The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-08-17
CHAPTER xxiv.
Tho prauaht Of Joy y, ,

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Tho great library was the prettiest
room in Robert Maidand's magnificent,
mansion In, Denver's most favored res
idence section. It was long, low
studded room with a heavy beamed
ceiling. The low book cases, about
FIVE feet high. ran between all the
windows and doors on all sides Of the
room. At one end there was huge
open fire place built Of rough stone,
and as 1t was winter a cheerful fire
of logs blazed on the hearth" It was
mans room prominently. The
drawing-room across the hall was Mrs.
Maitland's domain, but the library re-
flected her husbands picturesque II
somewhat cratic taste. On the
walls there .. were pictures Of
the west BY Remington, March.
and, Ddntoh, Dixon and others,
and to set them of, anelyts mount
ed heads OF bear and deer and buffalo.
Swords and other arms stood here and
there. The writing table was massive
and: the chairs easy. comfortable and
inviting. The floor was strewn with
robes and rugs. From the windows
facing westward, since the house was
set on 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
these adventures in the mountains
which have been SO veraciously
set forth Two OF them were the
brothers Maitland; the third was New
bold.JS IL. 10 rst 81. IT.
The shockproduced upon Enid Malt
land by the death of Armstrong to-
gether with the tremendous episodes
that had preceded II had utterly pros.
stratcd 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 Klrkby had effected
a solution Of the problem, using a
means certainly as old as Napoleon
and the passage of his cannon over
tho Great st. Bernard-and perhaps as
old as Hannibal! They had made
rude sled from the trunk OF a pine
which they followed out and provided
with{a baSk land runners. There was
no lack OF fur robes and blankets for
her comfort!r ts.r's nj
Wherever 1t was practicable the
-three~men hftched themselves to the
sled with ropes and dragged It and
Enid over the snow. or course for
miles down the canon It was impossi-
BILE to use the sled. When the way
was comparatively easy the woman,
supported by the two men, Newbold
and Maitland, made shift to get along
afoot When It became too difficult
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 Klrkby
looked after the sled.
Tney mad 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 Kirby. young. 1t was a
desperate endeavor but they carried II
through. y.
Whea they bit the. open tails the
sledding 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. 81
To Mr.. Stephen Maitland his daugh-
ter was as one who had risen from
the dead. And indeed, when he first
saw her, she looked like death Itself.
No one had known how terrible that
journey had been to the woman. Her
three faithful attendants had surmised
something, but in spite OF all even
they did not realize that in these last
days she had been sustained only by
the most violent effort Of her will. She
had no sooner reached the house,
greeted her father, her aunt and the
children. then she collapsed rttetlyS