Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-08-01
across the sky toward the other SIDE

across the sky toward the other SIDE
Of the canon and the mountain wall.
A storm was brewing such as she
had never seen, such as she had no
experience to enable her to realize Its
malign possibilities. Nay, It was now
at hand. She had nj clew, however.
Of what was toward, how terrible a
danger overshadowed her. Frightened
but unconscious of all the menace OF
the hour, her thoughts flew down the
canon to the camp. She must hasten
there. She looked for bel watch
which she had lifted from the grass
and which she had not yet put on
The grizzly had stepped upon 1t, II
was irretrievably ruined. She judged
from her last glimpse of the sun that
it must now be early afternoon. She
rose to her feet and staggered with
weakness; she had eaten nothing
since morning, and the nervous shock
and strain through which she had
gone had reduced her to a pitable
condition.
Her luncheon had fortunately es'
capped unframed. In a big pocket OF
her short skirt there was a small
flask of whiskey, which her Uncle
Robert had required her to take with
her. She felt sick and faint, but she
knew that she must eat II she was to
make the journey, difficult as 1t might
prove, back to the camp. She forced
herself to take the first mouthful OF
bread and meat she had brought with
her, but when she mad tasted she
needed no further incentive, she ate
to the last crumb; she thought this
was the time she needed sttmulants
too, and mingling the cold water from
the brook with a little of the ardent
spirit from the flask, she drank. Some
of the chill had worn off, some of the
fatigue had gone.
She rose to her feet and started
down the canon; her bloody sweater
still lay on the ground with othel
things of which she was needless. l
had grown colder, but she realizes
that the climb down the n woul'
put her stagnant blood in circulation
and all would be we'll.
Before she began the descent Of tn,
pass, she cast n long glance back
ward whittier the mar had gone
Whence came he, who vas he. wha
had he seen, where was he now? Sh
thanked God for his interference i
one breath and hated him for hi
presence in the other.
The whole sky was now black wit
drifting clouds, lightning flashed abov
her head, muttered peals of thunde
terrifically ominous, rocked throug
the silent hills. The noise was 10
and subdued, but almost c%ontinuou
With a singular and uneasy feelin
that she was being observed, sh
started down the canon, plunging de
perately through the trees, leaping tt
brook from side to side where it ma
rowed, seeking ever the easiest wa
She struggled on, painting with su
den inexplicable terror almost as be
as that which had overwhelmed h'
an hour beforehand growing mo,
intense every moment, to such a trag
pass had the day and its happening
brought her.
| Poor girl, awful experience real
was to be hers that day. The fat
I sported with her-bodily fear, OF
I ragged modesty, mental anguish al
\ now the terror of the storm.
4 The clouds seemed to sink low,
until they almost closed about h
A Long gray ghostly arms reached O
A toward her. 1t grew darker and dal
a .er In the depths Of the canon. S
4 . screamed aloud-in vain.
4 CTo BE CoNTINUED.)