Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-05
CHAPTER XIV.


lge.cG SefhlDu. IL was q long, low /
studded room with heavy beamed /
ceiling The low book cases, about |
five feet high. ran between all the
Windows and doors on all sides OF the .
room. Al one end there was a huge
open FIRE place built OF rough stone,
ard as 70 was winter a cheerful FIRE
Of logs blazed on the hearth, II was
a mans room pre-eminently. The
drawing room across the hall was Mrs.
Naitland's domain. but the library re-
Elected her husbands picturesque if
somewhat erratic taste. On the
walls there were pictures Of
the west by Remington. March
and. Duntou. Dixon and others,
and % set them OF. finely mount
I'd heads OF bear and deer and buffalo.
Swords and other arms stood here and
there. The writing table was massive
and tho chairs easy, comfortable and
inviting The floor was strewn with
robes and rugs. From the windows
facing westward, since the house was
set on q 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
those 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 tic death of Armstrong to-
gc,her 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
. solution OF the problem. using a
means certainly as old as Napoleon
. md the passage Of his cannon over
the Great S. Berrard-and perhaps as
old as Hannibal, They had made a
rude sled from the trunk OF 2 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 e 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 il was impossi-
be TO use the sled When the way
was comparatively easy the woman,
supported by the two men, NewbOld
ana Maitland. made shift to get along
a
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 It 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 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 frs
saw her, she looked like death itself
No one had known how terrible thai
journey had been TO the woman. Hell
& three faithful attendants had surmiseC
> something. but in spite OF all ever
2 they did not realize that in these las
days she had been sustained only b!
the most violent effort OF her will. Sh,
= had no sooner reached the house
= greeted her father. her aunt and tn,
e children. then she collapsed utterly
The wonder was, said the physician
not that she did Il then but that sh,
q had not done il before. For a shor
time Il appeared as II her illness Nigh
+ be serious. but youth. vigor, a sUonj
sbcdy and a good constitution. a hear
now free from care and Apprehension
and a great desire TO live and low
and be loved. worked wonders.
Newbold had enjoyed no opportunit
for private conversation with the VIC
man he loved, which was perhaps jus
as well. lie had the task OF readiusf
ang himself 70 changed conditions: nc
Eonly 70 a different environment, but {
strange and unusual departures fror
his long cherished view points.
He could no longer doubt Arm
suongs final testimony 20 the purit
OF his wife, although he had burne
the letters unread, and by the sam
token be could no longer cherish tn
dream that she had loved him and hin
alone. Those words that had DR.
ceded that pistol shot had made
possible for him 20 take Enid Mai
land as bis wife without doing violenC
70 his sense Of honor or his self-r
1Cspect Armstrong had made Thu
much reparation. And Newbold coul
not doubt that the other had know
what would be the result Of his speec
sand had chosen his words deliberately
score that last action to his credit. +
was a sensitive man, however;
kealized the brutal and beast-like pa
and Armstrong had both played