The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-11-26

contained, and held the letter in my
hand, would open and read it; if my
education qualified me to read it," the
Captain suggested.
Mrs Zenith ignored the sarcasm and
sent Miss May for a pair of scissors
and when they were brought she care
fully cut the flimsy envelope and read
the message:
HAS Stella arrived?"
why, it is from Miss Letson! What
in the world can she mean?" said Mrs.
Zenith.
"She means that Stell has quarreled
with her and left, and she does not
know where she went" Miss Zenith
suggested
THAT may be the case, but probably
it is not; am going right over to Nor
tons to see if Stell is there or if Bell
knows anything about it. There is
something wrong or Miss Letson would
not telegraph! l suspect that it all
comes from you prosecuting the poor
child" Miss Carrie rejoined, and with
out waiting for the recrimination or
discussion likely to follow If she tar
ried, she procured her hat and wraps
and went out.
The family waited for her return
without great anxiety, having little
doubt that, whatever had been amiss at
Barton, Miss Stella had returned to
Minersvale and had proceeded to the
Mortons and was with her friend
Miss Carrie returned alone and
looked so anxious and depressed that
Captain Zenith's inquiry was but a
hopeless form:
fnl I,or
a. ney have not heard from her. They
did not even know that she was out
of town. The adjutant waited there
for hours this afternoon, expecting
Stell, as he said that he had an engage
ment to meet her here"
What is to be done? What can be
done? Where can she be-" said Mrs.
Zenith.
Il have telegraphed to Miss Letson
in your name," Miss Carrie answered,
'and l have told her that we have not
heard from Stella since she left home
and that we do not understand her tel
egram."
An hour of expectation, anxiety,
hope, fear, passed before the response
came from Miss Letson:
'Stella left for home on foot after
three O'Clock. We could net !, d ice her
to remain here after she missed the
train. We start at once 20 look for
her."
"Pa, get a good pair of horses and
strong buggy and go after her, quick!
l will so with you," said Miss Carrie.
81 will go with Pa" said Miss Ze-
NTH.
Neither of you will go: 1 will go
myself" said Mrs. Zenith; but the
Captain interposed:
MA, the trip would be too fatiguing
for you. Carrie can go; her head is al
ways clear and her wits are quicker
than all of yours together; clear
headed woman may be needed. Mollie
has no right to go; for I'll be bound
that she is at the bottom of the child's
trouble, if there is any trouble, which
we will try to hope the is not"
Mrs. Zenith took up the defense of
her eldest child:
Now, Pa! Don't make such ugly
charges, at a time like this when we
don't know what may have happened to
Stella. Mollie is not to blame for any
thing and does not deserve to be scold-
ed. The child went to Lessons of her
own accord and Mollie told me in her
presence not to allow her to go. OF
course it was of her own will that she
started to walk home at such an hour.
Very likely she stopped at some house
on the way when it beg IN to get dark;
but hurry off and get your tea m for 1t
would be just like her to stick to her
resolution when she once started, and
try to walk all the way, day or night!
r. l. 41oA
happen to her!"
Il do not think that there is house
on the way; the road is altogether
unused; l do not know how far we can
manage to get with a team but we
will drive as far as possible and |
will then walk on unless we meet her
sooner" the Captain answered.
While Captain Zenith procured
team Miss Carrie put up wine and 9TH
er refreshments and prepared herself
for the trip. She was ready wnen her
father drove to the gate and they set
out at once.
They found the old road little better
than an abandoned by-way. 1t was
furrowed, scanned and gashed by the
floods of many years; rough with
stones and rocks that lay bare upon
the track; obstructed here and there
by trees that had been wrenched from
their strong roots by the violent as
saults of raging winds. Travel there
in the day would have been difficult;
at night it was dangerous and progress
was uncertain and slow.
AS they slowly ascended a hill the
wheels of one side of the buggy
dropped into deep washout and the
vehicle was upset, Both the occupants
were pitched out, but neither was
harmed. The Captain righted the bug
gy which was uninjured and with little
delay they resumed their slow and toll.
crest of the hill. 1t was then past mid
night and they were uncertain what
distance they had covered. At the top
of the hill the road was found worse
than usual and the Captain took out
a lantern and walked ahead, selecting
a practicable route, while Miss Carrie
carefully drove after him as he directed
her from time to time. Having pro-
ceeded in this manner for a hundred
yards or more, the Captain returned to
his seat when it appeared that the
worst had been passed.
At the instant that he started the
horses there came a sound that caused
him to stop them suddenly, 1t was a
woman singing, There was In the
voice a weird plaintiveness that the
startled listeners attributed to the
weirdness of their own surroundings
the darkness, the bleak desolate hills,
the wild locality, the hour and their
own anXieties.