Evening journal., 1900-12-31
The DanVerS Jewels
BY MARY CHOLMONDELEY,
Author of "RED POTTAGE." !"


come on snfterance. and that at the last
moment they would have been willing
to dispense with my presence. Howey-
er. felt that | should never have for
given myself il l had let them 20 alone.
Charles was not 80 and Ralph several
years younger An experienced man of
90 TO consult IL case of need might be of
the greatest assistance in an emergency
Quicker" said Ralph; 1--WE shall miss
the train"
"No quicker if we mean to catch it,
said Charles II allowed ten minutes
extra for the snow. We shall do it if
we go quietly, but not if let him go
An upset would clinch the matter"
We drove noiselessly through the great
gates. with their stone lions on either
side, rampant in wreaths Of snow, and
up the village street where life was
hardly stirring yet. The sun was rising
large and red, ball of dull fire in the
heavy sky. it seemed 10 be rising on a
dead world.
Before Us (only to be seen on my part
by craning ground) stretched the long,
white road. At intervals here and there
among the shrouded fields lay cottages
half hidden by white network of trees
Groups Of yellow sheep stood clustered
together under hedgerows, motionless in
the low mist and making no sound. A
lonely colt. with tail erect, ran beside
ns on the othor side of the hedge as far
as his field would allow him, his heavy
hoofs falling noiselessly in the snow.
the cold was intense.
"There win be q drift at the bottom
Of Farrow hill, said Ralph; "we shall
be late for the train"
And in truth, as we came cautiously
down the hill, ON turning corner we
beheld a smooth sheet of snow tapping
over the top of the hedge on one eide,
like iced sugar on a cake, and sloping
downward to the ditch on the other side
of the road.
"Hold onl" cried Charles, as l stood
up to look, and in another moment we
We're pushing our way through the
snow keeping as near the ditch as pos
sible-too near. as it turned ont. But it
was not to be.
A few yards in front Of us lay the
road-snowy, but practicable; but we
could not reach it, We swayed bac..-
ward and forward: we tilted up and
down. Charles whistled. and made
divers consolcory and encouraging
sounds to the bay horse; bat the bay
horse began to plunge; he made side
movement; one wheel crunched down
through the ice in the ditch and all WIS
over, at least all in the cart We're. We
fell soft, most providentially alighting
on the groom, who was young and in
clined to be plump, and thus breaking a
fall which TO a heavy man Of my age
might have been serious. Charles and
Ralph were up in a moment.
II Thought / could not do iti But it
was worth q trial, said Charles, shaking
himself. George, look after the horse
and cart, and take them straight back.
Now, Ralph, we must run for it, if we
mean to catch the train. Middleton, you
had better go back in the cart" And Of
they set, plunging through the snow
/ without further ceremony. I watched
! the two dark figures disappearing, aghast
with astonishment They were posi-
lively leaving me behind.
In a moment my mind was made up,
and, leaving the gasping young groom
to look after the horse and cart, l set OF
to run, too It was only chance, OF
course, but in this weather the train
might be late. It was all the way down
! hill. I thought could do it and / did.
Ny feet were balled with snow; / was
hotter than 1 had been for years; / was
| t.,1rr g
pulled into the little roadside station,
five minutes after the train was due,
conld see that it was not yet in and that
Ralph and Charles were waiting on tbs
platform.
"My word, Middleton said Charles,
coming to meet me, Il thought had
seen the last Of you when left you re-
clining on George in the drift. / dc
believe you have got yourself into this
state Of fever heat purely to be Of use tc
Us two, and 1 treated you very cavalier
ly, am sure. Let bygones be bygones,
and let rs shake hands while you are in
this melting mood"
could not speak, but we shook hands
cordially. and / hurried of to get my
ticket.
"You can only book to Tarboroughr
he called after me, "where we change
and catch the London express"
The station master gave me my ticket
and then approached Charles and
touched his cap.
"AIight any Of you gentlemen be go
ing to London, sir?" he inquired.
"All three Of u.s."
ITO be Continued Wednesday,.
Held for Upper Court
In default Of the payment of fin