Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-02-14

CHAPTER Edith Maitland q frank
1ree and unspoiled young Philadelphia,
girl, is taken to the Colorado mountains
by her uncle, Robert Maitland James
Armstrong, Naitland's protege, falls in
love with her.
CHAPTER Hills persistent wooing
thrills ,,lIt5, the girl, but she hesitates, and
out definite answer.
CHAPTER IIT.-Enid hears the story
or a mining engineer, NewbOld, whose
wife fell off cliff and was so seriously
nurt that he was compelled to shoot her
TO prevent her being eaten by wolves
while he went for help.
CHAPTER Iv.-Kirkby the old guide
who tells the story, gives Enid a package
or letters which he says were found on
the dead woman's body. She reads the
letters and at Kirkby's request keeps
them.
CHAPTER V.-While Enid is bathing
In the river in fancied solitude, a big
bear appears on the bank and is about
to plunge into the water to attack the
girl when shot rings out and the ami
NAL is killed by q strange man.
CHAPTER vL-Enid is caught in a
storm which wipes out her party's camp.
She is dashed upon the rocks and in
cured. The strange man who shot the
bear finds her unconscious and carries
her to shelter.
CHAPTER VIT.-NIembers of the camp
Ing party realizing that Enid is lost in
the storm institute frantic search for
the missing girl.
TITS hard thing, but we got to
wait till mornin'. Ef she got out Of
the canon and climbed up on the hog
back she'll be all right, she'll soon
find out she can't make no progress in
this mist and darkness. No, old
friend, we're UP agin it hard. We jest
got to stay the night were We are an
as long as we got to wait we might
as we'll make ourselves as comfortable
as possible. For the wimmen an
children, anyway. I fetched up some
ham and some canned goods and 9TH
er eatin's in these yere canvas sacks.
We might kindle fire"
tits hardly possible" said Matt
land eve shall have to eat it cold"
ooh, Robert" pleaded his wife,
isn't it possible that she may have
escaped?"
Possible, yes, but"
eve won't give up hope, ma'am,"
said Kirkby, until tomorrer Wen
we We had a look at the canon
By this time the others joined the
party Phillips and Bradshaw showed
the stuff that was in them. They i'm
mediately volunteered to go down the
canon at once, knowing little or moth
ing of its dangers and Indifferent to
what they did know, but as Kirkby
had pointed out, the attempt was
clearly impossible. Maitland bitterly
reproached himself for having allow
ed the girl to go alone, and in those
self-reproaches old Kirkby joined
They were too wet and cold to
sleep. There was no shelter and it
was not until early in the morning
they succeeded in kindling a fire.
Meanwhile the men talked the situa-
ton over very carefully. They we're
two days journey from the wagons.
1t was necessary that the women and
children should be taken back at once.
Kirkby hadn't been able to save much
more than enough to eat to get them
back to a ranch or settlement, and on
very short rations at best. It was
finally decided that George and Pete
and Mrs Maitland, the two girls and
the youngster, should go back to the
ment, leave the women and then re-
turn on horseback with all speed to
meet Maitland and Kirkby, who would
meanwhile search the canon.
The two men from the east had to
go back with the others, although
they pleaded gallantly to be allowed
TO remain with the two who were to
take up the hunt for Enid Maitland
might have kept them with him, but
that meant retaining a larger portion
Of the scanty supplies that had been
saved and he was compelled against
his will to refuse their requests. Leav-
ing barely enough to subsist Maitland
and Kirkby for three or four days, or
until the return of the relief party
the groups separated at daybreak.
ooh, Robert" pleaded his wife, as
ne kissed her good bye, stake care of
yourself, but find Enid"
eyes," answered her husband, 'T
shall, never fear, but must find the
dear girl or discover what has become
of her"
There was not time for further
leave taking. A few hapdcsasps from
man to man and then Robert Matt
land, standing in the midst of the
group, bowed his head in the sunny
morning, for the sky again was clear,
and poured out a brief prayer that
God would prosper them, that they
would find the child and that they
would all be together again in health
and happiness. And without another
word, he and Kirkby plunged down to
the side Of the canon, the others TAX
ing up their weary march homeward
with sad hearts and in great dismay.