THE WAY
OF
MAN
By Emerson Hough
PROLOGUE.
A young man and a beautiful
young woman, lost and alone 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.
to
CHAPTER XVII.
Ths Lots of Paradise.
f I nE question of food ever arose
I for settlement, and early the
I next morning I set out upon
A a short exploring expedition.
There were trout In our little moun
tain stream, and although we had no
books or lines, I managed to take
few of these In my hands, chasing
them nnder the stones. I shook the
outlet pouch at my belt and found it
light We had barely two dozen bullets
left, and few hunters would promise
themselves over a dozen bead of big
fame for twice as many shots. I cast
About me In search of red cedar that
I might make a bow. I searched the
willow thicket for arrow shafts and
prowled among little flints and point
d stones on the shores of our stream
seeking arrow points. It finally ap
peared to me that we might rest here
for a time and be fairly safe to make
ajlvtngln someex Then as Twa
obliged to admit, we would need
hurry on to the southward. But again
fate had it way with us, setting aside
all plans. When I returned to our en
camDtnent. instead of seeing Ellen
come out to meet me as I expected,
found her lying In the shnde of the
little tepee.
"You are hurt!" I cried. "What has
happened?"
- "My foot" said she, "I think it ts
broken!" She was unoble to stand.
Walking along the stony creek bank
she had slipped, and her mocca9lned
foot, caught in the narrow crack be
tween two rocks, had been held fust
as Bhe fell forward.
So now it was my turn to be sur
geon. Tenderly as I might, I examin
ed the foot, now badly swollen and,
rapidly becoming discolored. In spite
of her protest, although I know it
hurt me more than herself, I flexed
the Joints and found the ankle at least
safe. Alas! A little grating ,ln the
smaller bones, Just below the Instep,
told me of a fracture.
"Ellen," snid I to her. "the foot is
broken here two bones, I think, are
gone."
She sank bock upon her robe with
an exclomation as much of horror a
pain.
"What shall we do?" she murmured.
"I shall be crippled! I cannot walk!
We shall perish!"
"No." 1 said to her; "we shall mend
it In tlmo you will not know it has
happened." Thus we gate courage to
ach other.
Now. when she was thus helpless and
suffering, needing all her strength, how
could I find it In my heart to tell her
that secret which It was my duty to
tell? IIow could I Inflict upon her a
still more iolgnnnt suffering than this
physical one? Each morning I said to
myself: "Today, if she is better. I will
tell her of Grace Sheraton. She must
know." nut each time I saw ber face
I could not tell her.
Each day she placed a clean white
pebble in a little pile at her side. Pres
ently there were seven.
"John Cowles." she said to me that
mornlug, "bring me our writing, and
bring me my pen. Today I must sign
another letter." And. smiling, she did
Ito, looking up into my face with love
showing on her own. Bad the char
coal been living flame and had sho
written nn mv bnre heart she could not
Copyright, ITO7, by the Outing Publishing
Company
have Inui me' more.
On the fifth week she called once
more for her charcoal pen and signed
the last letter of ber Christian name.
"See. there." she said; "It Is all my
plii name. E-l-l-e-n." I looked at it.
her baud In mine.
"Ellen!" I murmured.- "it Is sig
nature enough, because you are the
onlr Ellen In the world." But she put
way my band gently and said. "Walt"
She asked me now to get her some
sort of cut branch for a crutch, say
ing she was going to walk. And walk
he did. though resting her foot very
little on the ground. After that dally
be went farther and farther, watched
me as I guddled for trout In the stream,
aided me as I picked berries in the
thickets, helped me with the deer I
brought Into camp.
You are very good to me." she said,
and you hunt well. You work. You
- . .
are a man. .loiiu uowies. i love you.
But hearing words so sweet as these
to me, still 1 did not tell her what
secret was in my soul. Each day that
other world seemed vaguer und farther
away.
Each day. too, it seemed less worth
while to spenk. Now 1 could not en
dure the thought of losing her.
One day we wandered In a dense
berry thicket, out of which rose here
and there chokecherry trees, and we
began to gather some of these sour
fruits for use in the pemmicau which
we planned to manufacture.
