White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-23
Copyright: 1914: BY Harold
MacGrath.)
CHAPTER I
A Call in the Night

A Call in the Night
There are few things darker than a
country road at night, particularly II
one does not know the lay of the
land. 1t is not difficult to traverse a
known path; no matter how dark 1t
is, one Is able to find the way by the
aid of a mental photograph taken in
the daytime. But %supposing you have
never been over the road in the day.
time, that you know nothing what
ever of it's topography, where 1t dips
or rises, where it narrows or forks.
You find yourself in the same unhap-
by state of mind as a blind mar sud-
denly thrust into a strange house.
One black night, along a certain
country road, in the heart of New Jer-
sey, in the days when the only good
roads we're city thoroughfares and
country highways were routes to linz
bo, q carriage went forward cautious
ly. From time to time it careened
like q bluntnose barge in a beam sea.
The wheels and springs voiced their
anguish continually; for it was a good
carriage, unaccustomed to such ruts
and hummocks.
Faster. faster." came a muffled
voice from the interior.
"Sir. ! dare not drive any faster"
replied the coachman. 81 can't see
the horses heads, sir, let alone the
road. I've blown out the lamps. but
cant see the road any better for
that
LET the horses have their heads;
they'll ind the way. 1t can't be much
fopt6ax V4,xul lfxkx.
The coachman wore in his teeth.
All right. This man who was in such
a hurry would probably send them
all into the ditch. Save for the few
stars above, he might have been driv-
ing Beelzebub's coach in the Bottom
less Pit. Black velvet, everywhere
black velvet. A wind was blowing,
and yet the b~lackness was so thick
that it gave to the coachman the sen
sation of mild ~suffocation.
BY and by, through the trees, he
saw a flicker of light. 1t might or
might not be the destination. He
cracked his whip recklessly and the
carriage lurched on two wheels. The
man in the carriage balanced himself
carefully, so that the bundle In his
arms should not be unduly disturb
ed. His arms ached. He stuck his
head out of the window.
That's the place. he said. and
when you drive up make as little
noise as you can"
Yes. sir" called down the driver.
When the Garage drew up at its
journeys end the man inside jumped
out and fastened toward the gates.
He scrutinized the singh on one of
the posts. This was the place:
Miss Farlow's Private school.
The bundle in his arms stirred and
he hurried up the path to the dor of
the house. He seized the ancient
knocker and struck several times. He
then placed the bundle on the steps
and ran back to the waiting carriage,
into which he stepped.
"Off with you'll"
That's a good word. sir. Maybe
we can make your train"
do o think you could find this
place again."
You couldn't get me on this pike
again, sir, for a thousand; not mel
The door slammed; the unknown
sank back against the cushions. He
took out his handkerchief and wiped
the damp perspiration from his fore
head. The big burden was off his
mind. Whatever happened in the
future, they would never be ahde to
get him through his heart. So much
for the folly Of his youth.
1t was a quarter after 10. Miss
Susan Farlow had just returned to
the reception room from her nightly
tour of the upper halls to see II all
her nightly charges we're in bed
where the rules of the school confin.
ed them after $50. Ii was at this
moment hat she heard the thunder
II knocking at the door. The ole
maid felt her heart beating for {
moment. Who could il be. at thi.
time of night? Then the though
came swiftly that perhaps the paren'
OF some one of her charges was il
n this was the Stillin,
ner fears, she went resoluteiy to tn,
door and opened it.
There was no one in sight.
who is, it?" she called.
No n answered. She cupped he
hand to her ear. She could hear thu
clatter of horses dimly.
Welt she exclaimed; rattle
angrily, too. She was in the act O
closing the door when the light from
the hall discovered to her the bundl
on the steps. She stopped and touch
ed it,.
Good heavens, it's a child"
She picked the bundle up. \
whimper came from it, a tired it'll
whimper of protest. She ran back {,
the reception A founding
And on her doorstep. 1t was incred
ible. What in the world should sh'
do? 1t would create a scandle an,
hurt the prestige of the school. Som,
one had mistaken her select privat,
school for a farmhouse. 1t wa
frightful.
Then she ~unwrapped the child. /
was about a year old, dimpled an,
golden haired. A thumb vas in it
rosebud mouth and it's blue eyes look
ed IN trustfullv into her own