Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-02-02

cage Oh In0 Dduk anu COA AOo 49,
eternity seemed to pass before, us
driver flying out like a dislodged
splinter, it landed, wheels upward, IN
the bottom of the ravine.
And underneath it lay the little glrE
Curtis, grooming, turned back into
the room with vague thoughts OF the
pistol at the back of his suitcase.
Why go on living when the one per-
son who had made life worth living
ah, he could see clearly enough now,
when the seeing was hopeless-lay
under that wrecked automobile, when
all that was left of Alice was the
dead body from which her sweet life
had vanished? At thought of others
handling that body, even still and life
less, a sort of madness possessed the
man. With a shout that brought all
the other men in the house to his
heels, he tore downstairs, across the
lawn, and, leaping the hedge like an
acrobat, tumbled down the bank of
the ravine.
Honk, honk! And another automo-
bile, providentially bearing a doctor,
came around the turn and disgorged
its load of prospective fishermen.
Working with wordless, wonderful en-
ergy and power, they soon had the
fallen motor righted. Alice, crumpled
up in a strange, quiet little heap
when they found her, was placed ten
derly on the grass.
"Quite dead, suppose" one of the
strange men said, softly. The doctor,
though grave and troubled, shook his
head.
''No," he made terse answer. "Pro-
foundry unconscious, but alive"
Then it was that Curtis Barry heard
sound as of strong sobbing. Hours
later he OWNED that he had made
that sound himself.
Il suppose Ted's done for" the rest
of the cottage men agreed, sOlemnly,
but the suposition was faulty. Ted
presently was brought to the road
side, badly shattered-One les, two
arms, collarbone and three ribs frac-
tured as later transpired-but alive
and even conscious.
ooh, Miss Derwent-Alice!" he
cried as they carried him close to tina,
still little figure.
But when the sad slow procession,
bearing improvised shutters, had all
but climbed the last terrace the doc
tor, first bending low over Alice,
touched Curtis on the arm.
"Brace up, man." he cried, sharply
She'll live"
lot
had been brought down from the
upper regions to the effect that Ted
was doing as well as could be expect
ed, while Alice, though terribly
bruised and wrenched, had not suf
fered so much as conclusion, was in
slight danger, Curtis Barry, as white
as either of the patients, waylaid in
the upper hall Marie, his sisters maid
Marie" he began, and had sense
enough to appeal to the girls sym
pathy solely, at least for the present
''Marie, l must must see Miss Der
went or send her a message before
J. Mr.. Davis can. I've simply got to anG
you must help me. You understand? 2
Eyes, Mr.. Barry" replied Marie
Derwent's got her eyes open now, sir
I'm on duty with Mrs. Fairburn unit
the nurse comes. I'll tell her RICH
5 now"
Mile herself hung over the bed
when Marie, rfsking her serious dis
: pleasure. told Alice that Mr.. Barr!
: was most anxious to see her But
was a changed Mile who, remember
ing how she had Unanswered to Civ,
Ted Davis the chance that had endet
so disastrously, smiled hearty con
sent.
"Better see him for a minute if yol
can manage it, anyway, DEAR" sh
murmured. cts all right so long a.
I'm here and you're-you're such goot
old friends"
II know you, Curt" reckoning hin
from his post just outside the door
@and I know there1l be no peace TO
any of US until you've had your way
|, But" in a lower tone, as she melteC
! from the room with Marie, "only
moment, mind! She's awfully weak
And so it was that Alice, strugglin.
: with the recurrent wave of faintness
opened her eyes, some seconds after
; ! ward, to find Curtis knee1ing besid,
her, his warm hands EMBEDDING he
trembling cold ones, his adoring fac,
! close to her own.
Alice" said Curtis, clearly, "Tvt
acted like an unspeakable cad to you
, but I'm going to beg your forgiveness.
for that when you're stronger. Now
I only want to tell you how much
love you, and ask you, Alice, darling
! to be my wife,
She was still too weak to do more
than whisper and even such effort wa.
, none too easy. But the look in hel
eyes was like heaven and over the
white face swept a marvellous glow