn on the continent; but she liked
travelling in comfort. and objected very
much to being hurried. So it was that.
in spite of the pressing need for lmmedl-
ate flight, we were still in London.
The dangerous delay made me nervous,
excitable and ill-tempered. This state of
mind was not without benefit to our
cause, as my manner as Wen as my loohs
fully convinced my mother that my own
health was the sole object OF the Jour-
ney. SO, like a good creature, she set
to work in thorough earnest to get every
thing ready for our departure.
Tomorrow morning we were to start
II 4Ioa+ 1i,r1o+ no no
late: that the next tWenty-four hours
might pass without what L dreaded tax
ing place For / knew that by now that
CHASTITY object on the roadside must be
lying with the light Of day on It's pale
face.
With an effort I opened the mornings
paper and ran hastily UP and down the
columns. What cared [ for politics, for
eign news, or money market intelligence!
Here was the one paragraph winch riy-
eted all my attention. The white tomb
had given up it's secret! Read! 10 me
those words were written III letters OF
fire!
Horrible Discovery near Roding.-,
The melting snow has brought to light
what to all appearances is fearful
crime. Yesterday afternoon laborer
walking on the highway discovered the
side His death had been caused by a
pistol shot. 1t is supposed that it must
have occurred on the night of the
great snowstorm, and that the body
has lain ever since under the snow,
which had drifted, to the de ePe4
death must have been instantaneous, and
that no weapon can be found near the
spot, do away with the theory OF sui
eide. Letters and papers found upon
the corpse tend to show it to be that
of Sir Mervyn Ferrand, Bart. The
frin
been communicated with and the inquest
will be opened tomorrow"
For some minutes [ sat like one
stunned. Inevitable as it was that the
discovery should be made, the shock
seemed scarcely lightened by the fore
knowledge: the danger seemed no less
terrible. Oh, that we had started yester.
day-were even to start today! what
might not happen before tomorrow morn
ing! My first impulse was to go to
my mother and beg her to hasten our
departure; but reflection showed me how
alarm her-alarm Philippa! l could
give no reason My one longing was to
keep the news from my poor love. Let
her read that paragraph, and who could
answer for the consequences! Looking
as a medical man at her case, L knew
that there was something about that
night which troubled her; some dream,
or semblance of dream, to which, fortu-
nateIy, she could as yet give no CO.
herence. Let her learn that Sir Meryyn
Ferrand had ever since that night been
living dead where she met him, the fear
full truth must come to her. No! not
a word to excite her suspicion. My task
was a two-fold one. [ had to save her
not only from what | suppose | must
call justice, but also from herself. 1t
seemed to me that the latter was the
hardest part of my work; but | would
T Il 7 UvO1
keep watch and ward, to see that moth
ing reached her-that she heard nothing
which could awaken memories OF those
mercifully absent hours.
l tore the paper to pieces and burned
it. | think of all my dark days that
one was the one would be least willing
to pass again. / trembled at every
fOOtstep on the stairs. Any man who
paused for a moment outside our Win
dows sent q cold chill over me. And
in the midst of my misery | had to wear
a cheerful face, and talk to Philippa and
nv mother of our projected journey! All!
if we only reached the end Of it Ill safe
ty, the pleasure would not be altogether
imaginary.
Once again 1 say. if you cannot feel
WITH me, throw my tale aside. Heaven
knows it is somber one! was, break
ing the law: concealing what the law
calls crime; doing all could to save the
criminal. But the criminal was Philippa,
and / loved her! I myself would have
stood face to face with Sir Mervyn Fer
rand, and have freely given my own lite
if | could have assured his dying like the
dog he was. Why then should blame
Philippa, who had done in her temporary
madness what [ would have done in cold
blood? Yet why trouble to extenuate!
[ loved her! These words sum up every
thing.
The morning dawned. No fatal mes
senger had arrived. 1 glanced hastily at
the papers, which, however, contained m no
more information about the tragedy.
Shortly after 10 O'Clock we started to
drive to Charing Cross. The rattle OF
wheels over the stones seemed to send
fresh life through my veins. We were
off on the road to safety.
We started in plenty, of time, as l
wished to call at my bankers on the
way. 1t was my intention to take. with
me a large sum in gold. Notes of any
kind could be traced, but the bright SOY,
ereigns would tell no tale. | changed
nv check, and while doing so asked if
there were any letters for me. Several