Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-03-10

drift so that he might have q clear rcads
1t seemei hours that he fought that great
battle with the drift. all alone, Only the
great strength of his forge-hardened mus
eles permitted him to work on. FIa
called loudly to Nannette, but no answer
came back. Was he too late, them? Ho
went back out of the tunnel to get hts
bearings. The tunnel vas making straight
for the door-there could be no doubt Of
that. Then he went back again into this
drift and attacked the snow. He no long
er stopped to carry the snow out of the
tunnel. His shovel struck wood, then
came a show of red in the blank white
ness of the tunnel. The door at fasti He
threw his weight against il. Once, Twicei
Again. 1t burst open and he found hins-
self in the dim light of a small lamp
which still burned in the bracket on the
wall. The room was not cold, but the IRE
in the stove had been out for some time.
He did not see Nannette. Had she gone.
then. after all? Out of the stiffness came
a sound of lahored breathing. Then he
remembered the little room back of tho
store where the fuel was kept. The door
stood ajar. A moment later he was hold
Ing Nannette in his arms striving 10
bring her back to consciousness. BEFORE
she opened her eyes she called his name.
She called him again and again as II CALI
ing for help. Then consciousness came
back to her and she opened her eyes and
looked wonderingly at him.
While Keene made her as comfortable
as he could and built a blazing FIRE in tho
stove. she told him all about 1t. How the
snowSlide had shut her in just as she had
made ready TO go home. She had not been
frightened, as she felt sure some one
would come for her. There was plenty OF
fuel to keep the chool room warm and
she had enough of her lunch left 10 do for
supper Then the fire had burned lew arg
she had gone to the little room for coal.
She had tripped and fallen in the dark
and thought she had ~sprained her ankle.
1t hurt her cruelty and she had become
frightened when she found that she could
not move without great pain. She had be-
come terribly afraid in that little dark
room and had cried out many tiuaes for
Keene to come to her. 1t seemed so ter
rible that she should be there all alone;
If Keene could only know he would come
to her rescue. Then the pain and terror
had overcome her and she had lost all
consciousness until she saw him bending
over her.
Keene cut the shoe from the injured
ankle and wrapped his maffler about her.
tying her skirts closely about her feet.
Picking Nannette up in his strong arms,
as If she had been a baby instead OF a
plump young woman. he plunged out of
the door into the tunnel In the snow.
The drift was narrow toward the opening.
but he quickly forced his way out and
49, -. "a - .-mff-- 800.
light which WAS now breaking through
the clouds. keene never knew exactly
how he made that trip from the school
house to Morse's cottage, He held Nam
beating against his and her warm breath
was on his cheek as he hurried along with
his precious burden. Something told him
that Nannette was his. When he placed
her gently on the couch in the Morse.s
parlor she has1 kissed him and called him
dear Sherman" Keene's heart was too
full of happiness to hav any room for
thoughts of DIR. Coulson. In fact. that
gallant gentleman was not mentioned and
Nannette sent for the old doctor at the
station in the valley TO attend 70 her
swollen ankle.
All Cedarvi!le was at the wedding that
made Nannette Mrs. Keepe, when tho
| spriug brought the wild flowers back 20
the gelds. Keene's tunnel is still tho talk
OF the village.