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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 14, 1913)
MHMENS CfflLDHEN Z. i&r-- . 1TB W' v;,. ii &Miimp"h.jm, m lllustrticnsy IXJMj.LrWIN SYNOPSIS. Dill Cnnnon, the. bonanza, kin, and his daughter. IIoho. who had piuml up Mrs. Cornelius Ilyrm m hall nt flan Francisco to nr company her father, nrrlvo at Antelope. Dotiilnlck Hyim cnllH on hi mother to lu'K a hall Invitation for hlH wife, and 1 rcftixrO. Tho determined old lady rcrusoi lo ti'cnKiilzii hor daiiKhtcr-ln-law. Dorn InlrU had honn trapped Into a marring with liernlco Ivanton. a stenographer, wevfial yoar IiIh sonlor She nquanderu Mh munoy, they have frequent quarrels, pnd he Klips away. Cannon and his daughter aru snowed In at Antelope. CHAPTER IV. Continued. "And tlio other one," went on Cora, tier eyes riveted on tho lio.lr-drcr.slng. licr subroiiHclous mind making notes of tho disposition of every coll, "his nnnu-'R J. n. Ruford. And I'd llko you to giiesa what ho 1b! An nctor, ii Htugo pluyer. IIo'b been playing all up tho Htato from Lob Angeles und wns going down to Sacramento to keep nn engagement thero. , It Just tlckh-fl mo to doiith to have an nctor In Iho hotiHo. I ain't novcr Been one closo to licforc." Tlio last hnlr-pln wnH adjusted and MIbs Cannon studied the effect with a hand-glass. "An nctor," Bho commontedi run nlng a smoothing palm up the back of licr head, "thnt'H Just what ho looked Uko, now I think of It. Perhaps ho'll net for us. 1 think U'h going to bo lots of fun being snowed up at Ante lope," Tho sound of a volco crying "Cora" here rose from tho hallway and that young woman, with a languid delib eration of movemont, as of one who obeys a vulgar summons at her own olegunt leisure roso and departed, apologizing for having to go so soon. A few minutes later, tho hour of sup per being at hand, Iloso followed hor. She was descending tho stairs when n commotion from below, a sound of voices, loud, argumentative, rising and falling In excited chorus, hurried her ntops. Tho lower hall, lit with lamps and the glow of Its stove, heated to a translucent roll, was full of men. A current of cold could bo felt in the hot atmosphere and frBh snow was moiling on tho floor. Standing by tho Hlovo wnB a man who had evidently Just entered. Ridges of whlto lay caught In (ho foldH of his garments; a silver hoar was on his beard. He bold bis bands out to tho beat and as Iloso readied tho toot of tho strflrs sho heard him Bay: "Well, I tell you that any man that started to walk up hero from Kooky Dar this afternoon must have been plumb crazy. Why, Johu L. Sullivan couldn't do It In such a storm." To which tho woll-brcd volco of Wllloughby nnsworod: "But according to tho messago hn Btarted at two ami tho snow was hard ly falling Uion. Ho must havo got a good way, past tho Silver Crescent, when tho storm caught him." A hubbub of volccn broke out here, and, seeing hor father ou tho odgo of tho crowd, Koso went to him and plucked his sleeve, murmuring: "What's happened? What's going on?" He took bin clgnr out of his mouth and tumed toward her, speaking low and keeping his eyoH on tho inon by tho stovo. "The telegraph operator has Just had a message, sont from Kocky Dar that a man started from there this afternoon to walk up hero. Thoy don't think ho could mako It and aro arrnld ho'fl lost somuwhere. Parley and some of tho boys aro going out io look for him." "Wbnt n dreadful thing! In Buch a storm I Do you think they'll over 1lnd him?" Ho shrugged, and replaced bis cigar 1n IiIb mouth. "Oh, I guoBB so. If hq wa3 strong -enough (o get on near hero thoy ought to. Dut It's Just what tho operator sayB. Tho teller mut hnvo boon plumb crazy to attempt such a thing. Looks as If ho wore a Btrangor In tho country." i "It's a sort of qulot, resrectnblo way of committing suicide," said tho , voice of tho actor behind thorn. Kobo looked over hor shoulder and saw hlB thin, largo-featured faro, no longer nipped and reddenod with cold, but wreathed In tm obsequious nnd friendly smile which furrowod It with deep llncB. Hor father answorcd him ) und sho turned awny, bolng moro In terested In tho preparations for tho search party. Aa she watched these alio could hear tho desultory conver cation behind her, tho actor's com