The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-10-05

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ready for his Journey, had torn him
self away from her presence and had
plunged down the giant stair. He had
done everything that mortal man could
do for her comfort; wood enough to
last her for two weeks had been taken
from the cave and piled in the kitch-
en- and everywhere SO as to be easily
accessible to her; the stores she al
ready had the run of, and he had 1T
ted stout bar to the outer door
which would render 1t impregnable to
any attack that might be made against
it, although he saw no quarter from
which any assault impended.
Enid had recovered not only her
strength, but good deal Of her nerve.
That she loved this man and that he
loved her had given her courage. She
would be fearfully lonely, Of course,
but not SO much afraid as before. The
month Of immunity in the mountains
without any Interruptions had dissi-
pated any possible approximations on
her part. 1t was with a sinking heart,
however, that she saw him go at
last.
They had been SO much together
in that month; they had learned what
love was. When he came back 1t
would be different, he would not come
alone. The first human being he met
would bring the world to the door of
the lonely but beloved cabin in the
mountains-the world with its ques-
lions, its inference, Its suspicious, its
denunciations and its accusations!
Some kind Of an explanation would
have to be made, some sort an an
sWer would have to be given, some So
luton OF the, problem would have to
be arrived at. What these would be
she could not tell.
Newbold's departure was like the
end OF an era to her. The curtain
dropped; when It rose again what was
to be expected? There was no COM
fort except In the thought that she
loved him. So long as their affections
matched and ran together nothing
else mattered With the solution OF 1t
all next to her sadly beating heart she
was still supremely confident that
| love, or God-and there was not SO
much difference between them as to
make 1t worth while to mention the
one rather than the otherwould find
the way.
Their leave taking had been singu-
larry cold and abrupt. She had real
lied the danger he was apt to incur
and she had exacted a reluctant prom
Use from him that he would be careful.
Don't throw your life away, don't
risk it even, remember that 1t Is
NINE, she had urged.
And just as simply as she had en-
Joined 1t upon him he had promised.
He had given his word that he would
not send help back to her but that he
would bring it back, and she had con-
ndence In that word. A confidence
that had he been inclined to break his
promise would have made It absolute
ly impossible. There had been long
clasp Of the hands, long look in the
eyes, long breath in the breast, q
long throb In the heart and then
farewell. They dared no more.
Once before he had left her and she
had stood upon the plateau and fol
lowed his vanishing figure with anx1-
GUS troubled thought until 1t had been
lost in the depths of the forest below.
She had controlled herself In this
second parting for his sake as well as
her own. Under the ashes of his
| grim repression she realized the pres
ence Of live Goals Which'a breath would
have famed into flame. She dared
| nothing while ne was there, but when
| he shut the door behind him the ne.
| cessity for self-control was removed.
| She had laid her arms on the table
and bowed her head upon them and
shook and quivered with emotions un.
relieved by single tear-Weeping
| was for lighter hearts and less severe
demands!
His position after all was the easier
Of the two. AS Of old 1t was the man
who went forth to the battlefield while
| the woman could only wait passively
the issue Of the fight. Although he
was half blinded with emotions he had
to give some thought to his progress
and there was yet one task to be done
before he could set forth upon his
journey toward civilization and res
cue.
It was fortunate, as 1t turned out
that this obligation detained him. He
was that type of a merciful man whose
mercies extended to his beasts. The
poor little burros must be attended tc
and their safety assured so far as il
could be, for It would be impossible
! for Enid Maitland to care for them
Indeed he had already exacted prom
Use from her that she would moi
leave the plateau and risk her life or
i the Icy stairs with which she was sc
unfamiliar.
He had gone to the corral and shak
en- down food enough for them which
/ II 1t had been doled out to them day
by day would have lasted longer thar
the week he intended to be absent; Of