The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-03-27

to. But It's just what the operator
says. The feller must have been
plumb crazy to attempt such a thing.
Looks as If he were a stranger in the
country"
It's a sort Of quiet, respectable
way Of committing suicide" said the
voice of the actor behind them.
Rose looked over her shoulder and
saw his thin, large-featured face. no
longer nipped and redeemed with cold.
but wreathed in an obsequious and
friendly smile which furrowed it with
deep lines. Her father answered him
and she turned away, being more in
terested in the preparations for the
search party. AS she watched these
she could hear the desultory CONVEX
sation behind her, the actors COM
ments delivered with an unctuous,
elaborate politeness which, contrasted
with her fathers gruff brevity, made
her smile furtively to herself.
Supper was an animated meal that
evening. The suddenly tragic interest
that had developed drew the little
group Of guests together with the
strands Of common sympathy. The
Judge and the actor moved their seats
to the Cannons' table. Cora was sent
to request the doctor-a young man
fresh from his graduation in San Fran
cisco who took his meals at the bach
elor's table-to Join them and add the
weight Of medical opinion to their
surmises as to the travellers chances
Of survival. These, the doctor
thought, depended as much upon the
mans age and physical condition. as
upon the search party's success in
finding him.
After supper they retired to the par
lor. piled the fire high and sat
grouped before 1t, the smoke Of cigars
and cigarettes lying about their heads
in white layers. 1t was but natural
that the conversation should turn on
stories of the great storms Of the past.
Rose had heard many such before, but
tonight. with the wind rocking the
old hotel and the thought Of the lost
man heavy at her heart, she listened,
held in cold clutch of fascinated
attention, to tales Of the emigrants
caught In the passes Of the Sierra, of
pioneer mining-camps relieved by
mule trains which broke through the
snow blockade as the miners lay dying
in their huts, of men risking their
lives to carry succor to comrades lost
in their passage from camp to camp
on just such night as this.
The clock hand passed ten, and the
periods Of silence that at intervals had
fallen on the watchers grew longer
and more frequent, and finally merged
into stiffness where all sat motion
less. listening to the storm.
1t was nearly eleven, and for fifteen
minutes no one had spoken a word.
Two of the dogs had come in and lain
down on the hearth-rug, their noses
on their paws, their eyes fixed bright
ly and ponderingly on the fire. In
the midst Of the motionless semicircle
one of them "uddenly raised its head.
its ears pricked. With its muzzle ele-
waited, its eyes full of awakened in
telligence, 1t gave low, uneasy whim-
per. Almost simultaneously Rose
started and drew herself up, exclaim-
ing, "Listen!" The sound of sleigh
bells, faint as a noise in a dream,
came through the night.
In moment the lower floor was
shaken with movement and noise. The
bar emptied itself on to the porch and
the hall doors were thrown wide.
The sleigh had been close to the ho.
tel before its bells were heard. and al.
most Immediately its shape emerged
from the swirling whiteness and drew
up at the steps. Rose, standing back
in the parlor doorway, heard clamor
Of voices, rising surge Of sound from
which no ineligible sentence de-
tached itself. and humping and
stamping Of feet as the searchers
staggered in with the lost traveller.
The crowd separated before them and