The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-09-06
CHAPTER I.=lcontinued.A

that he Is also from Philadelphia.
CHAPTER I.-(Continued.)
Entering the main room, he led her
gently to one of the chairs near the
table and Immediately thereafter light
ed the fire which he had taken the
precaution to lay before his departure
It had been dark in the cabin, but the
fire soon filled it with glorious light.
a She watched him at his task and as
he rose from the hearth questioned
him.
Now tell me-" she began, you
found"
First your supper, and then the
q story" he answered, turning toward
i the door of the other room.
NO" pleaded the girl, cant you
see that nothing is of any importance
to me but the story? Did you find the
4 camp?"
81 found the place where it had
4 been"
Where it had been!"
There wasn't a single vestige of it
i left That whole pocket. l knew it
well, had been swept clean by the
food"
But Kirkby, and Mrs. Maitland
and"
They weren't there"
Did you search for them?"
Certainly"
But they can't have been drowned"
she exclaimed piteously.
"Of course not" he began reassur-
ngly. 'Kirkby is a veteran of these
mountains and"
But do you know him?" queried the
girl in great surprise.
4 did once" said the man, flushing
darkly at his admission. 81 haven't
seen him for five years"
So that was the measure of his iso
lation, thought the woman, keen for
the slightest evidence as to her com
panion's history, of which, by the way,
he meant to tell her nothing.
"Well?" she asked, breaking the
pause.
"Kirkby would certainly see the
cloud burst coming and he would take
the people with him in the camp up on
the hogback near it. 1t is far above
the flood line; they would be quite safe
there"
And did you look for them there?"
81 did The trail had been washed
out, but scrambled up and found I'M
disputed evidence that my surmise
was correct. 1 haven't a doubt that
all who were in the camp were saved"
Thank God for that" said the girl.
greatly relieved and comforted by his
reassuring words. "And Robert Matt
land and the rest on the mountain,
what do you think of them?"
Il am sure that they must have
escaped, too. l don't think any of
them have suffered more than thor
ough drenching in the downpour and
that they are all safe and perhaps on
their way to the settlements now"
But they wouldn't go back without
searching for me, would they?" cried
the girl.
Certainly not. suppose they are
searching for you now"
Well then"
Wait" said the man. You start
n ed down the canon, you told every
body you were going that way. They
naturally searched in that direction,
they hadn't the faintest idea that you
were going up the river.
No" admitted Enid, that is true.
did not tell anyone. l didn't dream
OF going up the canon when l started
out in the morning, 1t was the result
Of a sudden impulse"
God bless that" burst out the
man, and then he checked himself,
hushing again darkly.
What had he been about to say?
The question flashed across his own
mind and into the woman's mind at
the same time when sh~ heard the
ihcompleted sentence; but she, too,
checked the questio@ shat rose to her
lips.
This is the way I figure it." con-
unaed the man hurriedly to cover up
MS confusion. "They fancy them
serves alone in these mountains,
"Dioh' save for me, they are; they be-
heTs you to have gone down the can
Uh kirkoy With Mrs. Maitland and
o ihers waited on the ridge until
ml' maitland and his party r1ined
.uem' They couldn't have saved ~sey
Mucn to eat or wear from the CAM,
, vHey We're miles from settlement;
tS e' probably divided into two parties,
S Ie larger with the woman and chill
~ Ill started for home, the second
vo ~ut uown the canon searching for
your dead body!"
~. ana had it not been for YOU" cried
~ Sill impulsively, "they had. found
% oou permitted me to be of service
~ you, answered the man, simply.
'"n follow their speculations exact