ments delivered with an unctuouB, elaborate politeness which, contrasted with her fathor's gruff brevity, mndo her' smile furtively to hersolf. Suppor was an animated meal that evening. Tho suddenly tragic lutorcBt that had developed drew tho little group of guostu together with tho strands of a common sympathy. Tho Judge and tho actor moved tbolr eoajta to tho Cannons' tnblo. Cora wax sent Ito requent tho doctor a young man fresh from his graduation In San Fran cisco who took his meals at tho bach elor's tablo to Join them and add tho "weight of medical opinion to their iBiirmlscH aB to tho traveler's chunces of survival. These, tho dootor (thought, dopeuded as much upon tho & -wuyw w ui w X - - . ' Copyright WOtJJyTjjcBODDS-MEPniLL CO. mnn's age and physical condition, as upon tho search party'B success In finding him. After supper they retired to tho par lor, piled tho tiro high and snt groupod beforo It, tho Tioko of cigars and cigarettes lying about their heads In white layers. It was but natural that the conversation should turn ou stories of tho great storms of the past. Rose hnd heard many bucIi before, but tonight, with tho wind rocking tho old hotel ,nnd the thought of tho lost man heavy at her heart, sho listened, held In a cold clutch of fascinated attention, to tales of tho emigrants caught In the passes of tho Sierra, of pioneer mining-camps relieved by mule trains which broke through tho snow blockado as the miners lay dying In their huts, of men risking their lives to enrry succor to comrades lost In their passage from camp to camp on Just such a night as this. Tho clock hand passed ten, and tho periods of sllonco that at Intervals had fallen on tho watchers grow longer and moro frequent, and finally merged Into a stillness whore all sat motion less, listening to the storm. It was nearly eleven, and for fifteen minutes no ono had spoken a word. Two of tho dogs had come In nnd lain down on tho hearth-rug, their noses on their paws, their eyes fixed bright ly and ponderlngly on tho fire. In tho midst of the motionless semicircle on3 of them "uddenly raised Its head, Its cnrB pricked. With Us muzzlo ele vated, Its oyes full of awakened In telligence, It gavo a low, up'-'sy whim per. Almost simultaneously Koso started and drow horself up, exclaim ing, "LlBtcnl" Tho sound of sleigh bells, faint aB a nolso in a dream, came through the night. In a moment tho lower floor was shaken with movement and nolso, Tho bar emptied itself on to tho porch and tho hall doors wero thrown wide. Tho sleigh had been close to the ho tel beforo its bells were heard, and al most Immediately Its shape emerged from tho swirling whiteness and drow up at tho steps. Rose, standing back In the parlor doorway, heard a clamor of voices, a rising Burgo of sound from which no lntelllglblo sentence do tached itself, and a thumping nnd stamping of feet as the searchers staggered In with tho lost traveler. The crowd separated" bofdro them and thoy' entered slowly, four men carry ing a fifth, their bodies lncrustcd with snow, tho man they boro an un seen shape covored with whitened rugs from which an arm hung, a limp "Do You Think They'll Him?" Ever Find hand touching tho floor. Questions and answers, now clear and sharp, fol lowed them, Uko notes upon tho text of tho Inert form: "Whcro'd you got him?" "About five miles below on tho main road. Ono of tho horses almost Htcpped on him. Ho wus right lu the path, but ho was all sprinkled over with snow." "He's not dead, is ho?" "Pretty near, I guoss. Wo'vo pumped whisky Into him, but he ain't shown n sign of life." "Who Ib ho?" "Scorch me. I ain't seen him my self yet. Just as wo got him tho lan tern went out." Tiioro was a sora in tho lmll nnd they laid their bin den there, the. crowd edging In ou them, horrified, In terested, hungrily peering. Iloso could see their bont, expresalvo backs nnd the craning napes of tholr nocks. Thon n Bharp order from tho doctor drove them back, shooplsh, tramping on one another's toes, bunched against tho wnll und Btill avidly stor ing. As their ranks broko, tho young girl had u sudden, vivid gllmpso of tho man, his head and part of his chest uncovered. Her heart gavo a loup of pity aud Bho mado a move ment from tho doorway, then stopped. Tho lost travolcr, that an