The Red Cloud chief., 1879-05-01

~ oa ~ BAso0 W8bI w SsA yob
something. / mustn't die till I've told
you. viii you forgive me?" and she
looked at Drusilla, with great imploring
eyes. why, Hannah, I've nothing TO
forgive you" she said, Us she raised the
slight form 10 q more comfortable posi-
ton. "Don't say that, Zillie, you don't
know-but hope and pray it isn't too
late 10 undo the harm, and ZIlie, make
him forgive me, too, won't you?
Promise"
Drusilla thought her delirious, and said
gently, "Don't talk, Hannah, it tires
you SO; some other time you can tell
me-" A paroxysm Of coughing seized
the sick girl, but When she had recov-
cred strength TO speak, she said, NO,
Zillie Ward, ! must tell you now. Don't
you know, I'm going % die? ! was
afraid you wouldn't come and II would
be too late. lbs about bout-Burton
Allen. / did it, Ellie. viii you say
now, you forgive me?" "Yes, Hannah,
but / don't understand; what did you
do?" "Hesr the waves roar, Ellie,
I've been afraid nights when il blew 30.
They sound so awful-like an angry
voice-and always say, 'tell Zellie, tell
Zellie,' and when l thought / C couldn't,
they said--oh, such awful words Il q
not bear to think land she covered
down in the pillow. Drusilla knelt
beside the bed, striving in vain to quiet
her OWL agitation, anxious now t
hear Hannah's story, and Yet afraid . %
have her talk. al sent Burt that letter,
Itll.a - Hawaii napt.u1I f,nslv
What letter do you mean, Han
nah?" "The letter that made him go
away. Didn't you know? What did
you think it wasp" Zillie only shook
her head and hid her face on the bed.
~ liked him so much, Ellie, / didn't
think how wicked it was. / wanted 10
get him away from you, and thought
i hoped, that then he would care for
me, but il made no difference TO me. for
he went away, and / never saw him
at all. I'm glad now ! didn't-may be
| wouldn't be SO sorry for doing wrong,
and be forgiven, if it had turned out as
/ wanted it. Don't cry So, Zillie. You
will forgive me, won't you2" DrusIla
was weeping silently. II wa harder
for her than she had thought 10 forgive
the girl who had made such trouble for
her-even now she scarcely knew how
but Hannah was so sorry, and so sick;
she struggled with her own heart and
said ~sofLly-"I will forgive you, Han
nah, as God forgives me my W sins"
After a little pause, Hannah asked for
some cordial, which Drusilla gave her,
saying as she carefully laid her back,
al hope you will get well. Hannah"
The sick girl smiled sadly and said,
81 do not wish it, but l want to tell
you all about it now. Do you know
what made me sick first, Ellie? 1t was
just about a year ago now, that father
wanted me TO go on an errand, one
night, to your house for him. i went
beach way, for the noon was bright,
and il didn't seem so lonesome As the
road, and just as / got against knuckle
Rock, | heard You coming down the
path, laughing and talking with some
one. / don't know what made me, but
| went close under the rock, and in q
minute you and Burt went up and sat
down there, almost over my head. j
might have jumped up then, and laugh
ed ii off, but l didn't, and after that
when you were talking, l couldn't, You
know, and SOL heard every word. Do
YOU remember, Zillie?" Drusila bent
her head. Would she wei forget it?--
the moonlight On the waves; their low
FLASHING on the beach, as the tide rose;
and above all, the words Burt Allen had
which had made her SO happy
then-so wretched since.
"While you sat there so happy to-
gether," Hannah continued. 81 could
have killed you BOTH hated you, and
loved him so. 1t seemed as if you
would never go away, and the tide kept
till it came up close to me, and
wet my feet, and my Dress"
81 heard you say, 'Mother1l scold
you, Burt, for keeping me ont s long,
and he said, 'I'll tell her th6n, that III
keep you always Don't say any thing
tonight. Burt you said, and then you
went up the path again. l raj al the
way home. Father said to me,
had your walk for nothing.
Capt. 'Lank- been here SO they never
knew i didn't go up 10 your house. l
was shaking with cold. but didn't stay
to get warm. l couldn't sleep all night,
and in the morning l was sick-some-
may be made ne remem-
Der how much alike our wiring WAS
snd-don't hate me, Zliiie-l wrote
Bart a note. / remember every word
in it. I've said it I'VE a thousand times.
This is it.-.I've thought Owe what you
said last night, and decided that it is
best for us both to forget it. Please say
no more on the subject. but consider me
always your friend / didn't sign any
name, but l knew he'd think it was
from you.
"When / went down stairs, Capt.
'Lank was there waiIing for father 10 go
TO town-meeting, and l gave it to hiN to
give ia Burt. l haven't been happy
since, lille, and l never got well of the
cold l took then. Burt went away on
he schooner with brother Jim, the next
day.
"When Jim came home without him,
last summer, he said he guessed BUT
didn't seem to want to come TO Bray
ford.
"Last week, mother wrote Jim how
sick l was, and how l wanted Il see
him, and l sent q line to him to tell
Burt you didn't write that letter.
latter the letter went, we had word
from Jim that he and Burt had shipped
for a long voyage, but they'll be sure to
get the word before they sailed-and l
hope it viii be al right, now Burt
knows"
She closed her eyes, exhausted by the
effort it had required to make her sad
confession-then spoke quickly" You
forgive me, Zillie?" "Yes, Hannah"
Sand you'll ask Burt to-" "Yes."
"Then I'm sure God WILL" and 8 with
sigh of relief she fell asleep.
Drusilla had been so amazed at this
unexpected avowal, that she could not