Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-03-27
CHAPTER VIII.
COMPLICATIONS.

COMPLICATIONS.
Stuart had known every foot Of Cor
nishtown as boy and was familiar
even now with most OF the curious lit
tie lanes and paths that cut 1t across
and tracked up and down the side of
the great hill like the marking of some
gigantic game. There was probably
no other place just like 1t in America.
The prospecting holes were of various
depths. Some of them had caved in ut
the sides and were shaped like old Gel
lars or cisterns with masses Of rub
bish at the bottom. Others were wells,
anywhere from so to 100 feet deep,
and especially dangerous in winter,
when the snow, lodging on bushes
growing about the shafts mouth. art
fully concealed the locality of danger.
It was Stuart's first thought when he
Gained himself to think and act that
Rhena had attempted to make a short
cut by one Of the miners paths from
the upper part OF the settlement of
Cornishtown to Champion and In the
dark and confusion caused by tho
change which SNOW makes in the ap-
penrance Of old landmarks had Stun
bled into one Of the shafts. Under this
conviction lie ran back to the house
where Rhena had been and from which
he had just come himself, and, begging
a lantern, he started out on path
which at first in his terror he had for
gotten. He had followed 1t but little
way when the lantern revealed u small
black, object right In the center Of the
path. He stopped eagerly and picked
1t up. 1t was lady's winter glove
trimmed with fur at the wrist. He
recognized 1t Us Rhena,s: He had seen
her wearing that kind of glove few
days before. He placed 1t in his pocket
and went on rs fast as he dared, eager
md yet drcading with horror he new
or felt before the possible discoveries
he might make, The miner who had
come up with him had gone down 10
the settlement at Stuart's suggestion
to rouse others to come out and join in
the search. So lie was alone up there
In the mysterious shadows of the pine
covered slope. Every step lie took over
the small. barely defined trail was like
a step into IN unknown land, and yet
he was conscious, even rs he dwelt
with terror upon the strange adventure
30 suddenly thrust upon him, of going
over TINT very path one warm summer
day when boy only 10 years old, and
the smell of the balsams MS they gave
out their peculiar pungent odor in the
warmth Of thetsun seemed to be in his
senses now. Several persons had EVIL
IDENTIFY been over the path that very
day, for the SNOW was trcdden down,
and the marks of feet were not yet
wholly covered by new snow.
Quite long distance from the place
where the glove was found Stuart
came to IN old stump which marked n
giant pine Of many years before. The
path turned about the foot of this
stump, and Oh the other side of 1t as he
strobe up, praying in his heart for
mercy and safety to be shown this
woman, he saw her lying SO still and
white that he dared not think what 1t
might mean. She had fallen over a
mass Of ore that had rolled into the
path. and one hand and arm lay
stretched out directly over one Of the
most dangerous pits on the hill So
near had size been to instant death!
With cry Stuart caught her up.
Still. he dared not question whether
what he held was alive or dead. He
said to himself he would not ask. He
knew she was not conscious. He moved
now with more of instinct than by
sight or reason. feeling his way down
the hill. Ho seemed to feel confident
that he would not fall into any of the
shafts with this burden. and with a
strength and purpose that moved him
with even more than his usual determi-
nation he went on down. keeping be-
fore him the glimmerIng light Of the
nearest cottage. Finally he had reach
ed cross path to the one lie had first
entered and In which Rhena had met
with her accident. The light from the
cottage had disappeared. He was now
in q hollow or depression of the slope
which had sometimes been used by the
miners for n rough roadway to one part
of the Davis mine and as he entered It
he thought that he could feel rather
than see that tracks had recently been
made through the hollow. He went
down very cautiously. Rhena was still
unconscious
Suddenly'a sound came to Stuart
from above. He stopped and listened.
1t was the sound of sleighbells. He
could not trust his hearing and listened
more intently. Yes, that was too COM
mon sound in Champion every winter
| to he mistaken. AS he listened and
looked up into the Opaque space filled
with snow which fell straight down in
the hollow where the wind was cut off
a horse emerged like great shadow
and a vague rough outline Of some
thing behind.
Stuart shouted. and the next Instant
he knew that there was only one man
In all Champion or De Mott, or for that
matter In the entire range, WHO would
dare drive up or down Cor,,ishtown
hollow to Davis hill Mt night and In