hour boforo had almost assumed tho features of a friend, was n coinploto Bjrnngor that she had never soon beforo. Ho looked llko u dead man. His ffi face, tho chin up, tho lips parted un der tho frlngo of a brown mustache, was a marblo white, and showed a gray Bhadow in tho cheek. The hair on his forehead, thawed by tho heat, was lying in damp half-curled semi circles, dark against tho pallid skin. Thero was n ring on tho hand that still hung limp on tho floor. Tho doc tor, muttering to himself, pulled open tho shirt nnd wbb feeling the heart, whon Perley, who had flown Into tho bar for moro whisky, emerged, a glass In his band. Ab his eyo fell upon tho man, ho stopped, stnred, nnd then ex claimed In loud-voiced amaze: "My God why, It's Domlnlck Kyanl Look here, Governor" to Cannon, who wns standing by his daughter In the parlor doorway, "como and seo for yourscir. If this ain't young Ryan I'm a Dutchman!" Cnnnon punned between tho inter vening men and bent over the pros trate figure. "That's who it Is," ho said slowly and unomotlonally. "It's Domlnlck Kynn, nil right. Well, by ginger!" and ho turned nnd looked nt tho amazed Innkeeper, "that's tho queer est thing I ever saw. What's brought him up here?" Perley, his glass snatched from him by the doctor. who seemed entirely In different to their recognition of his patient, shrugged helplessly. "Bleat If I know," ho said, staring aimlessly about him. "Ho was hero last summer fishing. Rut thero nln't no fishing now, God, nln't It a good thing that operator at Rocky Dar had tho senso to telegraph up!" CHAPTER V. Nurse end Patient. When Domlnlck returned to con sciousness ho lay for a space looking directly in front of him, then moved his head and let his oycB sweep the walla. Thoy wore alien walls of whlto plaster, naked of nil adornment. The light from a shaded lamp lay across ono of them In n soft yet clear wash of yellow, so clear that ho could seo that tho plaster was coarse. Thero wero few pieces of furniture In tho room, and nil new to him. A bureau of tho old-fashioned marble topived kind stood against the wnll op posite. The lamp that cast the yellow light was on this bureau; Its globo, a translucent gold reflection revealed In liquid elenrness In the mirror Just behind. It was not his own room nor Demy's. He turned his head farther on the pillow very slowly, for ho seemed sunk in nn abyss of suffering and feebleness. On the table by tho bed's head was another lamp, a fold ed newspaper shutting Its light from his face, and here his eyes stopped. A woman was sitting by the foot of tho bed, her head bont as if reading'. He stared at her with even moro In tentness than he had at the room. The glow of tho lamp on the bureau was behind her ho saw her against it without color or detail, llko a shad ow thrown on a sheet. Her outlines wore shnrply defined against tho Illu mined stretch of plaster tho arch of her head, which was broken by the colls of hair on top, her rather short neck, with some sort of collar binding It, tho curve of her shoulders, round ed and broad, not the shoulders of a thin woman. Ho did not think she wns his wlfo, but she might be, and ho moved nnd said Buddcnly in a husky voice: '' "What time is it?" Tho woman Btarted, laid her book down, and rose. Sho enmo forward and stood beside him, looking down, tho fllnmentB of hair round her head blurring tho sharpness of its outline. Ho stared up at her, haggard and in tent, nnd saw it was not his wife. It was a strange woman with n pleasant, smiling face. He felt immensely re lieved and said with a hoarso careful ness of uttorance: "What timo did you say It Is?" "A few minutes past five," sho an swered. "You've been asleep." "Havo I?" ho said, gazing Immov ably at her. "What day is it?" "Thursduy," she replied. "You camo hero last night from Rocky Bar. Per haps you don't remember." "Rbcky Dar!" ho repeated vaguoly, groping through a hnzo of memory. "Was it only yesterday? Was It only yesterday I left San Francisco?" "I don't know when you left San Francisco " tho newspaper cracked and bent n little, letting a band of light fall acrosB tho pillow. She loaned down, arranging It with careful hands, looking from tho light to him to see if It wore correctly ndjustcd. "Whenever you left San Francisco," she said, "you