Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-09-07
round by the valley pike. but Imi think

II reckon; hit ain't; i,nn6resn ten mile
th'oo the gulch." -, ..' ,,,'.I,
Thorndyke looked at his watch. '.Are
you good for the tramp, Mr.. Duncan?
I'll need a witness" '>>' -. .@'s%%
Duncan signifed his willingness to
60, but it was with great difficulty that
they persuaded the old mountaineer,to
trust himself within sight of the rail-
way. When he finally yielded, they
took up the line of march to the south
ward, with Kilgrow leading the way.
After threading the forest of the
plateau for three hours or more, they
began to descend into deep ravine,
and Philip heard the murmur of run
ming water long before they came in
sight of the swift stream gurgling
through leafy tunnel at the bottom of
thegorge. They stopped at the margin of
the brook while Thorndyke got drink.
"Your mountain miles are good
measure, Mr.. Kilgrow," he said, talk
ing out his watch again. How much
| farther is it?''
The old man lifted his hat and
scratched his head refectively with one
finger. II reckon hit mought be bout
two sights an a horn-blow f'om yere."
Philip laughed and turned to Dun
can: I'm afraid you'll have to trans
late that for me-" - -:
"Ye'n be none the wiser when I do.
Twa sights-that's as far as We can see,
an then as far asrye can see beyon'
that; an horn-blow-that's as far as
ye can hear the scrawin' O. coos horn
frae the far end O the second sight.
D. we ken the noo?"
Perfectly" said Philip. II hope
we'll get there before dark"
They did, but it was afternoon when
they came to the end of the third di-
vision of distance and saw the scattered
houses of the little village on the rail-
way. Judge Garry's house was pointed
out by passing teamster, and Philip,
going in for information, found that
the judge was in Allacoochee, but was
expected home at five o'clock. They
waited, Duncan with Scotch resigna-
ton, the mountaineer with an indiffer-
ence born Of long practice in the art Of
doing nothing, and Philip with true
Anglo-Saxon Impotence. When the
judge made his appearance, the BUSH
ness was quickly dispatched, and Dun,
can and Kilgrow started on their re-
turn over the mountain, leaving Thorn
dyke to go to Allacoochee by the even
ing train.
The train was due at eight, and while
he was wearing out the second period
of inaction on the porch of the tavern
where he had eaten supper, Philip was
able, for the first time since the finding
of the deed, to go back to the events
which had Immediately preceded that
piece of good fortune. He had Helenes
letter in his pocket, and he read it again
in the thickening twilight. It wasEa
good letter, after all, he admitted; sen
sible and practical, and showing forth
in every line the nobility and true
heartedness of the writer. None tie
less, she should have known-she would
have known, had she really loved him--
that her proposal could be accepted
only on the condition he had imposed
that single sentence of warm affection
from her at such time would have out
weighed all the acts of self-abnegation
that could be crowded into lifetime.
And yet he could not help wishing that
he had not been so prompt to return
cold Formally for kind-hearted com
mon sense. She would doubtless be
glad enough to be free-oh, that, of
course; but he might have been as
frank and informal with her as she
had right to expect him to be-as
their long friendship and engagement
demanded. And Just here brush from
the nettle of shame stung him. How
could he ever hope that she would at
tribute any but the basest motive to his
letter when she learned the truth about
Elsie? Would she not always accuse
him in her heart of having been glad of
the pretext afforded by his loss fol:
breaking openly an engagementwhicf
had been long ignored in secret? lie
was sure she would, and he checked
himself i1npatiently when he found
that he was setting the contempt of
the woman he had asked to release him
above the love of the woman who had
saved his life. - >'>''>-:
That thought brought back to him
Elsie and the present. Had she really
saved his life? Was it quite beyond
doubt that she was the one woman in
the world who could lead him ont of
himself into a sphere of usefulness, and
accomplishment? It was by no means
as clear and well-defned as it had ap-
peared to be on that day when he had
sat up among the pillows and tangled
himself inspired Nevertheless, as the
had accepted the help, he must abide by
the choice of that day-and he would,
come what might.
No matter which way it turned, the
train of reflection led quickly to dis
comforting conclusions, and Thorn
dyke was glad when the sound of a dis
1ant whistle assured him that he could
presently pass from the depressing at
mosphere of introspection into tempo
rary oblivion of action. 1t was but a
step across to the railway, and he was
tired enough to postpone taking it UNI
til it became necessity. The whistle
sounded again, and he satlazily watch
inp the eve IF ve11nv >e1iuhf s+ar;nor