I ; w i i hi in in
j ' PROLOGUE.
i A young man and a beatttifut
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.
CHAPTER XXI.
A Confusion In Covenants.
DCRING the next morning Har
ry Sberatoo galloped down to
the village after the morn
ing's mall. On hla return be
banded me two letters. One was from
Captain Matthew Stevenson, dated at
Fort Henry, and Informed me that be
bad been transferred to the east from
Jefferson Barracks, In company with
other officers, ne hinted at many
changes In tba disposition of the army
of late. Dls present purpose In writ
ing, as be explained, was to promise
us that, In case be came our way be
would certainly look us up.
This letter 1 put aside quickly, for
the other seemed to me to have a more
Immediate Importance. I glanced It
over and found occasion to request
a word or so with Colonel Sheraton
We withdrew to his library, and then
I banded him the letter.
"This," I explained, "Is from Jen
nlngs & Jennings, my father's agents
at Huntington, on whose advice he
went Into bis coal speculations."
"I see. Their advice seems to have
been rather disastrous."
"At first it seemed so," I answered,
"but now they advise me by no means
to allow foreclosure to be completed If
It can be avoided. Tbe lands are
worth many times tbe price paid for
them."
"I sec. And they have some sort of
an offer as well, eh?"
"A half loaf Is better thnn no bread,"
I assented. "I think I ought to go out
there aud examine all this In detail."
"But one. thing I don't understand
about this," began Colonel Sheraton,
"your father's partner, Colonel Meri
wether, was on Jolut paper with hlra.
What did he say to you when you saw
him?"
"Nothing," I replied. "We did not
discuss the matter."
"What? That was the sole reason
wby you went out to see him!"
"Other matters enmo up," said I.
.."This wns not brought up at all be
tween us."
Colonel Sheraton looked at me keen
ly. "I must ndmlt, Mr. Cowles." said
he, slowly weighing hl.i words, that of
late certain things have seemed more
than a little strango to mo. If you will
allow me so to express myself, there is
In my own house since you came a sort
of atmosphere of Indeflnlteness. Now,
why was It you did not take up these
matters with Colonel Meriwether?
Certainly they were importnnt to you,
and under tlx circumstances they bnv
a certain Interest to myself. What are
you trying to cover up?"
"Nothing from you of a business na
ture, sir, and nothing from Miss Grace
of any nature which I think she ought
to know."
lie turned on me swiftly. "Young
man, what do you propose to do In re
gard to my daughter? I confess I
have contemplated certain plans In
your benefit I feel it is time to men
tion theso matters with you."
"It is Ume," I answered. "But, if
you please, It seems to me MUs Grace
and I should first take them up to
gether. Has she spoken to rou In any
way mat niignt lend you to think she
would prefer our engagement to be
broken?" ,
"No, sir. Thero has only been a
Tasueuou and IndeQulteness which I
THE WAY
OF
A
By Emerson Hough
Copyright, 1V07, by the Outing PubUshlaf
Company
aid not like."
"Had my affairs not mended, Colo
nel Sheraton. I could not Imyij blamed
ny of you for breaking the engage
ment. If conditions prove to be prac
tlenlly the same now as then It Is she
who must decide' her course and
mine."
"That is perfectly honorable. I have
no criticism to offer.- I have only ber
happiness at heart."
"Then. If you please, sir, since I am
rather awkwardly situated here, I
should like very much to see Miss
Grace this morning."
He bowed In his lofty way and left
me. Within a half hour a sen-ant
brought me word that Miss Grace
would see me in the drawing room.
She was seated in a wide, low chair
near the sunny window, half hid by
the leafy plants that grew In the
boxes there. She was clad in loose
morning wear over ample crinoline,
ber dark hair drawn in broad bands
over the temples, half confined by a
broad gold comb, save two long curls
which hung down ber neck at either
lde. It seemed to me she wns very
thin-thinner nnd darker than ever.
She held out her band to me, and It
lay cold and lifeless in my own.
"Perhaps I have been a little hur
ried after all in classing myself as an
absolute pauper." 1 explained as she
rend my letter. "1 must go out there
and look into these things."
