Middletown transcript., 1912-04-27

"This is the way figure it." con-
tinued the man hurriedly to cover up
his confusion. "They fancy them
selves alone In these mountains,
which, save for me, they are; they be-
heve you to have gone down the can
on. Kirkby with Mrs. Maitland and
the others waited on the ridge until
Mr.. Maitland and his party joined
them. They couldn't have saved very
much to eat or wear from the camp,
they were miles from a settlement;
I they probably divided into two parties,
the larger with the woman and chill
dren, started for home, the second
went down the canon searching for
your dead body!'
/ "And had it not been for you," cried
the girl, impulsively, they had found
it."
God permitted me to be Of service
to you," answered the man, simply.
81 can follow their speculations exact
ly; up or down, they believed you to
have been in the canon when the
cloud burst, therefore there was only
one place and one direction to search
for you"
"And that was?"
Down the canon?"
'"What did you do then?"
81 went down the canon myself. I
think saw evidence that some one
had preceded me, too"
did you overtake them?"
Certainly not, they travelled as
rapidly as l; they must have started
early in the morning and they had
several hours the advantage Of me-"
''But they must have stopped some
where for the night and"
EYES," answered the man; "if I had
only myself to consider, should have
pressed on through the night and
overtaken them when they camped."
"Only yourself?"
"You made me promise to return
here by nightfall. don't know wheth-
er should have obeyed you or not. I
kept on as long as dared and still
leave myself time to get back to you
by dark"
She had no idea Of the desperate
speed he had made to reach her while
It was still daylight.
'If you hadn't come when you did,
l should have died." cried the girl i'm
petuously. "You did perfectly right.
l don't think I am a coward; / hope
not. l never was afraid before, but"
Don't apologize or explain to me,
it's not necessary; understand ev-
erything you feel. It was only because
1 had given you my word to be back
by sunset that left off following their
trail. l was afraid that you might
think me dead or that something had
happened and"
'T should, l did," admitted the girl.
1T wasn't so bad during the day time,
but when the sun went down and you
did not come I began to imagine ev-
erything. saw myself left alone here
in these mountains, helpless, wound
ed, without a human being to speak
to. l could not bear it."
But 1 have been here alone for
five years." said the man grimly.
"That's different. 1 don't know why
you have chosen solitude, but +"
"You are a woman" returned the
other gently, "and you have suffered,
that accounts for everything"
Thank you," said Enid, gratefully.
"And am so glad you came back to
me-"
"Back to you," reiterated the man,
and then he stopped. If he had al
lowed his heart to speak he would
have said, Back to you from the very
ends of the world. But 1 want you to
believe that 1 honestly did not leave
the trail until the ultimate moment"
he added.
Il do believe it," she extended her
hand to him. "You have been very
good to me, trust you absolutely"
And for the second time he took
that graceful, dainty, aristocratic
hand in his own larger, stronger, firm
er grasp. His face flushed again; un-
der other circumstances and in other
days perhaps he might have kissed |
that hand. AS it was he only held |
1t for a moment and then gently re-
leased it.
"And you think they are searching
for me?" she asked.
81 know it. l am sure Of what l |
myself would do for one I love-L |
loved, mean, and they"
'And they will find met"
The man shook his head.
Il am afraid they will be convinced
that you have gone down with the
food. Didn't you have cap or"
"Yes," said the woman, "and a
sweater. The bear you shot covered
the sweater with blood. l could not
put it on again" s.
As she spoke she flushed glorious
crimson at the remembrance Of that
meeting, but the man was looking
away with studied care. She thanked j,
him in her heart for such generous
and kindly consideration.
"They will have gone down the
stream with tine rest, and it's just pos
sible that the searchers may find i,
them, the body Of the bear, too. This
river ends in a deep mountain lake
and think it is going to snow; it
will be frozen hard tomorrow"
"And they will think me-there?"
Il am afraid so"
"And they won't come up here?"
1T is scarcely possible"
.