The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1909-04-02
CHAPTER xvII.-fContinued.)

Al
All that had been serene partook Of
strange disorder now. Negley should have
made an effort ere this to reach him. The
power that devastated tho city and with
unspent violence swept the morne might
have reached three leagues at sea- Save
that the gray was Interchangeable in the
roof Of the world, he could not believe
that all this was one day. Lara
would never forgive him for being whole,
at tho price Of her mothers eyes! There
seemed no adjustment possible for this
cruel play Of his service. He
called the mothers name softly, but his
words made no impress-called in frenzy
at last, and felt her shudder in his arms.
"Boyl"
Eyes, yes"
Tell Lara that there was no yesterday
mo last night And leave me herein
the dark r.
How long afterwards he never knew,
but he awoke to find himself uttering In.
coherent sentences. The woman was quite
dead. The hours drew on into
eternity, but the gray still lived in the
sky. He lOosened his arm, and the blood
rushing into the strained limb bore with
1t thrashing pain. The water had cool
cd. but he did not put his burden down
He had not yet fathomed the extent OF
her surrender, nor the signet and color
Of her personality upon every word she
had spoken. He heard a cry
from Lara, and deemed it the sncroach-
ment Of personal madness. Scornfully he
answered. Again the voice of the -wem-
an! He arose and called her name. A
shadow darkened the orifce, and he saw
his lady In the sky.
1t may be in this marvellous world,
where men carry on their wars and their
weoings. some pursuing their little ways
ct darkness, some bursting into blooms of
vaior and tendsrness-it may be that af-
ter the NEST exalted passage of agony and
terror, two Of Earth's people were return
ed to each ether in the strangeness of
these. One swesning at the curb Of an
ancient eistern, under the hot lsaden sky.
the falling sea before, and Pelee, with
his tens Of thousands slain, on her right
hand the ether in the pit below. standing
In the sseling water, and calling upon her
to forgive hin for failing in that which
snly the gods could do. 1t may be that
In the collection Of Earth's tableaux an.
ether such aln is curled away-fren an
ether age and another eataclysn.
"Niver you very your hearrt, SORT"
called Aacready, to whom the vsics Of his
friend had brought inperisus conscious
ness, man-wise, instead Of collapse. 9TH
faint u nothin'. IT'S q fortune fur thin
a. can faint fur Joy, an No HURT in ut,
ssrr. Have you tn strsnt' t do tn ever
hand up tn chain, wit tn fairest av tin
t'ousaad at tn top, sorr?"
Constable placed his burden upon the
stone slabs, caught the chain, and pulled
himself free from the water. His weight
was a mountain. The Eve days had done
what feur had not-played havoc with
the enc hundred and ninety pounds of
manhood which struggled upward under
cheers, and fell across the rim
Of the cistern into Macready's arms.
Lara awoke and found Constable bend
Ing over her. Her eyes rested upon Ibis
lacsrated hand, upon the swollen veins In
his threat and temples. She saw bleod
upon his clothing, blisters upon his neck.
sweat and nire upon his face. 81
The reality came that he was praying for
lA0S ~ AOrslNe nlm-DeC4uSe neE notuer
had died in his arms.
Peter, my belevedv' she murmured.
you say-that mother"
She halted, for the grief uprose in
Its fullness in her mind. The day had
put a look Of horror in her eyes that
months would not efface. But
there was no mortal hurt upon her. Her
aostrils, lips, hands-all moved in their
way Of dear perfection. Some time she
would see that he had done his best.
Though he had failed in all else,
le had saved this masterpiece from harm.
"But If I had not come back, she never
would have known" he pleaded. "And
he forgave me-I'm quite sure-as you'll |
forgive me"
What are you saying2" she cried sud- |
lenly. What do you mean? 1t IL hor-
'ible, but l came thinking to find you all |
ying here-as they are in the eity-all |
lead and down-and l have found my |
over living!'
Macready and Ernst, afar off, watched |
he puffs Of smoke and steam rise like
yray-white birds from the ruins.
Ernst, lad" said the other, 9TH boss
IN tn l'adin' lady are havin' an intel
echooal repasht in tn einter av tn
ta-age, be tn ould well. Bear in moind
7ou're a chorus gurrl, an conduct your
Iilf In accord"