The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-04-18
CHAPTER TX.
A MIDNIGHT VISIT.

1t was well on in the month OF
August before had progressed far
enough on the road to convalescence
to bear removal from the farm
house at Valley Head to Macpher-
sons; and after the blackboard trip
to the ranch at Six-Mile became a pos
sibility, still fingered on at Sellers,
being by that time critically inter-
ested in the small tragi-comedyw work
ing itself out under my eyes as the
long summer days waxed and waned.
Interested, say, but involved would
be the better word. could no longer
call myself an onlooker.
If there were other reasons for
my stay-if, in those short weeks
which will always be marked with q
red letter in any poor calendar of
mine, there had come into my life
thing which common loyalty babe
me triple-lock in that chamber of the
heart which is at once the sanctuary
and the tomb of hopes unrealized
and unrealizable, I shall not unfold
it here. This is Macpherson's story,
and none of mine; but if I say that
in those days of leaden-winged con-
valescence Winifred Sanborn gained
an ally whose loyalty was not
measured by the hope of reward, it
is sufficient.
But though for me the days were
as the days of the lotus eaters, the
tragi-comedy went on, working outfits
details with relentless precision. The
breach between Setter and the land
company widened day by day; and
Wykamp's reckless by-play with the
Tennessean's daughter gave it the
depth of personal hatred as between
the vindictive descendant of the Re.
demptioners and the engineer. Mac
pherson was still on the side of peace
but it was evident that his influence
over Setter was strained to the
breaking point. In the family at the
farmhouse the daughter was a,
swords points with the father an6
mother for Wykamp's sake; ant
though Wykamp had long since beer
forbidden the house. Nan met hin
and walked with him in open def
ance of her fathers Introduction.
1t was in the hope that the CIR
might still be induced to listen tt
reason that / had written to Grant
ley; but when the forgotten news
paper story was finally in my hand.
l was as one who has been suddenly
made responsible for the safety of
powder-magazine. For, hidden under
the charitable hyperbole of the re
porter who had written the news
paper account, there was story to-
despicable for any recounting; til,
story of Wykamps perfdy and Wini
fred Sanborn's dishonoring. Havin.
the proof in my hands, l knew no
what to do with it. 1t was incredibl
that it should not bring the girl t,
her senses; but without showing i
to her I could hardly hope to max
her believe it. And to put the clip
, ping, and Grantley's letter of expla
nation which accompanied it, into tn
, hands of Nancy Setter, was like set
ting the clocKwork of an Internal ma
chine in order and turning it over t,
a passion-mad girl with power to Sc
it in motion. Bruited abroad, Their
, was no limit to the trouble for whicl
, the story might be responsible. I
would inevitably destroy what small
, peace of mind Winifred had been abb
to gather up out of the wreck OF tn
past in the new environment. I
would probably cost Wykamp his life
at the crack of the mountaineer'
rifle in ambush, or at the hands of
!; vigilance committee upon whicl
every man in the settlement woul
, be eager to serve. Failing in this, j
; might easily make a murderer O
Macpherson. knew my friend
character and the strength of it; bu
there be provocations too mighty t