All at once our dog began to growl
and erect bis hair, snltllng not at the
foot scent but looking directly into the
thicket Just ahead. He began then to
bark, and as he did so there rose, with
a sullen sort of grunt and a champing
of Jaws like a great hog. a vast yellow-
gray object whose bead topped the
bushes that grew densely all about
The girl at my side uttered a cry of
terror and turned to run as best she
might but she fell and lay there cow
ering. The grizzly stood looking at me vin
dictively with little eyes. Its ears back.
Its Jaws working, its paw swinging
loosely at its side, the claws white at
the lower end. as though newly shar
Dcned for slaughtering. I saw then
lorff&ITTuV'BtoripfiS ng3re or an Iff
dlan trailer, half naked. belejtglnged.
nioecaslned. following our fresh tracks
ut a l rot.
I carefully covered him with the little
silver lend. minded to end his quest.
But before 1 could estimate his errand
or prepare to receive hiui closely in
case he proved an enemy. I saw ap
proaching around a little point of tim
ber other men. white men. a half doa
en of them, one a tall man In dusty
garments, with boots and hat and
gloves.
And then I saw her. my promised
wife, leave my side and limp and stag
ger forward, ber arms outstretched. I
saw the yoke of submission, the cove
nant of society, once more accepted.
"Father!" she cried.
They gathered about us. I saw him
look down ut her with half horror on
his face. Then 1 noticed that she was
clad in fringed skins, that her head
covering was a bit of hide, that her
hair was burned yellow at the ends,
that her foot coverings were uncouth,
that her bands and arms were brown
where not stained red by the blood in
which they had dabbled. I looked
down also at myself and saw then
that I was tall, brown, gaunt, bearded,
ragged, my clothing of wool well nigh
gone, mv limbs wound in puttee bands
of hide: my hands largo, horny, black
ened, roueh. I was a savage new
drawn from my cave. I dragged be
hind me the great grizzled hide of the
dead bear clutched in oue hairy hand.
And somber and sullen as any savage,
brutal and silent In resentment at be
lng disturbed. I stared at them.
"Who are vou?" demanded the tall
roan of me sternly, but still I did not
answer. The girl's hands tugged at
his shoulders, "It is my friend." she
nald. "He saved me. It Is Mr. .lobn
Cowles. father, of the Virginia Cowles
family. lie has come to see you
But he did not hear ber or show that
he heard. Ills arm about her, support
lug her as she limped, ho turned back
down the valley, and we others fol
lowed slowly.
Presently he came to the rude Bhel
ter which had been our home. With
out speaking he walked about the
tamp, pushed oen the door of the lit
tle rugged tepee and looked within.
The floor was very narrow. There
was one meager bea or niues. mere
was one fire.
"Come with me." be said at length
to me. And so 1 followed him apart
where a little thicket gave us nioro
privacy.
"You are John Cowles, sir. then?" he
Bald to me at length quietly. "Lieu
tenant Belknap told me something of
this when be came In with his men
from the east."
I nodded and waited.
"Are you aware, sir, of the serious
ness of what you have done?" he broke
out "Why did you not come on to the
settlements? What reason was there
for you not coming back at once to the
valley of the Plntte? Here you are, a
hundred miles out of your way, where
a man of any Intelligence, it seems to
me. would naturally have turned back
to the great trail. Hundreds of wag
ons pass there every day. There is a
stations,
runs from
one end of the valley to the other. You
could not have missed all this had you
struck south. A fool would have known
that But you took my girl" He
choked up and pointed to me, ragged
and uncouth
rGood Cod! Colonel Meriwether." I
cried out at length, "you are not re-
that it was angered by the sight of the line with da ly coaches
dog and would not leave us. Each mo- te,bt U" I
ment I expected to hear ' it crush
through the bush in tts charge. Once
down in the brush, there would be
small chance of delivering a fatal shot
whereas now, as It swung its broud
head slightly to one side, the best os
sruTepprTuiruy for kTITTug trpre'sem-
tlon I swung up the heavy barrel and rt R I brought her through?