got hero last night. They brought you here, Perley and some other men In tho sleigh. Thoy found you lu tho road. You wero hnlf frozon." "What Is this place?" "Antelope," said tho woman. "Per ley'B Hotel at Antelope." "Oh, yes," ho answered with nn air of weary recollection, "I wns going to walk thero from Rocky Bur, but tho snow came down too hard, and tho wind you could hardly stand against it! It was a terrlblo pull. Perley'a Hotel at Antelope. Of courso, I know nil about It. 1 was hero last summer for two weeks flBhlng." Sho stretched out her hnnd for n glasB, across tho top of which a book rested. Ho followed tho movement with a muto fixity. "This is your medicine," sho said, taking tho book off tho glaBs. "You wore to tako It at live but I didn't like to wako you." Sho dipped a spoon Into the glass nnd hold It out to him. Dut tho young man felt too ill to bother with mcdl clno nnd, ns tho spoon touched his lips, ho gnve his bend a slight Jerk and tho liquid was split on tho coun terpane. Sho looked nt it for a rueful moment, then said, as If with gather- lug determination. "Dut you must tako it. I think per haps I gavo it wrong. I ought to havo lifted you up. It's easier that way," and beforo ho could answer sho slipped her arm under his head and raised It, with the other hand setting tho rim of tho glass against his lips. Ho swallowed a mouthful and felt her arm sliding from behind his bend. He had a hazy consciousness that a per fume camo from her dress, and for tho flrst timo ho wondered who Bho was. Wondering thus, his eyes again followed her hand putting back tho glnss, and watched it, whlto in tho gush of lamplight, carefully replacing the book. Then sho turned toward him with the same slight, soft smile. "Who are you?" ho said, keeping his hollowed eyes hard on her. "I'm Iloso Cannon," sho answered. "Rose Cannon from San Francisco." "Oh, yes," with n movement of com prehension, tho name striking a chord of memory. "Rose Cannon from San Francisco, daughter of Bill Cannon. Of courso I know." He turned his head away from her and said dryly and without interest: "I thought it was some one else." She bent down and said, speaking slowly and clearly as though to a child: "Tho storm has broken the wires, but as soon as they arc up, papa wlli send your mother word, so you needn't worry nbout that. But wo don't cither of us know your wife's address. If you could toll us " She stopped. Ho had begun to frown nnd then shut his eyes with an expres sion of weariness. "Thnt doosn't matter," he said. "Don't bother about it. Let her alone." Again there was ono of those pauses which seemed to him so long. He gave a sigh and moved restlessly, nnd she said: "Aro your feet very painful?" "Yes, pretty bad," ho answered. "What's tho matter with them?" "They wero frost-bitten, ono' partly frozen." "Oh " ho did not seem profoundly Interested. It was as If they wero some one else's feet, only they hurt violently enough to obtrude them selves upon his attention. "Thank you very much," htf added. "I'll be all right to-morrow." He felt very tired and heard, as In a dream, tho rustle of her dress as sho moved again. Sho said something about "supper." and "Mrs. Perley com ing," and tho dark, enveloping sense of stupor from which ho had como to life closed on him again. Some time later on ho emerged from It and saw another woman, stout and matronly, with sleekly parted hair, and an apron girt nbout her. He asked her, too, who she was, for the ear that he might wako and find his wlfo by his bedsldo mingled with the pain of his feet, to torment him and break the vast, dead restfulness of tho torpor In which ho lay. It broko into gleams of interest and returning consciousness during the next two days. He experienced an acuter sense of illness and pnln, tho burning anguish of his feet and fe vered misery of his body, bitten through with cold, brought him back to n realization of his own Identity. Ho heard the doctor murmuring in tho corner of "threatened pneumonia" and understood that ho was the object threatened. Ho began to know nnd separate tho strnngo faces that seemed continually to bo bending over him, nsking him how ho felt. Thero was tho doctor, Perley, Bill Cannon, and tho old Judge nnd three different wom en, whom ho had somo difficulty