"Going away again?" She looked
up at me, startled.
"For a couple of weeks. And when
I come back, Miss Grace-
So now I was up to the verge of
that same old, definite question.
She sat up In the chair as though
pulling herself together in some sud
den resolve and looked me straight in
the face.
"Jack." she said, "wby should we
wait?"
"To be sure." said I; "only I do not
want you to marry a pauper If any act
of my own can make him better than
a pauper in tbe meantime."
"Yon temporize," she said bitterly.
"You are not glad. Yet you came to
me only last spring, and you"
"I come to you now, Miss Grace," I
said.
"Ah, wlint a difference between then
and now!" she Rlghed.
For a time we could find nothing fit
to say. At last I was forced to bring
up one thing I did not like to mention.
"Miss Grace," said I, seating myself
beside her, "last night or, rather, this
morning after midnight. I found a
man prowling around In the yard."
She sprang up as though shocked,
her face gray, her eyes full of terror.
"You have told!" she exclaimed. "My
father knows that Captain Orme"
It was my owu turn to feel surprise,
which perhaps I showed.
"I have told no one. tt seemed to me
that first I ougbt to come to you nnd
ask you about this. Wby was Orme
there?"
She stared at me. "He told me be
would como bnck some time," she ad
mitted at length. All the whllo she
was fighting with herself, striving, ex
actly as Orme bad done, to husband
her powers for an impending struggle.
"You see," she added, "he has secret
business all over the country. I will
own I believe him to be in the secret
service of tho Inner circle of a num
ber of southern congressmen and busi
ness men. He Is in with the southern
circle of New Orleans, of Charleston
Washington. For this reason he could
not always choose bis hours of going
and coming."
"Does your father kuow of his pecul
iar hours?"
"I presume so, of course."
"I saw a light at a window," I be
gan, "whoso window I do not know,
doubtless some servant's. It could not
buve been a signal?"
"A signal? What do you mean? Do
you suspect me of putting out a bea
con light for a cheap night adventure
with some mon? Do you expect me to
tolerate that sort of thing from you?"
"I nsk you to tolerate nothing," I
said. "I nm not In the habit of sus
pecting ladles. But I ask you If you
can explain the light on that side of
the house."
"Jack," site said, flinging out her
bund, "forgive uie. I admit that Cap
tain Orme aud I carried on a bit of a
flirtation after he came back after ho
bad told me about you. But wby
should that why, he did not know you
were here."
"No." said I dryly, "I don't think be
did. I am glad to know that you found
something to amuso you in my ab
sence." "Let us not speak of amusements In
the absence of each other," ahe said
bitterly. "Think of your own. But
when you came back it was all as It
was last spring. I could love no other
man but you, Jack. After all, if we
, aia.qults.. let us-stat aults and forgive
MAN
and toV;Vi.' Lot us firgtT."JacL
I sat looking at her as she turned to
me, pleading, imploring In tier race,
her gesture. .
"Jack." she went on, "a woman needs
some one to take cure or tier, to iove
her. I want you to take care of me.
You wouldn't throw me over for Just
a little tiling, when all tne time you
yourself"
"The light shone for miles across the
valley." said I.
"Precisely, and that was how he
happened to come up. I do not doubt.
He thought we were still up ubout the
place. My father has always told him
to make this his home and not to go to
tho tavern. They are friends political
ly, In many ways, as you know."
"The light then was that of some
servant?"
"Certainly it was. I know nothing
of It. It was an accident, and yet you
blame mo as though why, it was all
accident that you met Captain Orme.
TelLniCjJaclifc.Uid you quarrel? What
did he tell you?"
"Many things. He Is no fit man for
you to know nor for any woman."
"Do I not know that? I will never
Bee him again."
"No; be will never come back here
again; that is fairly sure. He has
promised that and he asked me to
promise one thing, by the way."
"What was that?"
"To keen my promise with you. He
asked mo to marry you. Why?"
Infinite wit of woman! What chance
have w- men ngalnst such weapon7
It wns coquetry she forced to her face
and nothing else when she answered
"So, then, he was hard hit. after nil!