" . ...... "4li.ir.jf a i " lin until anttlnir nla Mr
drew the small silver bead directly on
the base of the ear where the side
bones of a bear's head are flatter and
thinner, directly alongside the brain.
The vicious crack of the rlflo sounded
loud there in the thicket, but there
came no answer in response to it save
a crashing and slipping and a breaking
down of the bushes as the vast carcass
fell at full length. The little ball hud
done its work and found the brain.
We were two savages, successful now
In the chase successful, Indeed. In win
ning the capital prize of all savages, for
few Indians will attack the grizzly If
it can be avoided. She laid her hand
wonderlngly upon the barrel of the
rifle, looking at it curiously, that It
had been so deadly as to slay a crea
ture so vast as this. Then she leaned
contentedly against my side, and so we
sat there for a time. "John Cowles,"
she said, "you are very much a man.
I am uot afraid when you are with
me." I put my arm about her. The
world seemed wild and fair and sweet
to me. Life, savage, stern, awept
through all my reins. We were very
busily engaged in cutting up the
slaughtered grizzly, when all at once
we stopped and looked at each other
in silence. We bud beard a sound, lo
me It sounded like a rifle shot We
listened.
It come again, with many others.
There was a volley of several shots,
sounds certain beyond any manner of
question. Her eyes were largo and
startled. I caught her bloody band in
my bloody one, and for an Instant I
believed we both meditated flight deep
er into tho wilderness.
"It may not be any one we know,"
I said. "It may bo Indians."
"No," Baid she. "It is my father.
Tbcy have found us. We must got
John" she turned toward me and put
her hands on my breast "John!" 1
saw terror and regret and resolve look
out of her eyes, but not Joy at this
deliverance. No, it was not Joy that
shone in her eyes. None the less the
ancient yoke of society being offered,
we bowed our necks again, fools and
slaves, surrendering freedom, Joy, con
tent, as though that were our duty, j
Silently we made our way toward tho
edge of the thicket where it faced
upon the open valloy.
. Alrnry as. VLB nn.nsod I. saw coming
Almost, sir," he said, setting bis Hps
together "almost!"
"Do you regret then that she brought
me through-that I owe my life to
herr
"Almost, sir," he repeated. "I al
most regret it"
"Then go back leave us report us
dead!" I broke out savagely.
"She is a Iplendld girl, a noble be
ing," I Bald to hlrn slowly at last. "She
saved mo when I was sick and unable
to travel. There Is nothing I could do
that would pay the debt I owe her.
She is a noble woman, a princess
among women, body and soul."
"She is like her mother," said he
quietly. "She was too good for this.
Sir, you have done my family a griev
ous wrong. You have ruined my
daughters life."
I struck my hand hard on his shoul
der and looked him full in tho eye.
"Colonel Meriwether," . I said to him,
"I am ashamed of yon."
"What do you mean?" lie frowned
sternly and shook off my hand.
"I brought her through," I said, "and
if It would do any good, I would Ho
down here and die for her. If what I
say is not true, draw up your men for
a firing sound and let us end it I
don't car to go back to Laramie."
"What good .would that do 7", he said,
"It's the girl's name that's compromis
ed, mnnl Why, tho news of this Is all
ever the country tho wires have car
rled it both sides of the mountains;
the papers are full of It in the cast
You have been gone nearly three
months together, and all the world
knows It Don't you suppose all tho
world will talk? Did I not see"- he
motioned his hand toward our encamp
ment "I know men.'
"Yes," I said, "I would have been no
man worth the name bad I not lovod
your daughter. And I admit to you
that I shall never love another woman.
not In all my life.
In answer he flung down on the
ground in front of me something that
be carried the scroll of our covenant
signed by my nnmo and In part by
hers.
".What jor thl ymn n?" he wkcd
"It means." said I. "what It says
that here or anywhere, lo sickness or
In health, in adversity or prosperity,
oatil L He lawn Jo dlo and she beside
me In nor time, w , nU ... .i .1:
of God married: and In the eye of man
would have been, here or wherever else
we might be."
I saw his face pale, but a somber
flame came into his eyes. "Aud you
say this you. after all I know regard
ing you!"
