Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (May 30, 1912)
PROLOGUE. A young man and a beautiful young woman, lost and along in a wilderness for months, half starved and in daily peril of death from wild beasts and still more savage Indians this is the central theme of the most fasci nating romance that has come from Emerson Hough's pen. Read and you will learn how love came to them; how they conducted themselves in this try ing, unconventional situation; how the man's chivalry and the woman's purity held them stead fast to the ideals of civilization, and how the strange episode brought tragedies, estrangements and happiness. CHAPTER I. The Kissing of Mits Sheraton. 1 ADMIT I kissed her. Perhaps I should not have done ho. Perhaps I would not do so again. Had I known what was to come I could not have done so. Nevertheless I did. After all, it was not strange. All things about us conspired to be ac cessory and Incendiary. The air of the Virginia morning was so soft and warm; the honeysuckles along the wall were so languid, sweet; the bees and the hollyhocks up to the walk so fat and lazy; the smell of the orchard was o rich; the south wind from the fields 'Was so wanton! Moreover, I was only twenty-six. So this was how it happened that I threw the reins of Satan, my black horse, over the hooked Iron of the gate at Dlxlann farm and strode up to the side of the stone pillar where Grace Sheraton stood, shading her eyes with her hand, watching me approach through the deep trough road that J flattened there near the Sheraton lane. So I laughed and strode up and kept my promise. I had promised myself that I would kiss her the first time that seemed feasible. I had even promised her when she came home from Philadelphia so lofty aud su perior for her stopping a brace of years with Miss Carey at her Allen dale Academy For Young Ladles that if she mltignted not somethl"E of her haughtiness I would kiss her fair, as If she were but a girl of the country. She stood in the shade of the stone pillar, where the Ivy made a deep green and held back her light blue skirt daintily In her high bred way, ,for never was a girl Sheraton who was not high bred or other than fair to look upon in the Sheraton way slen- der, rather tall, loug cheeked, with verv much dark hair and a deep color under the skin and something of long curves withal. They were ladles, ev pry one. these Sheraton girls, and, as "Miss Grace presently advised me, no milkmaids wandering and waiting in lanes for lovers. When I sprang down from Saton Miss Grace was but a pace or so away. I put out a hand on either side of her as she stood In the shade and so pris oned her against the plllnr. She Hush ed nt this and caught at my urm with both hands, which made me smile, for few men In that country could have put away my arms from the stone un til 1 liked. Then 1 bent and kissed her fair and took what revenge was due our girls for her Philadelphia milli ners. When she boxed my ears 1 kissed her (once more. Had she not at that smiled at me a little 1 should have been a boor. I admit. As she did and as I In my innocence supposed all girls did, I (presume I may be called but a man ns meu go. Miss Grace grew very rosy for a Sheraton, but her eyes were bright. So I threw my hat on the grass by the side of the gate and Imiw ed her to be seated.' We sat and look ed up the lane which wound on to the big Sheraton house and up the red road which led from their farm over toward jour lands, the John Cowles farm, which hnd been three generations In 'nni- fnmllv da ncrnlnut fniir nn (ha nnrf of the Sheratons' holdings a fact which I think always ranked us lu the THE WAY OF A By Emerson Hough Copyright, 17, by the Outtoj Publishing Company Sheraton rouI a trifle lower than them selves. We were neighbors, Miss Grace and I, aud as I lazily looked out over the red road, unoccupied at the time by even the wabbllug wheel of some ne gro's cart, I said to her some word of our being neighbors and of Its being no sin for neighbors to exchange the courtesy of a greeting when they met upon such a morning. This seemed not to please her. Indeed, I opine that the best way of a man with a maid is to make no manner of speech what ever before or after any such incident as this. I would have put out an arm for fur ther mistreatment, but all at once I pulled up. What was I coming to, I, John Cowles, this morning when the bees droned fat and the flowers made fragrant all the air? I was no boy, but a man grown, and, ruthless as I was, I