Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-03-24


signs Of being awake by knocking
Jane, however, was not in the pantry
nor in the kitchen. Jane had not
been seen for some time Then Bar
bara very softly stole through the
hall and tapped at her fathers door
No answer. She opened it and looked
in. The room was quite dark. She
stood still and listened. She did moi
hear her father breathe. In some
surprise, but hardly yet in alarm
she went for a candle, and returned
with it to the room Mr.. Jordan occu
pied. To her amazement and alarm
she found it empty. She ran into
the parlor-no one was there. She
sought through the house and garden
and stables-not a sign of her father
anywhere, and, strangely enough, moi
of Eve, or of Jane either. Jasper
likewise, had not been seen for some
| time. Then, in her distress, Bar
bara rang the alarm bell, long, hast
| lily, and strongly. When, after the
lapse Of some while spent in fruitless
search, Barbara arrived at the Raven
Rock, she was not alone-two OF
three of the farm laborers and 10
seph the policeman were with her
Jane had found her sweetheart on his
way to Morwell to visit her. The
light of the fire on the Rock, Hum
mating the air above the trees, at
tracted the notice Of one of the work
men. and now the entire party came
on to the Rock as Mr.. Jordan had fin.
ished his confession, and Jasper, sick
at heart, horror-stricken, stood back
| speeches., not able to speak.
Barbara uttered a cry of dismay
when she saw her father, and threw
herself on her knees at his side. He
made a sign to her to keep back, he
did not want her; he beckoned to
Jasper.
One word MORE he said in low
tone. My hours are nearly over
Lay us all three together-my wife,
my child, and me-
Papa said Barbara, what do you
mean? what is the matter?'
| He paid no attention to her. 4 have
told you where she lies. When You
have recovered my poor child
What child?' asked Jasper.
Eve; what other?'
Jasper did not understand, and
| supposed he was wandering.
He-your brother-leaped off the
precipice with her in his arms
'Papa!' cried Barbara.
She is dead-dashed to pieces-and
he too
Barbara looked at Jasper, then, in
terror ran to the edge. Nothing
whatever could be seen. That plat
form of rock might be the end of the
world, cliff jutting forth into in
| finite spec and descending into in
| finite abysse5 of blackness. She
leaned over and called, but received
no answer Jasper could hardly be-
| lieve in the truth of what had been
said. Turning to the policemen and
servants, he spoke sternly: Mr.. Jor-
| dan must be removed at once. Let
| him be lifted very carefully and
carried into the house. He has lain
there already unsuccored too long.
4 will not be removed said the old
man; leave me here, shall take no
further harm. Go-seek for the body
of my poor Eve
John Westlake,' called Barbara to
one of the men, give me the lantern
at once The man was carrying one.
Then, distracted between fear for her
sister and anxiety about her father,
she ran back to Mr.. Jordan to know
low he was
You need not be in any immediate
nxiety about him. said Jasper. 1T is
rue that his wound has opened and
led, but l have tightly bandaged 1t
again
Joseph, the policeman, stood by
helpless, staring blankly about him
and scratching his ear.
Then Barbara noticed blanket ly-
ing in a heap on the rock-the
blanket Jasper had brought to his
/ brother, but which had been refused.
She caught it up at once and tore it
into shreds, knotted the ends together,
took the lantern from the man West
lake and let the light down the face of
the crag. The lantern was Of tin and
horn, and through the sides but a dull
light was thrown. She could see
nothing-the lantern caught in ivy
and heather bushes and turned on one
side; the candle-flame scorched the
horn
I can see nothing she said de-
sparingly. What shall / dol
Suddenly she grasped Jasper's hand
as he knelt by her, looking down.
DO you hear?'
A faint moan was audible. Was a
human voice, or was a bough swayed