Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-05-05
CHAPTER NJ

CHAPTER NJ.
It was late when Col. Meredith reached
Windy Gulch that night, hut he found
Dorothy waiting for him in his room,
her face marvelously like his own in its
expression of cold, set severity. She
gave him no smile, no conventional
words of greeting as he entered. Did
you win the case?" she abruptly de-
manded.
well, rather" he dryly returned,
smiling good humoredly at her tense
aagerness, as he supposed on his &C
count. at was foregone conclusion
They had not a shred of evidence to
offer
Owing to the fact that Mr.. Neil ano
his principal witness were lept away?"
The colonel stared slightly, struck by
a certain oddly in the tone. That cut
10 figure at ALL he shortly declared.
They had no case. 1t was bunco game
from first to last, as 1 have told you be-
fore But now that your curiosity is
satisfied, perhaps you will spare me fur
tier discussion of the matter tonight,
Dorothy. You ought to have been i'll
bed an hour ago; ard for longer than
that have been wishing that were, j"
emphasizing the statement by a weary
yawn. Good night"
Just one minute" she stonily stip-
uIated, locking her hands more tightly
together as she stood before him. Il
don't want those men to be unjustly
blamed; 1 want to tell you that 1 did
IL"
Did what, in heavens nane?" ejacu-
lated her father impatiently, looking at
her as though half suspecting that she
had taken leave of her senses.
ST went up to the mine this afternoon
and told the men that you had sent
word that Mr.. Neil was to be released.
You did?" On the instant the sleepi-
ness had vanished from the colonel's
face, and the interjection was sharp as
the crack of whip; but his tone was
Jelly calm as after a moments pause, ne
tremendously added: sit down,
T.iCaSe; and perhaps you will be good
enough to explain yourself"
II did not know about it until l was
coming up from dinner" she said, in a
dull, narrative tone; Il had been writ
ing letters in my room all the morning,
minute they told me, l recalled the con-
versation in this room yesterday and
I understood. But l should not have
r.eddled: l should have lived through
the disgracCful knowledge that you
were accessory to such crime-I could
have bore it somehow if had not hap
pCned to remember what you told ME
about the pumps that first day l was
up at the mine. y '0u were show
ing me about and skiing so many
questions. You sL-. f the pumps
stopped. the mine would fill with water
il: - hours l could not sit here-how
could I?-thinking that through the
Vaccinations of that wicked AicCready,
You might even at that moment be in
directly conuivirg at 4 murder.-I al!
most went mad with the thought of it!
until l could stand it no longer; and
then l ordered my horse and rode up
there"
And made 4 precious fool of your
self" calculated the colonel, savagely.
There was not the slightest danger
Of the fellows drowning, and if your
head were not so full of dime-novel
sensationalism, you would have known
better than to suppose that l would
take chances of anything like that. l
thoughtlessly exaggerated when l said
that 81 hours would fill the mine; the
lower levels did fill, for a fact; but he
would have been safe in the 1OO-foot
level for at least So hours longer. He
had blankets and plenty to eat. 1t
may be that he found the situation
it only served him right. He came
sneaking around, trying to bride my
men to go back on NE, hoping to get
me in some sort of hole. and instead.
slipped into one himself-a case of bitter
bit. AS for your posing as his deliv-
erer-" he stopped short. as though
fairly choked with anger at the thought.
Nobody could regret the pose more
than l; but it seemed to be forced upon
me-" returned the girl, quietly, as she
rose. Now that l have explained the
matter. however. l need not keep you
out of bed any longer"
Wait" exclaimed her father. sharp
ly, as she started toward the door. Il
should like to know how your precious
nrotege took his deliverance. Did he
appreciate the situation! ana dld ne
thank you prettily?" the last words
replete with biting sarcasm.
For the first time Dorothy's calm
seemed shaken. She glanced toward
the door as though half disposed to
90 away without answering; and when
she spoke it was with obvious effort.
Il was not there when he came out
of the shaft; at first it seemed as
though I could not face him, as though
l must sink to the earth in shame II
but felt his eyes upon me; but after
ward / waited for him outside felt
[ had to-and told him that 1t was all
a mistake-that you had nothing to
do with it" her voice, which had been
ts1t@xinR. ceased entirely until her