I did' not know that. How tender of
him to wish me married to another
than himself! The conceit of you men
Is something wondrous." x
"Mr. Orme was so kind as to Inform
me that I wns a gentleman and like
wise u very great nss."
Did you promise him to keep your
promts'. Jack?" She put both ber hands
on mie as it lay on the chair arm
Her eves looked Into mine straight nnd
full. It would have taken more linagl
nation thnn mine to suspect the slight
est flickering In their lids. "Jack," she
murmured over nnd over again, "I love
vou. I buve never loved any other
man."
"So now," I resumed. "1 have come
to you to tell you of all these things
and to decide definitely aud finally in
regard to our next plans."
"But you believe me, Jack? You do
nromise to keen your promise? You do
love me?"
"I doubt no woman whom I wed,'
I answered. "I shall be gone for two
or three weeks. I shall come bnck
Miss Grace, nnd I shall ask your an
swer."
"Jack. I'm sure of that." she mur
mured. "It Is a grand thing for a wo
man to have the promise of a man
who knows what a promise Is."
I winced at this, as I bad winced
thousand times at similar thrusts un
consciously delivered by so many,
"No." snld I, "I think Oram Is jlgbr.
I am only a very stupid nss."
She reached out ber band, I felt
ber fingers close cold and nnrd on
mine, its though loth to let me go. I
kissed ber fingers and withdrew, my
self at least very glad to be nwny
I retired to my room to arrange my
portmanteau for an early Journey.
And there, tilling up one-half of the
greater valise, was n roll of hide, rag
ged about Its edge. I drew it out and
spread it flat upon the bed beforo me,
whitened nnd roughened with bone,
reddened with blood, written on with
rudo Btylus, touring certain words
which all the time, day and night,
rang, yes, nnd sang, In my brain.
"I, John Cowles-I, Ellen Meriweth
er toke thee for better, for worse
till death" I saw her name E-M-e-u.
Presently once more I departed. My
mother nlso ended her visit at Dlx
iana, preferring to return to tho quiet
of her two little whitewashed rooms
and the old fireplace and the sooty
pothooks which our people's slaves
had used for two generations In the
past. As to what I learned nt Hunt
ington I need say no more than that
I began to see fully verified my fa
ther's daring and bis foresight. Tho
matter of the cool land speculation
was proved perfectly feasible.
All tho details of surveying and lo
cating lands, of mcnsurlng shafts and
drifts nnd estimating cubic yards in
coal nnd determining tho status of
tenures and fees, had occupied me
longer thnn I had anticipated. I had
been gone two days beyond a month
'JlCD 1 Ellllnil " DtAVfilllngford.
As T approached the little tavern 1
heard much laughing, talking, foot
falls, hurrying, as men came or went
on one errand or another. A large
purty bad evidently arrived on a con
veyance earlier than my own. I lean
ed against the front rail of tbe tavern
gallery and waited for somo stable boy
to come. I found my eyes resting upon
a long figure at tho farther end of the
gallery, sitting In the slmdo of tho
steep hill which camo down almost
sharp as a house roof back of the tav
ern and so cut off tho evening sun. It
was apparently a woman, tall and
thin, clad In a loose, staylcss gown,
her face bid In an extraordinarily long
green aunbonnet There was no one In
all the world who could counterfeit
Mandy McGovern.
Mandy's plpo well nigh fell from her
Hps. "Well, well, well! If it ain't you,
son!" Bbo exclaimed.
"Aunt Mandy," I interrupted. 'Tell
me, what In tho world are you doing
hercr
"Why, me and the folks Just come
down to look around. Her and her pa
was comln', and I come too!"
"Who came with you, Aunt Mandy?"
"Still OBkln' fool questions, like you
didn't know! Why, you know who tt
was The colonel' ordered tfljinejijs
uncut ut'TrT'liVuTy. 'Cal'coiue
along o' him o' course. I coiue along
1th the gal o' course. My boy aud
my husband come along with me o'
ourse."
"Your sou, Andrew Jackson?"
