The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-02-11
CHAPTER VI


Just as his Consciousness waned. and he
was launching, chair aud all, into space.
Iaras voice reached him again.
Then he was in the hallway. through
some miracle, and insisting most uncom-
monty that be was not to be taken into
the library, but into the music room. be
cause the windows there eommanded the
mountain.
He awoke to the interesting discovery
that Miss Stansbury was tanning him
Presently she re-chiIled a towel ia the
iced basin and folded it upon his fore
head, now deliciously cool
Its mighty sweet Of you to take care
OF me this way" be muttered gratefully.
~How is Pelee7 How long have l been
hereG The last I remember. was lost
In the hall, and you found me-"
you've been here about three hours,
Mr.. Constable. Pelee IS quiet again. but
the whole world is white outside--a per
feet blizzard Of ash has fallenl They
say a terrible thing has happened at the
extreme northern end Of the city. The
River Branch overlooked her banks. and
ran with boiling mud from the volcano.
Thirty people are reported killed and the
Usine Guerin destroyed
She thought he was considering the |
disaster in the silence which followed. but /
in reality he was battling with the old
problem
Miss Stansbury.s he said finally. is
there anything man possessed Of full /
faculties coald do. say or bring about that \
would induce your mother to spend the
night of-shore7"
She shook her head.
'-You know that the Madame could be
brought in for the mails tomorrow morn
FMS"
Il have taken the liberty 70 suggest
that to mother" lara replied she says
that tomorrow viii be time enough"
Miss StansbuEy. won't you put your
self in the care Of Captain Negley to-
night? hope I'm wrong. but the Guerin
disaster may be only preliminary dem
onstration-like the operator experiment.
ing to find il it is dark enough to start
the main fireworks You know, | would
stay ashore. and Negley is good old man
Of the sea"
Don't you understand, Mr. Consta-
ble2" shessaid. in real distress for deny
ing him so repeatedly. Don't you see .
that such a thing would bring down
miserable scene upon our headss Besides.
/ am not thinking Of my own safety as
such a paramount thing. I don't want to
be one Of Jobs lone survivors, Mother I
and Uncle Jeey and you must go-when :
do" Q
The pale, searching face regarded her
Again be was silent. His lips were shut, /
his eyelids half-closed. A swift I
intuition was borne to the woman He o
was about to renew the siege She was .
not ready, and shrauk from being moved
10 8 decision which she had not formed s
ia the privacy Of her own mind. The /
last two days Of suffering had rendered G
her strangely responsive to his mental &C J
tons. His quest had filed her brain with il
wonders, but they were not yet coalesced o
impulses and Inspirations without II
unity. unbound as yet By Judgment She Il
wanted to yield with grace. if it came to n
that. but not to be overthrowR. His hand Y
reached for hers. but she drew away D.
Miss Stansbury"
please. don't say It now - she whis- =
Dered swiftly, her words startling herself v
quite as much as the man These are
'uch dreadful hours We must think Of 7
he crisis-onIy Of that-putting behind
al that passed last night p 81
''Untilf- said Constable. sitting up.
"Oh. who can tells One knows-Mr. ~
Constable. isn't it wicked of you to mud
he NE this wayFr IL
A smile from him had given her the to
avfng turn The tension was eased. =
Now. as he held out bis hand TO her, she pl
vas not slow to accept it, or to miss SD
he meaning Of the compact. no
~Pelee will be beyond the sky line for IA
81 h. - ! Il.
Well Be very good pals In the mean ali
inc Please 90 to the window and see it
low our ogre IS faring-the giant who so
links he's going TO eat Us when we're is,
rhine -'member the fairy story7 By the CD
ray, Hiss Stansbury. did you ever have an
set Of billiard balls cracking Of caroms fui
n your brain pans7 lie
yes. and ten-pins. Men don't know uu
eadache matters. The north fhi
clearer, sir. A little while ago II was lat
Il SETTLING mass Of blacks and grays." an
An exclamation broke from her lips
nd Constable joined her at the window. for
dozen birds had fallen 10 the lawn from pit
ne caves Most Of them were dead from ant
le tainted air. The sight brought the rer
tuation more forcibly than ever to her cor
ind.
4 huouiu thiuh the Dlru1 would dy SIC
way :" she said pityingiy ant
Perhaps the mother birds are waiting hoI
II mails to come in. suggested a voice Low
hind them. Mrs. Stansbury was stand con
& in the hall doorway. mo
A gracious rain cleared the air Of early er
'ening. and Constable settled himself ing
r further nap at the north window der
,stairs- He had not realized his ex- ind
lustion, and was astonished to End that dis
was midnight when be awoke. He was ing
ronger. bat a cyclonic headache still II
pressed him. Glad though be was for wir
Q hours passed, still he was by no means livi
appreclatiFe Of the chances he had bro
ken. A forlorn hope Of saving the lady, this
en- though a destroying eruption over the
ok them at the plantation house, had froi
own in bis mind since the night before Br,
be caught asleep would render this
ance far one. ed .
The Guerin disaster might be consId- ",
d among the promises Of favorable swe