The Red Cloud chief., 1909-05-13

vars WIEN Hc HWOhe uHu SluulDltu
down aisle and car steps just In the
nick of time. Tho train, whisking
round n curve cloaked by a belt Of
sombcr pines, left him quite alone In
the world, cast ruthlessly upon his
own resources.
An hour had elapsed; II was now
midnight: the moon rode high. n cold
white disk against a background Of
sapphire velvet, Its pellucid rays re-
vealing with disheartening distinct.
ness the inanimate and llghtless road.
side hamlet called G%roenhelds; It's gen.
eral store and postoffice. It's soi.disant
hotel, its struggling line of dilapidatcd
habiiations, all wrapped in silence pro-
found and impcnetrable. Not even a
dog howled; not O bclated villager was
In sight: and II was n moral certainty
that the local livery service had closed
down for the night.
Nevertheless, Maitland, with q
desperation bred Of the prospective
five.milo tramp. spent some ten val.
liable minutes hammering upon the
door of the house infested by the pro-
prictor Of the livery stable. He sue
ceeded only In waking the dog, and
inasmuch as he was not on friendly
terms with that animal, presently
withdrew nj discretion and set his face
northwards upon the open road.
II stretched before him invitingly
enough. n ribbon winding silver.white
between dark patches of pine and
scrub-oak or fields lush with rustllng
corn and wheat. And. having over.
come his primary disgust, az the blood
began to circulate more briskly In his
veins, Maitland became aware that he
ercise. II could have been hardly
otherwise. with n night 80 sweet, with
airs so bland and fragrant Of the woods
and fresh.turned earth. with so clear
q light to show him his way.
He stepped out brlskly ut first.
swinging his stick and watching his
shadow. a squat. incredibly agitated
silhouette in the golden dust. But
gradually and i~nsensibly the peaceful
influence of that still and lovely hour
tempered his hearts impatience; and
he found himself walking at a pace
more l%eisurely. After all, there was
no hurry: he was unwearied, and Matt
land Manor lay less than Ave miles
distant.
Thirty minutes passed; he had not
covered II third of the way, yet re-
NAMED content. BY aforementioned
landmarks, he knew he must be near
ing the little stream called, by courtesy,
Mayannis river; and, In due course. he
stepped out upon the long wooden struc-
ture that spans that water. He was
close upon the farther end when
upon n hapchance impulse--he glanced
over the nearest guard rail, down at
the bed of the creek. And stopped in.
continently, gaping.
Stationary In the middle OF the de.
preston, hub.deep In the shallow wa.
ters. was q motor car; and IL, beyond
dispute, was identical with that which
had occupied his thoughts on the ferry
boat. Less wonderful, perhaps, but tC
him amazing enough, 1t was to dis
cover upon the drivers seat the CIR
in gray.
His brain benumbed beyond further
capacity for establishment, he accepted
without demur this latest and most as
founding of the chain OF amazing CO
medicines which had thus far enliv.
ened the nights earlier hours; and
stood rapt in silent contemplation,
sensible that the girl had been un.
aware of his approach. deadened as
his footsteps must have been by the
blanket of dust that carpeted both
road and bridge deep and thick.
On her part she sat motionless, evi.
IDENTIFY lost In ~reverie. and momen'
tarily, at least, unconscious OF the EN-.
barrassing predicament which was
hers. So complete, indeed, seemed her
abstraction that Maitland caught him.
self questioning the reality Of her
l.. And well might she have
seemed to him a pale little wrath OF
the night. the simmer Of gray that
she made against the simmer OF ligh,
on the water--a shape almost trans
parent, slight, and unsubstantial-
seeming to contemplate, and as still
as any mouse
Looking more attentively, II became
evident that her veil was now raised
This was the first time that he had
seen her SO. But her countenance re
NAMED SO deeply Swallowed by the
visor Of a mannish motoring cap thai
the most searching scrutiny gained nc
more than a dim and scantily satisfac
tory impression OF alluring loveliness
Maitland turned noiselessly, rested
elbows on the rail, and. staring
framed a theory to account for heI
position, II not for her patience.
On either hand the road, dividing
struck off at a, tangent, down the
banks and into the river bed. II was
credible to presume that the girl had
lost control of the machine temporarl
ly and that II, taking the bit between
Its teeth, had swung gayly down the
incline to It's bath.
Why she fingered there, however
was less patent. The water, as has