The Red Cloud chief., 1876-11-16
his eve then. 1t made me tremble, II
was 80 searching.

gladly than ! eve took a woman's hand
before" he said solemnly.
With that look in his eye, though it
half frightened me, / could not resist
Il promise" | said family; but you
will get tired Of me when you know
me better"
81 have been studying you for six
months" he answered, as he pressed my
hand III his.
That evening Was the beginning Of a
new life for me; and | soOn found he
was quite as well versed in the litera-
ture which a woman likes as in the
more abstruse which men delight III.
He WAS. from the moment our hands
crossed, ley friend and helper, in the
trIrSt, deepest sense of the word; and
| meant 10 be the same Ia him. tried
TO keep il before my eyes. that ! WAS
I, be his wOInanly friend, nothing more,
that | was to stand by him always.
And | remember of vaguely wishing
that some disgrace might CONE upon
him, that | might prove my sincerity
10y still keeping my VOW; but by-and-
by, something AIM into my heart for
him which changed me wholly; and
because | fought against it with desper-
ate energy, it held me with a closer
grasp.
| knew that | loved him. | knew
then that, whatever his soul might
answer, mine had found its mamma, its
bread of earthly life. | think | could
have killed any one who should dare
10 come between us; and fear that |
had "A rival-for what did | know of his
life:-waS my torment, day and night.
He was so much above me, that | was
sure he would never stoOp to lift me
up beside him; but with an insane hope
that | might Overtake him, |, too, with
my woman's brain, began to climb up
the dizzy mountain on which he stood.
] pursued the studies which | knew he
liked best, and with such energy that
| was surprised at myself. a woman
uptS llol hllo" "IldJ SlIt ID CdItDlt vi
doing until her heart wakes to love,
and then, fire is not too much for her to
walk through, if. i'll so doing she may
reach the heaven which-at least in her
imagination-lies beyond.
In the meantime, days, weeks, and
months went by, and our lives were
outwardly unchanged. l would not
have had him know for a thousand
worlds, what was i'll my heart; | should
have felt disgraced forever; and he
seemingly did not. He was kind,
thoughtful. and attentive, but nothing
more; though sometimes. when our
eyes met, there waS a look in his which
thrilled me through and through.
OF his early life or family | knew
nothing; and | would not have askedt to
a V my soul. And it was by the mer-
est accident that | heard one morning
i'll September, that he had been tele-
graphed for by some one i'll Lancashire.
"If it should he his intended WIFE," |
said and without giving myself time
to think further. l hurried OH my
things. and went out for a walk. | was
afraid to see him lest l could not keep
a strong hand on my heart.
When | returned, | found that he had
left a note for me, scrawled upon a piece
of paper:
81 canno wait to see you. but if l
send for you. don't fail me-"
Whatever it meant. l had nothing to
do but wait; and that | did. trying %
keep my nerves steady for whatever
might happen.
In a week this telegram mt
"lf you are not afraid, l want you.
Come"
Then the directions where and how
to find him.
81 am not afraid and am coming"
answered.
To my surprise my father did not
object to my journey. but seemed to
hurry me off. though he would not open
his lips about Mr.. Kirk.
The distance was only two hundred
miles but it seemed interminable; and
when at last stood upon the Asylum
steps, where he had directed me to meet
him. l was o full of anxious fear to
think of anything a V my desire to see
him. and know that he was safe.
The servant took me into the parlOr,
and he was sent for. He answered the
summons in a moment: and though his
face was white and worn, the thankful
look in his eye, rs he saw me, quite re-
paid me for coming.
Il shall never forget this" he said, as
his hand closed over mine. "Come
with me-"
He led me through a number of dim
corridors and up long flights of stairs.
until he come to a sick ward, before
which he stopped.
IF you love me as l pray heaven YOU
do. be strong now" he said. And We
entered.
There was a bed in the room, and
fastened upon it lay a beautiful girl.
her eyes wild and maniacal. SO like, and
yet SO unlike, the man beside me, that | |
started back in surprise.
This is my child who has been
motherless and here. for ten years. a
week ago. they thought she would die"
he said huskily.
Your child. Oh. why did you not
tell me-" | cried. dropping on my knees
beside her, and kissing the wild lips a