Gilpin observer., 1903-04-02

bring her. but the storm came up 50
sudden that we had no time to send
for her."
Can you not do 1t now?"
He shook his head and said the
avalanche. had fallen in the pass be-
hind them and they were completely
shut in where there were.
will there be no escape?" she
asked.
Not until spring unless we can
cut our way through"
Laura went to her tent and wept.
She realized how helpless she was
and began to distrust the man who
professed to be her friend.
"Oh, God" she groaned, ito Thee
alone can I now appeal for helR
need expect none from these men,"
Mr.. Lakeland seemed very much
distressed that she was cut of from
her female companion. and selected
four men to go back, as he said, and
bring her over the fallen avalanche
IL possible The four selected were
Ben Allen, Morris. Ned Padgett and
Tom Ambrose When Lakeland took
them apart, to give his final instruc-
tions. he said:
Take the woman and wounded man
back to Skaguay."
What! An have him hang us for
holdin' him prisoner in the noun
tains?" asked Allen.
"But he is insane. You are four
witnesses to one"
Ned shrugged his shoulders and
muttered something about never want
ing to see Skaguay, especially while
their late prisoner lived.
VERY well, then, start with them
toward Skaguay, but don't reach the
place. Become lost. You understand
how to do that. At least he must
not know anything of the young wo-
man here. and she must have no
knowledge that Paul Miller is alive"
His final instructions were SO clear
and imperative there could be no pos
sible mistaking them, and when he
had finished they took their departure.
The story about the avalanche fall
ing in their rear and blocking up the
way was all a clever invention on the
part of Mr.. Lakeland.
Lakeland went to Laura's tent, his
white face wearing a careworn and
troubled look. The lines of his fea-
lures seemed more deeply drawn and
his face was expressive Of the great
est concern.
'Laura-Miss Kean," he began, in
his cautious, considerate manner. Il
hope you will believe me when l say
that this lamentable accident causes
me unaccountable annoyance on your
account. When awakened in the
night with the intelligence that a
storm was coming and the pass would
be impossible, decided that for you
| must act at once. If we we're aboard
a sinking ship and should rescue you
and take you ashore. would you deem
it an act of hostility because l did
not wait for some companion of
yours?" Il
She bowed her head and was silent.
In argument, the subtle villain al
ways beat her, but when left to her
commune with her own heart. she in
stinctively felt the man was villain.
Intuition. or whatever you may choose
to call 1t, told Laura her lover lived.
She was conscious of his presence
somewhere in this vast world. and
felt as instinctively drawn to him
as the needle to the magnet.
oil ~
was still in the valley. hemmed in
by the mountains and eternal SHOWS.
Lakeland made frequent visits to
Laura after despatching the four men
to give an account of their progress
in cutting their way through the pass.
laura" he said, in low gentle
tone, which would have thrilled any
other woman, Il have tried to hope
against hope for your sake. l have
tried to believe your lover lived, but
l must yield to facts. All this jour
ney, hardship and suffering, this
passing the winter in an Alaskan
wilderness is to no purpose"
"Is it rot?"
Laura, are you very strong?'
She gave him a swift, wild look-an
imploring glance and gasped:
what do you mean?"
Can you bear great shock?"
what shock-what is it-speak out,
| beseech you'll"
Paul is dead!"
ut is false!"
''It is true!"
"What evidence have your"
"The evidence of men who saw him
die. He died three weeks ago!"
His face was so white, he expressed
such concern, that she was strongly
impressed with his manner, yet she
cried:
What you say can't be true! My
heart tells me he lives"