The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-04-04

change which snow makes In the ap-
pearance Of old landmarks had STUN
bled into one Of the shaftA Under this
conviction he ran back to the house
where Rhena had been and from which
he had just come himself. and. begging
. lantern, he started out ON q path
which at first In his terror he had for
gotten. He had followed II but a little
way when the lantern revealed q small
black object right In the center Of the
path. He stopped eagerly and picked
1t up. 1t was q lady's winter glove
trimmed with fur ut the wrist. He
recognized 1t as Rhena's. He had seen
her wearing that kind Of glove q few
days before. He placed 1t In his pocket
and went on as fast as he dared. eager
and yet dreading with horror he nev.
er felt before the possible discoveries
he might make. The miner who had
come up with him had gone down to
the settlement at Stuart's suggestion
to rouse others to come out and Join In
the search. So he was alone up there
In the mysterious shadows Of the pine
covered slope. Every step he took over
the small, barely defined trail was like
a step into an unknown land, and yet
he was conscious. even rs he dwelt
with terror upon the strange adventure
so suddenly thrust upon him, Of going
over that very path one warm summer
day when boy only 10 years old, and
the smell Of the balsams as they gave
out their peculiar pungent odor In the
warmth Of the sun seemed to be In his
senses now. Several persons had evil
dently been over the path that very
day. for the snow was trodden down,
wholly covered by new snow.
Quite a long distance from the place
where the glove was found Stuart
came to an old stump which marked a
giant pine Of many years before. The
path turned about the foot Of this
stump, and on 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 n
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 she been to instant death!
With n cry Stuart caught her up.
Still. he dared not question whether
what he held was alive or dead. lie
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. He 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 he had first
entered and in which Rhena had met
with her accident. The light from the
cottage had disappeared. He was now
In a hollow or depression Of the slope
which had sometimes been used by the
miners for rough roadway to one part
of the Davis mine. and as he entered /,
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 sound came to Stuart
from above. He stopped and listened
1t was the sound Of sleighbells. He
could not trust his hearing and listened