had all the breeding the land could give me, full Virginia training as to what a gentleman should be. And a gentleman, uuless he may travel all a road, does not set foot too far Into It when he sees that be is taken at what seems his wish. So now I said how glad I was that she had come back from school, though a flue lady now and no doubt forgetful of her friends, of myself, who once caught young rab bits and birds for her and made pens for the little pink pigs nt the orchard edge and all of that. Rut she had no mind, it seemed to me, to talk of thesr old days and, though now some sort of wail seemed to me to arise between us as we sat there on the bank blow ing at dandelions mid pulling loose grass blades and humming a bit of tune now and then as young persons will, still, thick headed as I was, it was In some way made apparent to me that I was quite as willing the wall should be there as she herself was will ing. My mother had mentioned Miss Grace Sheraton to me before. My fa ther had never .opposed my riding over now and then to the Sheraton gates. There were no better families in our county than these two. There was no reason why I should feel troubled. Yet as I looked out Into the haze of the hilltops where, the red road appeared to leap oft sheer to meet the dlstint rim of the nine Itldge I seemed to hear some whispered warning. I was young and wild as any doer In those hills beyond. Had It been any enter prise scorning settled ways, had It been merely a breaking of orders and a following of my own will, I sup pose I might have gone on. nut there are ever two things which govern an adventure for one of my sex. He may be a man, but lie must also he a gen tleman. I suppose books might be written about the war between those two things. He may be a gentleman sometimes and have credit for being a soft headed fool, with no daring to approach the very woman who has contempt for him, whereas she may not know his reasons for restraint. So much for civilization, which at times I hated because It brought such prob lems. Yet these problems never cease, at least while youth lasts, and no coni- ; inuulty is free from them, even so . quiet a one as ours there In the valley of the old Blue Kldge before the wars . had rolled across It and made all the young people old. I was of no mind to end my wlldness and my roaming just yet, and still seeing that I was by gentleness of my yuaner mother aim by sternness or my Virginia father set In the class of gen- ! tlemen I had no wish dishonorably to engage a woman's heart. Alas, I was not the first to learn that kissing is a most difllcult art to practice. I had enough to do when It came to mounting my horse Satan. Few cared to ride Satan, since It meant n battle each time ho was mounted. He was a splendid brute, black and clean, with abundant bone In the head and a bril liant eye blood all over, that was easy to see. Yet he was a murderer at heart. He would fight man, dog or devil, and fear was not in him, nor any real submission. My father al ways told me that this horse was not fit to ride, but since my father rode him. as he would any horse that of fered, notable would serve me but 1 must ride Satan also, and so I made him my private saddler on occasion. I ought to speak of my father, that very brave and kindly gentleman from whom I got what daring I ever had, I suppose. He was a clean cut man five eleven In his stockings, and few men lu all that country had a handsomer body. Fair play meant with him some thing more than fair play for the sake of sport It meant as well fair play for the sake of Justice. Temperate to the point of carlug aim-ays for his body's welfare, as regular In his habits as he was In his promises and their fulfillments, kindling readily enough nt any risk, though never boasting, I always admired blm. I fear that at the time I mention now I admired him most for his strength and courage. MAN Thus as I swung leg over Satan that morning I resolved to hand'.e him as I had stum niy father do. and I felt strong enough for that. I remembered in the prom! way a hoy will have the time when my father ar.d 1 riding through the muddy streets of I.eosburg town together saw a farmer's wagon stuck midway of a crossing. "Come. Jaok.' my father called me; "We must send T.Ul Yarnloy home to Lis family." Then we two dismount ed and, stooping In the mud. pt our two shoulders under the axle of the wagon, before we were done with It our blood getting up at the laughter of the townsfolk. When we heaved together out