I saw my guilt once more, horrible
as though an actual presence. 1 re
membered what Ellen Meriwether had
Baid to me regarding any other or j
earlier covenant. 1 recalled my troth, i
flighted earlier, before I hud ever seen
her my faith, pledged In another
world. 1 turned to bira with no pride
in my beuring.
"So I presume Gordon Onue has told
you. I said to him. "iou know or
Grace Sheraton back there?"
His lips but closed the tighter. "Have
you told her have you told this to my
girl?" he asked.
"Draw up your file!" I cried, spring
ing to my feet. "Execute me! I de
serve it. No, 1 havo not told her. I
planned to do so I should never have
allowed her to sign her name there be
fore I had told her everything been
fair to her as I could. But her acci
dent left her weak I could not tell her
a thousand things delayed it Yes
it was my fault."
He looked me over with contempt
"You are not fit to touch the shoe on
my girl's foot." he said slowly. "But
now, since this thing has begun, since
you have thus involved her and com
promised ber, and as I imagine In some
foul way have engaged her affections
now. I say. it must go on. When we
get back to Laramie, sir. you shall
marry that girl. And then out you go.
and never see her face again."
"Colonel Meriwether," snid I to him
Anally, "If It would do her any good
I would give up my life for her.
But her father can neither tell me
how nor when my marriage ceremony
runs, nor can he tell me when to leave
tho side of the woman who Is my wife.
I am subject to the orders of no man
In the world."
"You refuse to do what you have
planned to do? Sir. that shows you
as you ore. iou proposed to to live
with her here, but not be bound to her
elsewhere!"
"It is not true!" I said to him in
somber anger. "I proposed to put be
fore her the fact of my own weakness.
of my own self deception, which also
was deception of her. I proposo to do
that now."
"If you did she would refuso to look
at you again."
"I know, it, but it must be done. I
must take my chances."
"And your chances mean this alter
nativeeither that my girl's reputation
shall be ruined nil over tho country
all through the army, where she la
known and loved or else that her
heart must be broken. This Is what
it means. Mr. Cowles. This Is what
you have brought to my family."
"Yes." I said to him slowly, "this la
what I have brought"
'Then which do you choose, sir?" he
demanded of me.
"I choose to break her heart," I an
swered, "because that Is the truth, and
that Is right. I only know one way to
h?.(1l 1", tMt 1" "tH11""-"-
He smiled at me coldly in his frosty
beard. "That sounds well from you!"
he said bitterly. "Ellen." be raised his
voice. "Ellen. I say, come here at
once!"
She came before us Blowly, halting.
leaning on her crutch. A sort nusn
shone through the brown upon her
checks. I shall not forget in all my
life the picture of her as she stood.
Then, lovable In her rags, beautiful In
her savagery, the gentleness of genera
tions of culture in all her mien in spite
of ber rude surroundings, she stepped
up and laid her band upon her father's
shoulder, one finger hulf pointing at
the ragged scroll of hldo which lay
upon the ground before us. I loved her
ah, how I loved her then!
"I signed that father," she snid gen
tly. "I was going to sign It little by
little, a letter each week. We were
engaged, nothing more. But here or
anywhere some tlmo I Intend to marry
Mr. Cowles. This I have promised ot
my own freo will. He has been both
man and gentleman, father. I love
blm."
I heard tho groan which came from
his throat She sprang back.
"What!" she cried. "You object?
Listen. I will sign my name now. I
will finish it Give me-glve meH
Sho sought about on tho ground for
something which would leave a mark.
"I say I have not been his, but will be,
father, as I llko, when I like, now, tnia
very night if I choose, forever. He has
done everything for me. I trust him.
I know be Is a man of honor; that
he" Her voice broke as she looked at
my face.
"But what what is it?" she demand
ed brokenly.
"Ellen, child, Mr. Cowles bns some
thing to tell you."
Then some one In a voice which
sounded like mine, but was not mine,
told her told her tho truth, which
sounded so like a lie. Some ono, my
self, yet not myself, wont on cruelly
blackening all the sweet bluo sky for
ber. Some one I suppose It was my
self, late free-felt tbo clamp of an
Iron yoke upon his neck.
