Gunnison news-champion., 1908-03-27

80
aarged ouf from the nee ssrse.
Louise started forward. She never
Ene~ aitersara jsst What she meant
10 do. baf she spgan. away from
Mar enctrclinz arm and ran sp the
iistle aight of steps leading to the
door from which she had been SO sn-
ceremoniogsly thrust. AfseT~arG.
when they told her. she realized what
her impuisive action meant. bat now
she did not think. She was only con
sciogs of some Wild vague impulse to
~ TO the help Of the man who would
even nov be safe In blessed outdoors
had it not been for her aud her fool
ish woman 8 whim She had sent him
TO his death. What were those
wrstched note books-what was any
thing al al in comparison TO his isfe'
So she stumbled biindly up the steps.
The wind had slammed the door shut.
ID vas crBel obstacle 10 keep her
back. She wreHched 1t open The
clouds 81 smoke that met her. rolling
out Of their Imprisonment like pent.
Bp steam. choked her. blinded her.
beat her back. She strove impotSrty
against il. She tried to fight Il OF
with her hauds-those little intensely
feminine hands whose fortune Gordon
loBged to take upon himself forever
and forever. They were SO small and
weak to feBd for themselves. 9ui
small as they were. 1t was good
thing they did that night. Now
Mary had firm hold of her and would
not let her go. She struggled desper
ately and tried to push her off. but
vainly for Mary had twice her
strength.
Mary, | shall never forgive YOU"
She did not finish her sentence. for
at that moment Gordon staggered out
into the air. He sat down on the bot
tom step as IL he were drunk. but little
darts of flame colored the surging
smoke here and there in weird
splotch and, suddenly calm now that
there was something to do. Mary and
Louise led him away from the doomed
building where the keen wind soon
blew the choking smoke from his eyes
and throat.
I've swallowed a ton," he said. re-
covering himself quickly. Il couldn't
get them, Louise" He did not know
he called her so.
oh. what does II NATTER" cried
Louise, earnestly. Only forgive me
for sending you"
AS l remember II, I sent myself"
said Gordon with q humorous smile,
and, | am afraid. tumbled one little
girl rather unceremoniously down the
stairs. Did l hurt yOu?' There was
caressing cadence in the question
that he could not for the life Of him
keep out of his voice.
Il did not even know | tumbled.
How did you get back" said Louise.
TREMENDOUSLY.
Who opened the door," counter.
questioned Gordon, remembering.
The wind must have blown it shut.
was blinded couldn't find it-I
couldn't breathe. I didn't have sense
enough to know It was shut. but I
couldn't have helped myself anyway.
l CROPPED for 1t as long as could with
out breathing. Then | guess I must
have gone on little, for | was spraw-
ling on the floor Of the lower hall
when | felt a breath OF air playing
over me. Somebody must have opened
the door-because ! am pretty sure
| had tainted or done some foolish
thing"
Louise was silent. She was thank.
ful-thankful. God had been very
good to her. 1t had been given to her
to do this thing. She had not meant
to do it-she had not konwn what she
did; enough that was done.
1T was Louise" spoke up Mary,
"and 1-tried to hold her back." So
she accused herself.
But didn't do it on purpose" said
Louise, with shining eyes. II"
Yes, you" prompted Gordon.
looking at her with tender intentness,
Il guess ! was trying to come after
you,' she confessed. TT was very
foolish"
The rear grounds were rapidly FILL
ing up. Like children following a
bandwagon, the crowd surged toward
the new excitement OF the discovered
extension OF the hre. Gordon drew 4
long breath.
Il thank God for your-foolishness,
ne said. simply. smiling the smile his
friends loved him for.
CHAPTER XVII.
A. Unconventional Te. 0sc%~