came Bill Yarnley's wag on ironi the nnui, ana the laugntor ended. It was like him be would not stop when once he started. Why, It was so he married my mother, that very sweet Quakeress from the foot of old Catoctiu. He told me she said him no many times, not liking his wild ways, so contrary to the manner of the Soctety of Friends, and she only consented after binding hlru to go with her once each week to the little stone church nt Walllngford village, near our farm, provided he should be at home and able to attend. It was she who in those troublous times just before the civil war was the first to raise the voice In the Quaker meeting, which said that the Friends ought to free their slaves, law or no law, and so started what was called later the Unionist sentiment In that part of old Virginia. Then she asked my father to manumit all his slaves, and he thought for an hour and then raised his head and said it j should be done, after which the serv- ants lived on as before and gave less ; in return, nt which my father mndt I wry faces, but said nothing in regret. j After us others also set free their peo-1 "A grand animal you have there, air,' said he. pie, and presently this part of Virginia was a sort of Mecca for escaped blacks. It was my mother did that, aud I be lleve that It was her Influence which had much to do whh the position of east Virginia on the question of the war. Aud this also In time had much to do with this stranfe story of mine and much to do with the presence thereabout of the man whom I wns to meet that very morning, although when I started to mount my horse Sa tan I did not know that such a man as Gonlon Orme existed in the world. When I approached Satan be lunged at me, but I caught him by the cheek strap of the bridle and swung bis head close up, feeling for the saddle front ns he reached for me with open mouth. Then as he reared I swuug up with him into place aud so felt safe, for once I clamped a horse fair there was an end of his throwing me. I laughed when Miss Grace Shernton called out In alarm. I wanted something to sub due, and since Sntan offered I spurred him back from the gate and rode him hard down toward Walllngford. Of course he picked up a stone en route. Two of us held his head while Billings, the blacksmith, fished out the atone and tapped the shoe nails tight. Aft er that I had time to look around. As I did so I saw approaching a gen- tleman who wns looking with Interest nt my mount. He wns one of the most striking men I have ever seen, a stranger, as I could see, for I knew each family on both Bides the Blue Ridge as fur up the valley as White Sulphur. "A grand animal you have there, sir," said he, accosting me. "I did not know bis like existed in this coun try." "As well In this as in any country," said I tartly. He smiled at this. "You know his breeding?" "Kllugwnlla, out of Bonnie Waters." "No wonder he's vicious," said the stranger calmly. "Ah, you know something of the English strains!" said I. He shrugged his shoulders. "As much as that." be commented Indifferently. There was something aliout him I did not fancy, a sort of condescension. ns though he were better than those about him. They say that we Vir ginians have a way of reserving that right to ourselves, nnd I supose that a family of clean strain may perhaps become proud after generations of In dependence and comfort nnd freedom from care. None the less I was forced to narnn tnis newcomer to the ciuss or gentlemen. nia fact, as I nercelved. was i i long and thin, his chin square, although nomewhat nmrow. Ills month, too, was nRrrow, and his twth wore narrow, one of tue upppr t,,tth at eiU.u j,, like the t00tu of a t.arulV01t loll);er than lts fel. lows jn; ha,r WM Tprv thok and C,0S(, cut t0 hu ,,,,,, a.,rk nn(, ( the 1(ast l(lt aUlut tJu, m,ulrlnK cll!W rI,v tA nrnv ,t Q ,,, nnlnr ,,,,, skin was dark, sunburned beyond tan ( almost to parchment dryness. His eyes ' were gray, the most remarkable eyes that I have ever seen calm, emotion-1 less, direct, the most fearless eyes I have ever seen in mortal head, and I have looked into many men's eyes in my time. lie was taller than most men. I think above the six feet line. Ills figure was thin, his limbs thin, his j hands and feet slender. He did not : look one-tenth his strength, lie was simply dressed dressed, Indeed, as a ! gentleman. He stood as one, spoke as one aud assumed that all the world ac cepted him as one. His voice was wanner In accent than even our Vir ginia speech. I saw him to be an Eng lishman. "He Is a bit nasty, that one." He nodded his head toward Satau. 