The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-05-02
Copyright, 1911, By ". G. Chapman
HAAPTEP XIV
The CrauGht of Joy.

The great library was the prettiest
room in Robert Maitland magnificent
mansion in Denyer's most favored res
idence section. 1t was a long, low
studded room with a heavy beamed
ceiling. The low book cases, about
five feet high, ran between all the
windows and doors on all sides of the
room. At one end there was a huge
open fire place built Of rough stone,
and as 1t was winter a cheerful fire
of logs blazed on the hearth. 1t was
a mans room prominently. The
drawirg-room across the hall was Mrs.
Maitland's domain, but the library re-
1ected her husbands picturesque L
somewhat erratic taste. On the
walls there were pictures Of
the west by Remington, March
and, Dunton, Dixon and others,
and to set them off, finely mount
ed heads of bear and deer and buffalo.
Swords and other arms stood here and
there. The writing table was massive
and the chairs easy, comfortable and
inviting. The floor was strewn with
robes and rugs. From the windows
facing westward, since the house was
set on high hill, one could see the
great rampant Of the range.
There were three men in the room
on that brilliant morning early in Jan
uary something like a month after
these adventures in the mountains
which have been so veraciously
set forth. Two Of them were the
brothers Maitland; the third was New
bold.
The shock produced upon Enid Matt
land by the death of Armstrong to-
gether with the tremendous episodes
that had preceded it had utterly pros
strated her. They had spent the
night at the hut in the mountains and
had decided that the woman must be
taken back to the settlements some
way at all hazards.
The wit of old Kirkby had effected
a solution of the problem, using a
means certainly as old as Napoleon
and the passage Of his cannon over
the Great st. Bernard-and perhaps as
old as Hannibal, They had made a
rude sled from the trunk Of a pine
which they followed out and provided
with a back and runners. There was
no lack Of fur robes and blankets for
her comfort.
Wherever 1t was practicable the
three men hitched themselves to the
sled with ropes and dragged it and
Enid over the snow. Of course for
miles down the canon it was impossi
BILE to use the sled. When the way
was comparatively easy the woman
supported by the two men, Newbold
and Maitland, made shift to get along
afoot. When it became too difficult
for her, Newbold picked her up as he
had done before and assisted by Matt
land, carried her bodily to the next
resting place. At these times Kirkby
looked after the sled.
They had managed to reach the tenn
porary hut in the old camp the first
night and rested there. They gath
cred up their sleeping bags and tents
and resumed their journey in the
| morning. They were strong men, and
save for old Kirkby, young. 1t was a
desperate endeavor but they carried II
through.
When they hit the open trails the
shedding was easy and they made
great progress. After a week of ter
| rife going. they struck the railroad
and the next day found them all safe
in Maitland's house in Denver
To Mr.. Stephen Maitland his daugh
ter was as one who had risen from
the dead. And indeed, when he first
saw her, she looked like death itself
No one had known how terrible that
journey had been to the woman Her
three faithful attendants had surmised
something, but in spite of all even
they did not realize that in these last
| days she had been sustained only by
the most violent effort of her will. She
had no sooner reached the house
greeted her father, her aunt and the
children, then she collapsed utterly.
The wonder was, said the physician,
not that she did it then but that she
had not done it before. For short
be serious, but youth, vigor, a strong
body and good constitution, a heart
now free from care and apprehension
and a great desire to live and love
and be loved, worked wonders.
NewbOld had enjoyed no opportunity
for private conversation with the wo-
man he loved, which was perhaps just
as well. He had the task Of readjust-
ing himself TO changed conditions: not
only 10 a different environment, but 70
strange and unusual departures from
his long cherished view points.
He could no longer doubt Arm
strong's final testimony to the purity
Of his wife, although he had burned
the letters unread, and by the same
token he could no longer cherish the
dream that she had loved him and him
alone. Those words that had pre-
ceded that pistol shot had made il
possible for him 10 take Enid Matt
land as his wife without doing violence
to his sense Of honor or his seIf-re
spect. Armstrong had made that
much reparatiOn. And Newb0ld could
not doubt that the other had known
what would be the result Of his speech
and had chosen his words deliberately
score that last action TO his credit. He
was q sensitive man. however; he