Middletown transcript., 1912-04-27

"Oh!" exclaimed the woman family
at the dire possibility that she might
not be found.
I II took an empty bottle with me-"
said the man, breaking the silence, Gin
which had enclosed paper saying
that you were here and safe, save
for your wounded foot, and giving
direction how to reach the place.
/ built cairn of rocks In a shell
tered nook in the valley where
your camp had been pitched and left
the lightly corked bottle wedged on
top Of it. If they return to the camp
| they could scarcely fail to see it."
But If they don't go back there"
We'll, it was just a chance"
"And If they don't find met"
You will have to stay here for a
while; until your foot gets well
enough to travel, anyway" returned
the man, evasively.
"But winter is coming on; you said
the lake would freeze tonight and If it
snows?"
at will snow"
The woman stared at him appalled,.
"And In that case"
'T am afraid" was the slow reply,
''that you will have to stay here"
He hesitated in the face of her white,
still facial winter" he added, des-
perately.
my God" exclaimed the girl,
"alone, with you?"
Miss Maitland" said the man, reso-
lutely, 'T might as well tell you the
truth. 1 can make my way to the set
Elements now or later, but 1t will be a
journey Of perhaps a week. There will
be no danger to me, but you will have
to stay here. You could not go with
me. If am any judge you couldn't
possibly use your foot for mountain
journey for at least three weeks, and
by that time we shall be showed in
as effectually as if we were within.
the arctic circle. But If you will let
me go alone to the settlement / can
bring back your uncle, a woman to
keep you company, before the trails
are impossible. Or enough men to
make it practicable to take you
through the canons and down the
trails to your home again. could not
do that alone even if you were well,
in the depth Of winter"
The girl shook her head stubbornly.
"a week alone in these mountains
and 1 should be mad" she said deci-
sively. 1T isn't to be thought Of"
''It must be thought Of" urged the
man. you don't understand. 1t is
either that or spend the winter here
with me-"
The woman looked at him steadily.
"And what have 1 to fear from your"
she asked.
Nothing, nothing, as God is my
Witness" protested the other; ''but
the world?"
"The world" said the woman refec-
lively. 81 don't mean to say that it
means nothing to me, but it has cause
enough for what it would fain say
now" She came to her decision swift
,ly. There is no help for it." she
continued, Eve are marooned"-she
smiled family as she used the old
word of tropic island and southern
together. You have shown me
that you are a man and a gentleman.
In God and you put my trust. When
my foot gets well, If you can teach me
to walk on snow shoes and it is pos
sible to get through the passes, we
will try to get back; If not, we must
wait"
"Ths decision is yours" said the
man, "and yet feel that ought to
point out to you how"
81 see all that you see," she inter-
rupted. 'T know what is in your
mind. 1t is entirely clear to me. We |
can do nothing else"
$50 be it. You need have no appre-
hension as to your material comfort; |
I have lived in these mountains for a
long time. 1 am prepared for any
emergency. I pass my time in the |
summer getting ready for the winter. |
There is a cave, or recess rather, be-
hind the house which, as you see, is