in keeping from merging Into one com posite being who was sometimes "Miss Cannon," and sometimes "Mrs. Pcr loy," nnd then ngaln "Cora." When on the fourth day the doctor told him that ho thought ho would "pull through" with no worse ailment than a frozen foot, ho had regained enough of his original vigor and Im patience under restraint to express a determination to rise nnd "go orl'FHe wns In pain, mental and physIcnl.Mind tho mlnlstrotlona and attentions of the satellites that so persistently re volved round his bed rasped him into Irritable moodiness. Tho doctor laughed nt his desire to "move on." Tho storm was still rag ing and Antelopo wns as completely cut off from tho rest of the world as If it were nn uncharted island in the unknown renches of tho Pacific. Propping tho lnvnlld up among his pil lows, ho drew back tho curtain and lot him look out through a frost- painted pano on a world all sweeping line's and skurrylng eddies of white. Tho drifts curled crisp edges over tho angles of roofs, Uko tho lips of break ing waves. The gllmpso of tho llttlo town that tho window afforded showed It cowering under a snow blanket, almost lost to sight In its folds. "Even it your feet wero nil right, you're tied horo for two weeks any way," said tho doctor, dropping tho curtain. "It's the biggest storm I over saw, and there's nn old timer that hangs round tho bar who says It's ob bad as tho ono that caught the Donncr party in forty-six." Tho next dny it Btopped and tho world lay gleaming and still under a frosty crust. That afternoon Domlnlck, clothed In nn old bath-robo of the doctor's, his swathed feet hidden under a red rug drawn froiu Mrs. Perloy's stores, was promoted to an ensy chair by tho window. Tho doctor, who had helped him dress, having disposed tho .rug over his knees and tucked a pillow behind his back, Btood off and looked critically at tho effect. "I'vo got to havo you look your best," he said, "nnd you've got to act your prettiest this afternoon. Tho young lady's coming In to tako enro of you while I go my rounds." j "Young lady!" oxclalmed Domlnlck In a tono that Indicated anything but mill i " - ' ' ' r f H J m He Looked Like pleasurable anticipation. "What young lady?" "Our young lady," answered tho doctor. "Miss Cannon, tho Young Lady of Porley's Hotel. Don't you know that's the nicest girl In tho world? Maybe you don't, but that's because your powers of appreciation have been dormant for the last few days. Tho people here were most scared to death of her at flrst. They didn't know how sho was going to get along, used to the finest, tho way she's always been. But, bless your heart, she's less troublo than anybody In tho place. There's twelve extra people eating here, besides you to be looked after, and Mrs. Perley and Cora are pretty near run to death try ing to do It. Miss Cannon wanted to turn in and help them. They wouldn't havo it, but thoy bad to let her do her turn here taking care of you." "It's very kind of her," 'said the in valid without enthusiasm. "I noticed her here several times." "And as easy as an old shoe," said tho doctor. "Just aa nlco to Perloy's boy, who's a waif that the Perleys picked, up In tho streets of Stockton, as If he was tho Prlnco of Wales. I tell you heredity's a queer thing. How did old BUI Cannon como to havo a girl like that? Of courso there's the mother to tako Into account, but " A knock on the door Interrupted him. To his cry of "Como In," Roso entered, a white shawl over her shoul ders, a book In her hand. While she and Domlnlck'wero exchanging greet ings, the doctor began thrusting his medicines Into his bag, alleging the necessity of an Immediate departure, as two cases of bronchitis and three of pneumonia awaited him. "You didn't know thero were that many people in Antelope," ho said as ho snapped the clasp of the bag and picked up his hat. "Well, I'll swear to It, oven If it doe3 seem the preju diced estimate of an old inhabitant. So long. I'll be back by five and I hope to hear a good report from tho nurse." Tho door closed behind him and Domlnlck and the young girl were left looking rather blankly at each other. Ho hnd a hunted, helpless feeling that ho ought to talk to tho young womnn ob gentlemen did who wero not bur dened by tho pain of frozen feet and marital