Middletown transcript., 1905-11-11
under his breath. Blest if |
can stand it any longer!

ne CuOSo ~ pdIl IilIouSh ehS
woods, which near the hotel lee
past the site of an old iron mine
years since abandoned. 1t was
an eerie place /; he stopped as he
always did to gaze down at the
dark mouth of the old shaft.
which opened from the side OF a
funnel-shaped excavation, now
thickly overgrown with moss and
ferns and asters. Farther along,
away from the path, the walls OF
the tunnel had caved in in places,
making dark chasms, at the bot
tom of which lay patches of
white, for there the winter SHOWS
| lasted far into tie summer.
The neglected spot fitted into
Potter's thoughts, and he lin
gered awhile before setting forth
on his walk. When fairly on his
way. however, the beauty of the
scenery, the invigorating noun
tain air, the delight of exercise,
all beguiled him into a lighter
mood until he found himself re-
peating those comforting lines of
the old poet:
"Be she fairer than the day,
Or the fowery meads in May
If she be not so to me,
What care l how fair she be r.
Turning back at dusk at the
end of his journey, he had again
to pass by the old mine. AS he
neared it he thought he heard a
cry; from the hollow by the
shaft opening it came family :
Help! Help!
Peering down in the twilight |
he saw a white, upturned face |
among the ferns Miss Went
worth-Alice!
Eliot, is it you? lam so glad
He leaped down to her side,
when to his astonishment two
arms met tightly around his neck,
and then-she tainted. Even in
that predicament Potter felt a
strange exultation. How he was
to get her out unless she could
help herself a little he did not
know; but for the moment that
did not concern him. 1t was
enough that she had wanted him
called him by his name, and
that they two were there to-
yether. L
But Miss Wentworth came to
1erself will h disconcerting
oromptness. | fell when reach
ng for some ferns; [ must have
urned my ankle or | could. have
climbed out alone" she explain !
ID. The pain has made me faint,
'ut | think I can get up now with t
7our help
l could go to the hotel for as Z
istance, he suggested doubtfully, 3
nd carriage? Il
No, no; it would make a scene
nd frighten auntie had rather a
ou would not. +
So Potter half-carried, half o
ragged her to the edge of the e
m bankmelt, and lifted her into
he path. Then, after slow and =
ilent journey broken by many a
auses, during which each seem
d to hear the others heart beat, !
e brought her safely to the hotel :
nd left her in her aunt's care. :
On his return he found that
an Dyke had departed sudden
that afternoon. This fact,
sken in connection with Miss
fentworth's change of manner, 7
ncouraged him to think that ;,
erhaps Van Dyke had put his
Ite to the touch and-lost it all. oii
e sought his room that night p
18th his mind in strange tu- p p
ult between doubt and hope.
Anyway, he resolved, bellman q =,
not, I shall let nothing keep ST
e from learning. the truth from =, =,
er own lips when I see her. Il
The next day he received this Of o,
)te: h
Dear Mr.. Potter My sprain b.
not bad, but the doctor will not Of
me walk for awhile yet. Will w
~ come to our parlor and let.us Or
ank you? Fl
ALICE WENTWORTH. an
There he found a most grac- ID