Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1899-09-01
CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER AL.
1.-THE DARKEST HOUR Is NEAREST THE
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CHAPTER XXI.
1.-THE DARKEST HOUR Is NEAREST THE |
DAWN
Next morning on awaking I could /
hear the go-go buTFa shrieking and
cackling in its happiest fashion and re-
member being somewhat mystitied. for
that bird-"the settlers clock k''-never
begins to assert itself and expostulate
with drowsy humanity until there Is
some light in the sky, while rs yet it
was pitch dark.
Then the awful truth came crushing
down upon mel was biindl Oh. to
think that I would never again see the
stars go out one by one in the blue
heavens at break of day or the lemon
glow change to silver gray in the east
ern sky as the glorious sun rose. kissing
away the gauzelike naists from the palm
; s.rt and lily ararea iascons. could
never again go to the door of my tent
and spying 10 that go burra. throw
billet of wood at it by way of playful
response to its premature greeting and
out of sheer light heartesincss and gospa
feeling II had not been passing
+ 0Itdtu ~ Nus " fbIIlDit lttt
4 But then came the thought Of the
| love that | had won If had lost my
sight. That at least was mine which IN
| this world seemed to me best worth
| having, My blindness mattered not to
her. for she had told me that she bad
eyes for both Of us There was no dream
about that. 1t was glorious reality
Jack took me down 10 the creek for
! wash. and then | went over with him
to the camp and sat down in the shade
of n great nverhanging fly tree until he
was ready to come and take me to break
fast. Before many minutes ] became
aware of a woman approaching l had
always maintained. strange TO say, that
even blind person could tell Norah
Mackenzie's step. and now that sight
was denied me the truth OF what had
been lightly said struck home 1t was II
light. buoyant. but firm step. indicative
of her character lnstinctively rose 20
my feet to show her that / was cheerful
and not brooding over my misfortune
indeed that | rather rejoiced in the
hope she had given. me, l wished her
Good morning nvia 49,. -.
hand / could not see her In the flesh.
but could see her with wonderful dis
tinctness in my mind = eye ~ that mo
ment as with shy gladness on her
face she came toward me and caught up
my two hands.
''Is this all you have for me'' she
cried and kissed me on the cheek with
ont more ado
Considering how things had come
Il. r at -. l.. Il
Actually my speculations that day
shaped themselves into the question,
Did not owe something 10 my blind
ness after all7
We made an early start So ms to reach
the station that night The spare pack
horses belonging 10 the surveyors and
the squatter were called into Use, and
every enc was mounted. Jack attached
checkrein to Sir Henry. So what
with the former on one side and the
company Of the squatter and sometimes
his daughter on the other the time
somehow slipped so quickly away that
when at noon we stopped TO camp and
have dinner | was taken by surprise
In the course IL the afternoon we met
Mooney and the other stockinen coming
al brisk pace mp the creek 1t seemed
that some of the horses which stamped
ed from Us when the blacks had attack
ell MS in the cave made back toward the
, station W hen they were seen, Moo
pey had taken alarm. and leaving the
station and everything in it To look aft
, or itself. started ont at once with plenty
of ammunition to find ont what had
gone wrong.
BY continuous travelling we reached
the station late in the evening. where
we found everything as il had been left
1t seemed like getting home again after
. the terrible experiences we had gone
/ through in that fateful cave
In compile Of days the surveyor.
, who were capital sat Of fellows, lefi
for the Macarthur amid many expres-
! sions Of good will. II WAS arranged
, that after few more days If rest and
Z preparation we should start for Burke
r town in. Queensland again. Chilsot waf
to be left in charge Of the station. with
| four or FIVE other good hands BY this
= time Gordon would be more able for the
I journey as he. with his sister and Sa-
= vile. was going back again overland 70
= Tarragong Jack. Of course, would &C
company me 10 Burketown.
At last the time came TO say goodby
TO some Of my old friends. There were
) Gordon--who was now fast recovering
I from his wounds hk sister and savile
Q 1t was indeed hard thing 10 part with
: them at the wharf They had been SC
q kind aud attentive 10 me in my aff,ic
tion. and so delicate with il all that al
I times / was almost inclined to forget
/ my blindness II the essence Of true po-
= liteness Is 10 conceal the fast that one
Y Is conferring favor and 10 make tbs
e recipient lose sight of any Indebtedness.
r then they were natures own gentle
folk They were starting overland the