troubles. Moreover, he felt the annoyance of being thrust upon the onro of a lady whom ho hardly knew. "I'm very sorry that they bothered you this way," ho Bald awkwardly. "I I don't think I need any ono with me. I'm quite comfortable here by myself," nnd then ho stopped, con scious of tho ungraciousness of bis words, and reddening uncomfortably. "I daro say you don't want me here," said Roso with an air of meekness which had the effect of being assumed. "But you really havo been too sick to bo left nlono. Besides, there's your nlcdlclne, you must tako that regu larly." Tho Invalid gavo an Indifferent cast of his eyo toward tho glass on tho bu rcau, guarded by the familiar book and Bpoon. Then ho looked back at her. Sho was regarding him depre- catlngly. "Couldn't I take it myself?" ho said "I don't think I'd trust you," sho answorcd. His sunken glance was held by hors. and ho saw, under tho deprecation of hor look, humor struggling to keop Itself in seemly suppression. He wns faintly surprised. Thero did not seem to him anything comic in tho fnct of her distrust. But as he looked at her ha saw the humor rising past control. Sho dropped her eyes to hide It and bit her under Up. This did strike him a Dead Man. as funny and a slow grin broko tho melancholy of his face. Sho stole a stealthy look at him, her gravity van ished at the flrst gllmpso of tho grin, and sho began to laugh, holding her head down and making tho stifled. chuckling sounds of controlled mirth suddenly liberated. He was amused and a little puzzled and, with his grin moro pronounced than before, said: "What are you laughing at?" Sho lifted her head and looked at him with eyes narrowed to slits, mur muring: "You, trying to get rid of mo and being so polite and helpless. ItB too pathetic for words." "If It's pathetic, why do you laugh?" he said, laughing himself, ho did not know why. She made no immediate reply and ho looked at her, languidly Interested and admiring. For tho flrst time ho realized that sho was a pretty girl, with her glistening colls, of blond hair and a pearl-white skin, just n6w suf fusell with pink. "Why did you think I wanted to get rid of you?" ho asked). "You've almost said ao," she an swered. "And then well, I can boo you do." "How? What havo I done that you've seen?" "Not any especial thing, but I think you do." Ho felt too weak and Indifferent to tell polite, falsehoods. Leaning his head on tho pillow that stood up at his back, ho said: "Perhaps I did at flrst. But now I'm glad you came." She smiled indulgently at him as though ho woro a sick child. "I should think you wouldn't havo wanted me. You must bo so tired of people coming In and out. Those days when you wero so bad the doctor hid the greatest difficulty In keeping men out who didn't know you and had never seen you. Everybody In tho hotel wanted to crowd in." "What did they want to do that for?" "To seo you. We were the sen sation of Antelopo flrst. But then you enmo and put us completely In tho shade. Antelopo haun't had such an excitement as your appearance since the death of Jim Granger, whoso picture is down stairs in tho parlor and who comes from hero " "I don't Bee why I ahould bo an ex citement. When I was up hero fish ing last summer nobody was in tho least excited." . "It was the way you came half dead out of the night as if tho sea had thrown you up. Then overybody wanted to, know why you did It, why you, a Callfornlan, attempted Buch a dangerous thing." "There wasn't anything so desper ately dangerous about It," ho said, al most in a tono of sulky protest. "The men downstairs seemed to think so. They say nobody could have got up hero In such a storm." "Oh, rubbish! Besides, it wasn't storming when I left Rocky Bar. It was gray and threatening, but thero wasn't a flako falling. Tho first snow came down whon I was passing tho Silver Crescent. It came very fast after that." "Why did you do It attempt to walk such a distance in such uncer tain weather?" Domlnlck smoothed tho rug over his knees. His face, looking down, had a curious oxprcsston of cold, enforced patience. (TO BR CONTINUED.) Clrl In No Hurry. Ho When shall wo got married? She Oh, John, why do you take our engagement so seriously? '4 -am.i .,i.: v.-r-vs aswwf;r "ajBteaesassx?--: aac;.-ss6S" ' IMWOICT- -