1 grinned. "I know of only two men In Fairfax county I'd back to ride him." "Yourself and" "My father." "By Jove! How old Is your father, ray good fellow Y" "Sixty, my good fellow," I replied. He laughed. "Well." said he. "there's a third In Fairfax can ride him." "Meaning yourself?" He nodded carelessly. I did not share his confidence. "He's not a saddler In any sense," said I. "We keep him for the farms." "Oh, 1 say, my friend," he rejoined "my name's Orme, Gordon Orme I'm just stopping here at the luu for a time, and I'm deucedly bored! I've not had a leg over a deceit mount since I've been here, and If I might ride this beggar I'd Is awfully obliged." My Jaw may have dropped at his words, I am not sure. It was not that he called our little tavern an "Inn." It was the name he gave me which caused me to start. "Orme," said I, "Gordon Orme? That was the name of the speaker the other evening here at the church of the Methodists." He nodded, smiling. "Don't let that trouble you," said he. None the less it did treble me. for the truth was that wira Had gone about to the effect that n new minis tor from some place not stated had spoken from the pulpit on that even ing upon no less a topic than the ever present one of southern slavery. Now, I could not ( lenr It to my mind how a minister of the gospel might take so keen and swift an interest in t stranger In the street nnd that stran ger's horse. I expressed to him Boum- thing of my surprise. "It's of no Importance," said he a gam. ' "What seems to me of most importance Just at present Is that here's a son of old K I lug walla, aud that I want to ride him." "Just for the nuke of saying you have done so?"- I Inquired. His face changed swiftly an be an sweied: "We owned Kllngwallu our selves back home. He broke a leg for my father one day and was neur kill lng him." "Sir," I said to him, catching his thought quit kly, "we could not afford to lave the liors Injured, but If you wish to ride him fair or be beaten by blm fair you are welcome to the chance." His eyes kindled at once. "You're a sportsmnn, sir!" he exclaimed, and hu advanced at once toward Satan, I saw In him something which awa'i ened a responsive chord In my nature, He was a man to take a risk and wel come It for the risk's sake. Moreover he was a horseman. He caught tin cheek strap of the bridle nud motion ed us awny us we would have helpe him at the horses head. Inen en sued ns pretty n fight between man and horse ns one could usk to set1 The black brute roared and fairly tool ' him from the grouud, fairly chasw him nbout the street, as a great dog would a rat. But never did the Iron hold on the bridle loosen, nnd the man was light on his feet ns a boy. Final ly he had his chance, and, with the lightest spring I ever saw at a snddlo skirt, up he went and nailed old Satan fair with a grip which ridged his legs out i As the horse lunged and bolted about the street Orme sat him In per feet confidence. He kept his hands , low, his knees a little more up and ( forward thnn we use in our style o ! riding and his weight n trifle farther , back, but I saw from the lines of bl limbs that he had the horse In a steel ; grip. He gazed down contemplatively with I a half serious look, muster of him i self nnd of the horse ns well. Then presently he turned him up the road and went off at a gallop with the brute under ierfect control. I do not know what art he used. All I can say Is that in n half hour ho brought Satau back In a canter. This was my first acquaintance with Gordon Orme, that strango personal ity with whom I wns later to have much to do. This was my first wit nessing of that half uncanny power by which he seemed to win all things to his purposes. I admired him, yet did not like him, when be swung care- J lessly down nnd handed me the reins "He's a grand one," he said easily, "but not so difllcult to ride ns old Kllngwnlla. Not that I would discount your own skill in riding him, sir, for I doubt not you have taken a lot out of li I in before now." At least this was generous, and. as , ,lter learned. It wns like him to fu!1 rrpdlt t0 the performance of anv bie adversary. IAFT AND GOMEZ EXCHANGE NOTES President Assures Cubans Unit ed Stales Will Not intervene, COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING. Island Government Wires Appreciation of Stand Taken by United States. Reinforcement Sent to Front Will Bring Troops Facing Rebels to 5,000. Haaua, May 28. The