The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1908-05-21

their lives, and although electing tt
travel life's journey henceforth alone
she desired for her sister the happi
ness that had been hers for so briei
a period.
After Roberts departure Allie did
not appear to find the usual pleasure
in her various fads. Somehow they
seemed less important than formerly,
and her plans for remodeling the
world we're in danger of falling
through, when one day as she returned
from delivering a lecture on Higher
Ethics before the Ladies' Aid society
her father entered the room with
newspaper in his hand and asked her
II she could be brave.
Instinctively her thoughts flew to
Robert, and she held out a shaking
hand for the paper.
II contained a short article with
glaring headlines, telling that the
mining camp of Cripple Creek, Col,
had been almost entirely destroyed by
fire. Several lives had been lost and
many lay at the point of death.
The fire department had proved in
adequate to contend with the flames,
and the miners had e.. ed out bravely
to help. One, the superintendent oil
the Anaconda mine, by the name OF
Robert Hobson, while trying to rescue
some children from the second story
of the Palace hotel, had fallen through
and was carried out almost lifeless.
That was all. Not a word to tell
whether he died after that or not.
my God. save him and forget mel"
gasped the girl, sinking to the floor
and burying her face in the couch.
A moment later she was on her
feet again; her eyes heavy miserable,
but resolute.
Father, am going to start for Col
orado tonight! If you cannot go with
me, Henrietta will"
And Henrietta did. In a few hours
they were in a Pullman on a west
bound train. They left 1t for a stage
at picturesque Manitou on the morn
ing of the third day, but Allie had no
eyes for the grandeur of the noun
tains; the long journey was a tragedy
to her.
All day long the stage, going at a
moderate pace. befitting the severe
grades of the primitive road, literally
climbed into the recesses of the Rock.
les; traversed deep canyons, and
2lung to narrow shelves cut on the
side of the rocky barrier Toward
evening 1t dashed noisily down the
side OF steep mountain and rolled
into a charred, blackened, smolderlng,
forsaken-looking place, with only a
few isolated cabins left to mark the
once fourishing town Of Cripple
Creek.
In the tent which served for the
stage office, the sisters learned where
the invalids were being cared for, and
thither they went. When they
reached the entrance Of the shack AL
lie sank down on the rough step. 81
cannot go another step, Henrietta" f"
she said
II was not necessary for just at
that moment the door opened, and on
the threshold stood tall young man
with ban1age across his forehead, a
scar on one cheek and his right arm
in a sling-a pitiful-looking object
truly
Allie sprang to her feet. 'Bob!"
she cried
Henrietta strolled away to inspect
the ruins.
Dearest" Hobson said, when earth
and heaven had once more assumed
their proper relationship. your aspi-
rations will be realized after all.
am badly in need of a nurse, and as
soon as I'm able TO travel we will
take Henrietta with us and visit the
Philippines-on our wedding trip, you
know"