"L'h-huh. He's somewhere 'round,
reckon. I see him licklu' a nigger a
few minutes ago. Say, that boy's come
out to be the tlghtenest feller I ever
1 see. lllm allowin' lie got that
there Injun day we had tho fight down
ou the Platted It just made a now man
out'u him. My man and me seeu there
was a good openin there ou the trail
this side o' the south fork, nnd we set
p n hotel in a dugout."
"But I don't quite understand about
the man your husband"
Yep, my lastest one. Didn't you
now I married ole man Auberry? He's
round here soniewheres. lookln' fer
a drink o' llcker, I reckon."
"I hadn't heard of this last marriage
of yours, Aunt Mandy," I ventured.
'Me nnd hitn hooked up right soon
atter you nnd the gal got lost"
"Where is Colouel Meriwether?" I
asked her at last.
Inside," she motioned with her pipe.
'Illm nnd the gal too. But, say, who's
that a-comln' down the street there la
that little sawed off wagon?"
I looked. It wns my fiancee, Grace
Sheraton. By her side was my friend,
Captain Stevenson, and at the other
end of the seat was a fluttering and
animated figure that could be no one
else but Kitty.
Kitty seemed first to spy me and
greeted me with an enthusiastic wav
lag of ber gloves, parasol, veil aud
handkerchief, all held confusedly, after
her fashion, in one hand. "P-r-r-r-t!"
she trilled, schoolglrl-llke, to attract
my attention mennwhllo. "Howdy,
you man! If It Isn't John Cowles, I'm
a sinner! Matt, look nt-hlm. Isn't he
old and sour nnd solemn?"
"You sent me no word," begun Grace
hurriedly. "I was not expecting you
today, but you have been gone more
than two weeks longer than you said
you would be."
Stevenson hail run on Into the tavern
nrter ids tirst greeting to "me, and pres
ently 1 heard hl voice raised In sur
prise and Kitty's excited chatter. I
beard Colonel Meriwether's voice an
awerlng. 1 heard another voice.
"Who Is lu there?" asked Grace
Sheraton of me curiously. 1 looked
her slowly and fully In the face.
"It is Colonel Meriwether," I answer
ed. "He bus come on unexpectedly
from the west. His daughter Is there
also, I think. I have not yet seen her."
"That woman!" breathed Grace Sher
aton, sinking back upon ber seat. Her
eye glittered as she turned to me. "Oh,
I see It all uow! You have been with
them! You have met her again! My
God. I could kill you both-I could-1
say I could!" .. '
(To He dull inueil.)
Indian Killed on Track.
Near Rochelle, 111., an Indian
went lo sleep on a railroad track
and was killed by hp fast express.
He paid for his carelessness with
his life. Often its that way when
people neglect coughs and colds.
Don't risk your life when prompt
use of Dr. King's New Discovery
will cure them nnd so prevent a
ilnngeruiis throat or lung trouble.
"It completely cured me, in a
short lime, of a terrible cough
that followed a severe attack of
grip," writes J. H. Walls, Floyda
da, Tex., "and I regained 15
pounds in veig,hl that I had lost."
Quick, safe, reliable and guaran
teed. 50c and Sl.on. Trial bot
tle free at F. (1. Fricke & Co.
Judge Travis Returns.
Judge and Mrs. II. D. Travis
went to IMainview a week ago last
Monday to visit their daughter,
Mrs. A. (i. Cole and husband, and
Ihe judge relumed last night,
while Mrs. Travis remained for a
longer visit. Judge Travis saw all
the Cass county people in IMain
view, including Hans (loos and
Fred Kbenger, and reports all do
ing well. IMainview is a nice little
city and very prosperous. Judge
Travis was delighted with his
visit.
Dr. T. J. Todd and wife of
Wahoo arrived last evening and
visited Mrs. Todd's parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Henry Mauzy, over night.
Dr. anil Mrs. Todd, accompanied
by Mrs. Mauzy, went to Omaha on
the afternoon train today, where
Mrs. Todd may enter a hospital.
Flying Men Fall
victims lo stomach, liver and kid
ney (roubles just like oilier peo
ple, with like results in loss of
appetite, backache, nervousness,
headache, and tired, listless, run
down feeling. Hut there's no
need to feel like that, as T. D.
