The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-11-07

AZ D, Ter Dunn Mas somewhat ~
dicied TO drink. and on several Occ;
siors Rita had been saved further u
dignities by the Opportune arrival
the landing man.
On Monday morning Dunn had bee
drinking more than common, and II
sisted on kissing Rita several time
before he would release her.
Suddenly she was conscious OF
stranger present. and looking up sh
saw tall young man standing In tn
doorway sympathetically regarding
her
There was quick step. and
clenched fist caught Dunn ON the cal
and he went down. With a curse. b
MAS on his feet In an instant. ugly ~
bull. Dunn was a tighter. and Ritz
trembled for the stranger: but bel
concern was needless: he just played
with Damn: circling around him. and
when he wished he promptly knock
ed him down. until Dunn. acknOwledg
I'd he had enough.
Now. said the stranger. standing
over the PROSTATE man. don't you
ever try to insult this girl again. or
you won't get of SO easy next time:
and remember she is to continue with
the scaling unmOlcsted. suppose
you may as well know. first as last,
that | am Ralph Orton. eldest son o!
Arthur Orion, senior member of the
kilkenney Lumber company. | shall
be here for some time. looking after
our interests: and if hear OF any
more of your deviltry, We shall dis
pcnsc with your services"
Finishing. with cheerful nod to
Rita, he turned on his heel and walk
ed away.
Dunn painfully rose to his feet and
skunk away. q look Of concentrated ha.
tired on his brutalized face. Rita. trem.
bling with excitement. went into the
shack to think. and secretly cherish
something new and strange that
had entered her soul.
The days and weeks went by unin.
terrupted. Ralph Orion took up his
abode at Tuttle's home. and the old
man soon acquired a distinct liking for
this energetic young man. Ralph
helped Rita with her work when he
was not on the mountain.
Dunn kept his place In sullen. vim
dictive silence. Ralph and Rita soon
fell into the pleasant habit of waiting
for each other at the landing and
walking home together In the twi.
light.
Il was a Saturday night In Febru'
airy The men had all come OF the
mountain early, except Ralph and
Dunn. AnxiOusly Rita waited. but still
they did not come. The sun had drop.
ped behind the western horizon In
deep red setting. tinging the snow
blood red. She trembled. A fOrebOd
ing Of danger reached out and closed
about her heart Sud My she heard
"A step on the SNOW lDnrting behind a
tree, she waited, alert and eXpectant
Her quick ear told her il was Dunn
Presently he came in sight. and heI
heart sank like lead His face car
ried covert look OF triumph. In
stncthcly she knew something had
happened to Ralph Soon rs his foot
steps had died away she sprang into
the road and sped up the hard noun
tain road like u startled fawn.
Her one thought was Of the man
she loved better than life She had
no definite idea where 10 look fol
him, nor had it occurred to her t.
alarm the man She knew he was IN
grave danger somewhere on that bleak
mountain side, and on her rested the
task of rcscuing him, SO, painting and
trembling, she sped on. Every few
steps she stopped and called his name
No answer come back, but the moan
ing of the light breeze through the
woods. On she pushed to the top OF
a ridge It had got quite dark now
Pausng on ledge almost on the tor
of the cant. she shouted:
Ralph Ralph where are you?'
Here, Rita. at the top of the cant,
came the quiet, reassuring reply. With
a glad cry she hurried to the top oil
the ridge where lone spruce stood
Then she stopped, and her heart
sprang into her throat. She saw his
danger, and swaycd dizzily.
Courage, my little girl. courage,
came from the smiling lips In cool
even tones. This is some of that devil
Dunn's work. When my back was turn
ed the coward laid mo out. Take heart
little one, we win yet" 1t was an ap
palling situation. Ralph was bound
to the lone spruce with piece Of
snub warp The spruce was near
ly cut off, SO that it cracked Ominous
ly in the rising wind
Rita heard it roaring in the distance
and knew when that wave reached
them the spruce would break and LEAP
over the ridge to the north. a sheer
drop of one hundred feet. A name
less terror seized her as she frantically
dug at the knots, and the rising vino
roared in her ears like the knell oil
doom.
Take II easy. Rita. dear, there Il