The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-04-01
CHAPTER VIII.-Continued.

men he found the colonel and Henry
waiting impatiently. After a short
consultation and the arrangement of
definite plan, the quest began; and
as soon as the men were out of sight
Hester mounted and rode to Ire
garthen. The suspense of the previous
day had been hard to endure, but it
had been mixed with the hope that
some of the means employed would
bring news of cheering nature. When
her father and brother returned from
their fruitless errands, and she had
read Ludlow's note, the girl began to
realize in dread earnest what the pro-
longed uncertainty meant for her, and
she was glad enough to escape from the
ordeal of another lonely day of wait
ing. Mrs. Ludlow saw her galloping
down the road, and met her at the door.
did the men get started before you
left?" she inquired, putting her arm
around the girls waist and leading her
to the cool sitting-room.
"Yes; they had planned to throw a
line all the way across the mountain,
moving it northward, so as to cover the
whole plateau"
''They can hardly fail to find him;
that is, if he still on the mountain" "
replied Mrs. Ludlow.
"Oh, yes, Helen, but just think of it
this is the third day! They can scarce
ly hope to find him alive if any acci-
dent has happened" Hester's voice
betrayed her emotion, and Mrs. Ludlow
FASTENED to comfort her.
You mustn't be discouraged, dear;
til come out all right just feel that
it will. All day yesterday l was just
as blue as could be, but now | am sure
well hear good news before long"
81 wish | could be; but can't; and
I've tried so hard. All night long was
haunted by the most dreadful pictures
of him lying in some desolate place.
Sometimes it seemed as if he were only
wounded, but at others his face was
ivid and ghastly. Oh, it was terrible!''
poor dear!" said Mrs. Ludlow,
sympathetically, "does it mean so much
to you?"
hCobSl CONClCd ldCC WiUll uCl
hands, and the compassionate COM
forter saw tear trickle down one of
the shapely fingers. "There, there,
Hester, dear; don't cry: l know you
cant talk about it yet, not even to me. "
The girl looked up with her cheeks
af1ame. And you know why l can't!
It shameful to even think of such a
thing!"
mo, it isn't-not from my point of
view; you must remember l know
some things on the other side, and if
Hugh hasn't spoken it's because he has
been restrained by nobler motive than
most men could find a place for. Oh, you
needn't hide your face again: I'm not
going to do his wooing for him; you'll
find he can do that for himself, some
day, and then he'll tell you all about it, -
Hester rose and crossed to the Win
dow, commanding the view of the
mountain, and Mrs. Ludlow went away
to attend to her household duties.
When she looked in an hour later, the
| girl was still standing at the window,
| looking with wistful eyes at the forest
clad slopes of the great hills, as if seek
| ing to read the secret of the mystery
on the fair pages of the landscape. 1t
was a long weary day for the two wom-
| en-, and in the afternoon Hester an
| nounced her intention of returning to
THE Laurels."
81 shall hear sooner, if l go back" 4"
she said, in reply to Mrs. Ludlow's eff
fort to detain her, "and the helay is
pitifully hard at best"
"Shan't | have John get out the
phaeton, so can drive you up?"
NO." replied Hester, with her face
averted. Il think it will be better for
me to go by myself. If-if it should
| turn out as | fear, should want to be
quite alone for awhile"
Mrs. Ludlow understood, and did not
seek to change herplans; and after the
girl had disappeared in the windings
of the mountain road, the tender-heart-
ed little woman took the vacant place
at the window, watching eagerly for the
! first signs of the returning search
party.
oIS was 9ldtlpiii5 (hClC yCC NhCu JIG
sun went behind the mountain and the
FIRST stragglers of the party began to
appear in the road; and she was try
ing so earnestly to distinguish the form
of her husband among the men that she
did not hear him when he entered the
room. single glance at his face dis
heartened her, and she could not find
words to frame the question that found
better speech in her eyes.
mo, we didn't, find him." said Lud-
low, gravely, answering her thought.
I'VE quartered every foot of the plateau
and looked all along under the cliffs on
both brows of the mountain. He's not
up there, dead or alive. And that isn't
all: the McNabb was blown up again
last night"
Mrs. Ludlow seemed not to have
heard the last sentence. for she put her
arms about her husbands neck and hid
her face on his bosom, saying, softly:
"Oh, poor, poor Hester!"