exchange of cablegrams between President Gomes and President Tart has led to a mote definite understanding regarding the altitude of the United States toward Cuba. President Gomes' message of pro test against American Intervention drew a response from the president of the United States, in which assur ances went given that the actiou of the American government was niere- y a measure of precaution, and entire ly disassociated from any quctitlon ot intervention. To this President Gomes replied aa follows: "I am exceedingly grateful for your cablegram, which Is appetising to Cu ban patriotism, because of the assur ance tnat tie action of the govern ment und-ir your worthy presidency 1 limited to the observation of events In order to be ready should It bo neces sary to protect tho lives and property of American citizens and morally to support the Cuban government with out having to Innd American forces on our territory, unless both governments agree upon such an extreme necessity. "It clearly shows the sincerity of the government and people of the United States, as well as noble nnd friendly sentiments, toward the government and people of Cuba, who are deter mined to ental.'lish as soon as possible public peace, for which purpose they will not hesitate, no mntter wliut sacri fices circumstances may Impose upon them." Tho receipt of President Taft's message declaring that the naval con centration at Key West and tho dis patch of gunboats to Cuban waters were merely precautionary and In no way Indicative of Intention to Inter vene, was a source of much gratlflca tion to the Cuban government. President Gomez summoned the memberr of his cabinet and acquaint ed them with the text of the message, Immediately drafting a reply eulo gistic of the American president and people. The Cuban government continued unsparing In Its efforts to rush rein forcementa to Oriente province. Reinforcements will bring the na tional troons facing Generals Estenoi and Ivonet to about 5,000 regular well armed and drilled. The settlement of the longshore men'a strike has had the excellent ef fect of removing the danger of possi ble disorders 'n the clt and assuring the government a constant flow of re sources from customs receipts. Move It Misunderstood. Washington, May 28. Feeling as sured that President Gomes haa mis understood the purpose of the Amer ican government In dispatching th large naval force now on Its way to Key West, the state department, aftei having Instructed American Minister Raupro it Havana to make plain to the Cuban government the purpose ol the movement, has now left to tho dig cretlon of Colonel Karmany, command Ing the marine force on the cruiser Prairie, now at Guantnnamo, the ex tent to which the marines shall be em ployed. ARMY B LL IS AMENDED Conference Committee Would Elimi nate Wocr as Chief of Staff. Washington, May 28. The army ap propria tion bill was reported with antl administration amendments, which woutd legislate Major General Wood out of office as chief of staff and would leave the location of military posts to a commission of retired army officers and two members each of the senate nnd house committees on military af lairs The amendment which would re move General Wood, also would pre vtnt either Brigadier Generals Crozler or Funston from ever attaining the of flee of chief of staff. No officer who has not spent ten years In the line with troops before becoming a brUa dler general would le eligible. Many army officers charge that the fight between the line and staff, which recently resulted In the retirement from the army of Major General Alns worth, Is rBponslble for that pro vision. The report wns not acted on In either house, A sharp conflict over the amendments Is expected. Moors Attack Fez. Fez, May 28. A strong body of Moors made another fierce attack on this city. Some penetrated Inside the walls, but were dispersed or killed. The French lost one officer killed and thirty soldiers killed or wounded. The Moorish casualties were heavy. Eighty Die In Fire In Spanish Theater. Castellon, Spain. May 28. Eighty persons were killed In a fire In a the ater at Vlllarreal, which was caused by the explosion of a cinematograph. GO EAST TO MEET SHAW Optimism Inspires Atlantic Northera arid Soutrern Railroad promoter. Council Bluffs, la., May 27. If the members of the Leslio M. Shaw syndi cate have been lacking in ready cas! with which to complete their purchase of the Atlantic Northern and Southern railroad, they are not and never hava been short