The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1874-04-30

} stood before him. "Looki" she cried.
passionstely, pointing to the bosom and
shoulders of her white dress, darkly
0treaked with faded strains and ominou,
dlscoloration. ''Look! This is the dress
l wore that morning when l found him
lying here-here--bleedipg from your
cowsrdly knife. Look! Do you see?
This is his blood-my darling boys
bloodl-one drop of which, dead and fad
ed as it Is, Is more prerious to me than
the whole living pulse Of any other man!
Look! i come to You Tonight christen--
ed with his blood and dare you to strike
dare you to strike him again through
me and mingle my blood with hisl
Strike! implore you! Strike! if you
have any pity on me-for Gods sake,
Strike! if you are man! Look! Here
lay his head on my shoulder; here held
him to my breast, where never-ss help
me my God!-another man-Ah!-"
She reeled against the fence, and
something that had flashed in RANGES
hand dropped at her feet; for another
dust, and across his wrlthing body two
men strobe and caught her ere she fell.
| "She has only tainted" said Mr. Nc
II
| mer'
"What is this on her dresss' said
| Ridgeway, kneeling beside her, and lift
ing his set and cOlorless face. At the
sound of his voice the color came faint
ly back to her cheek; she opened her
eyes and smiled.
| Its only your blood, dear boy" she
said, "but look little deeper and you'll
| find my own"
She put up hertwo yearning hands and
drew his face and lips down to her own.
When Ritgeway raised his head agsin
| her eyes were closed, but her mouth
still smiled as with the memory of a kiss.
They bore her TO his house still
breathing but unconscious That night
| the road was filed with Gathering horse
| men, and the summoned skill of the
country side for leagues away gathered
| at her couch. The wound, they said.
was not essentially dangerous, but they
had grave fears of the shock to a system
that already seemed suffering from some
strange and unaccountable nervous ex-
haustion. The best medical skill OF
Tuolumne happened to be young and
observing, and waited patiently an ops
pQrtunity to account for it. He was
presently rewarded.
For toward morning she rallied and
looked feebly around. Then she beck
oned her father toward her, and whisp-
cred, "Where is hep
"They took him away, Jimmy dear, in
| q cart He wont trouble you sgin." He
| stopped, for Miss Jenny has raised her
self on her elbow, and leveling her black
brows at him. But two kicks from TIL
young surgeon, and q significant motion
toward the door, sent MIR. McCloshy a
way muttering, "How should l know
that re meant Ridgeway," he said ap-
| ologetically, as he went and returned
with the young gentleman. The ser
| geon, who was still holding her pulse.
smiled, and though that with-a little
| care-and attention-the stimulants-
| might hed-and-he-might
leave-the patient for some hours, with
perfect sefety. He would give rather di
rec,ions to Mr.. McClosky-down stairs
| 1t was with great archness OF manner
that half an hour later Mr.. McClosky
entered the room, with preparatory
| cough, and it was with some disappoin,-
me n; that he found RIdgeway standing
| quietly by the window, and his daugh-
ter apparently fallen into alight doze.
He was still more concerned when, after
Il Aao fCehcbs hobASi"S " P'S"
ant smile playing about her lips, be said
softly:
"You was thinking Of some one, jim
nyr
Yes, father''-the gray eyes met his
steadily" of poor John Ashep
Her recovery was swift. Nature, that
had seemed to stand jealousy aloof from
ter in her mental anguish, was KIND to-
the physical hurt of her iavorite child.
The superb physique which had been
her charm and her trial, now stood her
in good stead. The healing balsam OF
the pine, the balm of Iesinous gums and
the rare indictments OF Sierren siti-
tudes touched her as it might have
touched the wounded doe. So that in
two weeks che wa able to walk about,
| and when at the end of the month Ridge
way returned from flying visit to San
, Francisco and jumped from the Wing
ham coach at four O'Clock in the morn
ing, the Rose of Tuolumne, with the
dewy petals of either cheek fresh as
, when first unfolded to kiss, confronted
, him on the road.
With a common instinct their youD {
feet both climbed the little hill now
. sacred to their thought. When they
. reached its summit they were both, !
. think, little disappointed. There is d
4 fragrance in the unfolding of a passion
! that escapes the perfect flower. Jenny
4 thought the night was not as beautiful
Ridgeway, that the long ride had blunt
. ed his perceptions. But they had the
: frankness to confess il to each other,
: with the rare delight of such a confession
and the comparison Of. details which
2 they thought each had forgotten. And
a with this and an occasional plying re
4 ference to the blank period when they
| had not known each other, hand in hand,
they reached the house.
E Mr.. McClosky was awaiting them i'm
patiently upon the veranda. When Miss
Jenny had slipped up stairs to replace
a collar that stood somewhat suspicious
ly awry, Mr.. McClosky drew Ritgeway
| solemnly aside. He held u large theatre
, | poster in one handsnd an open ncWspa
4 per in the other.
81 allus said," he remarked slowly,
+ with an air of merely renewing sue
pended conversation, al allus said that
, | riding three horses to onct wasn't exact
ly in her line. 1t would seem that ii
: amt From remarks ia this yer paper II
e would appear that she tried 1t on al
. Mary sville last week and broke her
e neck