I saw her knees sink beneath her,
but she shrank' back when I would
have reached out an arm to her as of
old.-
"I hate that woman!" she blazed.
"Supposo she does love you. Do I not
love you more? Let ber lose some
one must lose." But the next momont
I saw ber face change.
"It la not that you loved another
girl," she whispered, "but that you
have deceived me here, when I waa
In your power. Oh, it was not right!
now could you? Oh, how could you.
Jotm-Cowles?"
TELEPHONE
REGULATION
It is admitted by all that universal
telephone service is highly desirable. This
is especially true when the quality of the
service and the rates charged are both
regulated by the State.
In Nebraska the Railway Commission
has full authority to regulate telephone
rates and service.
REGULATION and not a dual system
is the remedy for any possible wrongs.
Lincoln Telephone and
Telegraph Company
J. K. POLLOCK, Local Manager
Then once more she changed. The
flame of her thoroughbred bouI came
back to her. Her courage saved her
from shame. Her face flushed; she
stood straight "I hnte you!" she cried
to me. "Go! 1 will never see vou any
more."
Still the bright sun shone on. A lit
tle bird trilled in tho thicket near.
(To He Continued.)
Lightning Killed Cow.
I hiring the thunder shower this
morning about, 8 o'clock a bolt of
lightning struck a tree in Mrs.
Jacob Stenner's pasture, glancing
oft' and killing a valuable milk cow
belonging lo Mrs. Stenner, which
chanced to he standing under the
tree.
COAL
and
FEELS)
J. C. Smith of Nehawka came in
this omrning and visited his
brother, V. T., for the day.
M. Fanger, who has been look
ing after his commercial interests
here for a short time departed for
Missouri Valley, Iowa, this afternoon.
We are now handling a complete
line of coal. Call and let us quote you
prices for your fall and winter coal.
We handle wheat, oats, corn and
chop of all kinds.
Ind. Telephone 297
Nelson Jean & Go.
Y. T. Smith came in from Wil
liam Wheeler's this morning,
where he expected to thresh today,
but owing to the heavy rain there
early this morning the threshing
had to he postponed. Mr. Smith
went to Council JUufTs to get
some repairs for his machine.
C. A. Welch, the carpenter, is
engaged by the school banl in
repairing the Central building,
putting in partitions and such
necessary work as will place the
building in ship-shape for the
opening of the school year.
Ice cream by the pint, quart or
gallon; fresh every day; at Book
meyer & Maurer's.
Up From Nehawka.
Kx-Congressman K. M. Pollard
and Frank Sheldon, the merchant
prince of Nehawka, were in the
city a few hours last evening
looking after important business
matters. There was nothiog'
political attached to their visiL
lloth agree that the political out
look is somewhat muddled and
that it is hard to determine the
tlnal result, lloth gentlemen are
for Taft, because ho is the reg
ular nominee, and they cannot see
any other way out of the dilema
t han to support the regular nom
inee. They autoed up and return
ed last evening.
Jake Miller, the veteran llsher
man, had about all he could do to
land a forty-pound catfish this
morning. He was in his boat and
the forty-pounder tuging at the
line caused Jake's boat to turn
about rapidly.
You are sure to
want this fine clothing we're
clearing for you when you see it; we're
still talking to you about it. The reductions in prices
are bold; they ought to be convincing; there's a ma
terial money saving for you here if you'll come for it.
You get the same service and satisfaction guarantee
as if the prices had'nt been changed; our ideas about
that don't change.
We've divided these M A. (Mi. J1 O
suits into three lots JAU P"j P -10
The Hart Schaffner &. Marx suits that we
have left are worth as high as $30, M A
now selling for iplT:
A few left at $10
.K.!?!?.$10; $14; $18
Micheals-Sterns &. Co suits (MA. tM A
now at tJJ
Men's coat style neck-band shirts, r7Cf
worth $1.25, now at ' ds
Regular 25c and 50c hose, now three CJ Ap
pairs for t)UL
Manhattan Shirts
Stetson Hats