of optimism. That it la a financial gamble of pretty good size has never been denied and the fact that at various times the syndicate has put up an aggregate of over $10,- 000 In Interest and other charges la held to indicate that the former secre tary of the treasury and his associates have never felt the slightest doubt aliout bein-j; able to swing the deal. Attorney J. ,1. Hess of this city and) August Damrow of Treynor, president of the Iiw.i Sliort line, another rail road whose destinies are tied up with the Atlantic Northern and Southern, "e!t for New Yotk city to meet Mr. s'-liaw, ho has returned from Europe, where he went to dispose of the $5, OlMVimi) Issue of bonds Issued by the 1 viullcate. Mr. Hess and Mr. Damrow Aero bubbling ovor with good cheer when tney departed and exhibited a wirelc.is cablegram from Mr. Shaw, which thev Interpreted to mean "Pre Kot the dough." "I am certain now that the last ot the onuses for delay have been re moved." sr.ld Mr. Hess, "and that one of the most Important things pertain ing to the prosperity of Council Bluffs and western Iowa has now been brought nbout. It will be the begin ning of nn Interurhnn system of rail ways that moans much for the city &nd this section of Iowa. Our bonds have been sold at close to par." Regarding the recent rumor of a new Rock Island line through west ern Iowa, fats have recently come to llcht Ind'catlng the road la plan ning to exti "1 Its line from Wlntorset to Council Bl-! !T;i on a direct survey r.nd thus gain over flfty-flvo miles over Its present crooked line from Dos Moines to this city. PROPOSE DEFENSE FUND FOR UNIONS ill Gome Up at Slate Conven- . tion In Muscatine, Muscatine, la., May 27. A propo sltlon for the creation of a $250,000 defense fund for Iowa unions will be one of the most Important matters to he considered at the state convention of the Iowa State Federation ot Labor, which meets In Muscatine lu Juno. A. resolution, which was drafted and In dorsed by the Cedar Rapids federated unions, will he presented at that tlm and a strong fight will be made for Its acceptance. The plan Is to assess each labor union In the Htate for a period of time until the sum of $250,000 la secured, and when that amount Is raised thai assessments will be lowered. It Is pro posed, however, to maintain at all times a fund of $200,000, which sum. will apply to aid and support workers on strike or forced to remain In Idle ness through lockouts dlrectod against labor unions. The ndvocatea of the measure de clare that the adoption of such a de fense plan would greatly strengthen the labor movement In the state anil, would firmly cement the various trado Vdles of tho state. MAY MOVE PALMER COLLEGE Trustees to Consider Removal at Meet ing In Le Grand This Week. Marshalltown, la., May 27. The fate of Palmer college, l Grand. concerning its removal from Its pres ent location to Albany, Mo., where is Is proposed to combine It with two other small schools In northern Mis souri and western Kansas, will be de cided this week, when the board ot trustees take final action. The trustees will meet at Ie Grand tomorrow for a two Jays' session. The esecutlve board of the Amer ican Christian convention, the nap tlonal organization of the Christian de nomination, and the general educa tional board of tho church, have both Indorsed the removal project, and It Is expected that the Iowa Christian con vention, which Is to meet at Le Grand soon, will also approve of tho removal. The majority of the members of th bonrd, It. Is claimed by President Wat son, favor the removal. The people of L? Grand, however, are likely to put up n strong fight to prevent th college being moved. BATH IS"NEARLY FATAL Mason City Man Seriously Burned by Electric Current. Mason City, la., May 27. Danger ously near death, Oscar Horvel was faved only by the heroic work of his wife and a neighbor, who hnd been summoned, when ho was held by an electric current, having received the charge 'rom an electric lamp In his bathroom. The current held his hand gripped to the fixture, and it was only by grasping his feet and pulling with all their strength that he was freed. Horvel was unconscious and thought dead. Physicians soon revived him. Ills hand and toes were badly burned. Old Soldier Dies. Marshalltown, la., May 27 Michael Riley, aged sixty-eight, a member of the soldiers' home from Jones county, died at the hospital of pulmonary tu berculosis. Ho served In company 0, Seventieth Illinois Infantry. He en tered the home Jan. SI, 1908.