Peebles, Henry, Tenn., proved.
"Six bottles oT Electric Hitlers,"
he writes, "did more to give me
new strength and good appetite
than all other stomach remedies I
used." So they help everbody.
It's folly to suffer when this great
remedy will help you from the
llrst dose. Try it. Only 50 cents
at F. O. Fricke & Co.
Mrs. Shlaes and Mrs. Zucker
and daughter, Tena, were Omaha
passengers on tho fast mail this
afternoon.
In Vacation
The Lincoln Telephone means an eli
mination of the boundary between city and
country. With it you can make reserva
tions and arrange for accommodations,
and in your holiday will always be in
touch with home and business.
Every Telephone is a Long
Distance Station
You will find added comfort, convenience,
and satisfaction in your days of rest and
recreation in the service of
Lincoln Telephone and
Telegraph Company
J. K. POLLOCK, Local Manager
Mall Carriers Will Fly.
This is nn nge of great dis
coveries. Progress rides on the
air. Nion we may see uncle bam s
mail carriers living- in all direc
tions, transporting: mail. People
take a wonderful interest in a
discovery that henellts them.
That's why Dr. King's New Dis
covery for Coughs, Golds and
oilier throat ami lung diseases is
the most popular medicine in
America. 'It cured mo of a dread
ful cough," writes Mrs. J. F.
Davis, Stickney Corner, Me., "af
ier doctor's treatment and all
other remedies had afiled." For
coughs, colds or any bronchial
affection it's unequaled. Price
uOe and $1.00. Trial bottle free
at V. f. Fricke & Go.
Frank fiobelman, painting and
naner hanging. 4-9.
i
A Distinction With a Difference
YOU may not always pet what you pay forO
It takes a Rood judge of values to do that,
but if there is one sure rule in business it
is you pay for all you get. You may not be
able to see the difference between engines of
similar appearance at different prices, but if
you buy from a reputable firm you may be sure
the difference in quality is there.
I H C Oil and Gasoline Engines
cost more than some others because they are
more carefully made, and more thoroughly
tested. Skillful designing, better material,
better workmanship, more careful assembling,
and more thorough testing, tell in the long
run. Given equal care an I II C engine costs
less per year of service than any other engine
'you can buy. If an I II C engine is given all
the work it will do, pumping, sawing wood,
running the grindstone, feed grinder, hay press,
silage cutter, repair shop machines, cream
separator, churn, washing machine, etc., etc.,
it will pay for itself in a very short time in
money and labor saved.
I II C engines are made in every style
horizontal, vertical, air and water-cooled,
stationary, portable and mounted on skids, to
operate on gas, gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, dis
tillate or alcohol, in sizes from 1 to 50 II. P.
Kerosene-gasoline tractors, 12, 15, 20, 25 and
45-IIP.
The I II C local dealer will give you cata
logues and full information, or write
International Harvester Company of America
(Incorporated) ' !
Council Bluffs la. r
The nurrxne of Ihll
of china to all, Ihe.
on better (arming.
tiulldliif. Chicago, USA
liom cnncernini tout. crop, land drelnate. Irri
tation, fertilliert, etc. jnak your Inqulrlriipeclfic
and tend them to I H C hervlca Hurun If ,ruu.,..
Season!
Found Corn Crop Promising.
Tom Isner, the contractor ami
builder, came overland front
Avuea yesterday, where he had
been looking after some business
mailers, and was surprised at tho
line prospect for corn. All ulorifj
the route Hie corn looked excel
leiil, and Tom is of the opinion
I hat Cass county will have one of
the biggest corn crops this fall it
has had for several years.
Miss Mae Murphy delight fully
eiilerlaiueil a number of friends at
a 0 o'clock dinner Saturday even
ing in honor of Miss Sloiieroad of
Colorado, Texas, who is a guest at
the Murphy home.
Painting and paper flanging is
certainly my business.
;J Frank Gobelman.
Bureau li in furnlth. fra
bail Information obtainable
M rou nave any worthy auea.
-1
