The Red Cloud chief., 1881-06-16

VI ~ 49,
originally derived its name. lie found
the mother and child both ut home,
and apparently sincere in the welcome
they gave him. TWAS not the last time
he came. for what could be more
natural then that he should accept Mrs.
Donald's kind. Informal invitations TO
call, finding, rs he did. her society
agreeable, and her house . quiet.
pleasant place. away from the dust and
noise of the city.
Mrs. Donald was n widow, hor hus-
band having died two years before.
Though still young and retaining much
OF the delicate beauty she must have
had in her girlhood, James Forest felt
that some sorrow, of an earlier date
than the death of her husband, mus;
have brought the sad look TO her face.
Fall came and James Forests much
wandering feet were still treuling the
shaded streets Of Philadelph;a. and he
was at a lost TO know why he STAYED
and why the 'srestless, unsatisfed lcn.-
ing Of his heart was less strong than
it had been year ago.
IL was not long before he laid off his
affectations of n s.ouched hat and
bizarre necktie, and one day, surveying
himself in the glass, he s~oliloquizcd thus
with an energetic thrust of his right
hand into vacancy: "Has it come To
this that 4. the hero of a hundred adj
ventures. with SCARED body and mind,
should court an amOTOus looking
CLASP Aud all for whatP Ahilittle
Janet, is it the same with one as it WAS
with you? Am I rs changeablc as |
thought you? Why do | stay here?
Why don't | go back To my old life
among the Indians? | UiU 90, but l
cannot now"
Mrs. Donald's soliloIuy n morning:
What can it mean? Am | foolish
enough TO sit here listening for his foot
step? What should | care whether he
ome again or not? Fifteen years ago
| used TO listen for anothcr's coming;
and now how will all this foolishness
end? It's only n few days before we
go away for the next three months, and
when | come back he'll be gone, and
then we'll both forget-and | want 10
forget"
1t was not many DAYS after this that
James Forest turned by chance (or was
it Intentionally from the crowded
thoroughfare into ~the-Iuieter street that
led TO Mrs. Donald's home. The child
espied him before he had reached the
gate and tripped down the walk to meet
him. Holding his hand they entered
the house, and she announced that
'.Mr. James had come again" For
time she monopolizcd the CONVEX
sation.
"Wc'rc goin' way of. Mr.. James,"
she said, .'most Il million miles, I
guess; 50, maybe, you'll see US
He looked questioningIy at Mrs.
Donald, and she told him that she and
had planned To leave the city for
q long visit among her husband 5 rcla-
ives in the West. II might have been
lat james Forest would never have
pOkcn the thoughts that were in his
lind, and that two lives would have
cen hopclcSsly sad, just missing the
} so neal them. yet of which they did
ut dream; but Fate took the matter i'm
er own hands and 4 child was her me-
um of communication. What else
buld have prompted Jennie to inter-
Hpt their conversation with, Mamma,
+. James hasn't got any home don't
bu feel sorry for him? He says he
Pn't live anywhere. L wish he would
bme and live here. don't you?'
Mrs. Donald" he said, abruptly,
that is what | wanted to ask you.
pr sixteen years my home has been
hywhcrc-nowherc, and l am tired of
all now. What will your answer be?
o you see the pity Of the loneliness of
y life? If have only fancied thatyou
then I'll go back TO the plains and
it all-if | can"
"Mr. James," she SAID quickly. fear
ing that a feeling, which she kept in
subsection, would speak in spite of her
resolution, 81 wish this had not hap
pened. wish ] had gone yesterday,
then both of us would have been spared
this. I-l-don't know how to tcilyou.
l have spokcno of it To anyone, but
! must tell you now: fifteen years ago
about that time. the first and only
oGe l evcr truly loved went away-and
never came back; but as the years pass
| think of him more and more. |
married my husband when the loneli-
ness of my life was almost unbcarable
to me; my friends were all dead. and
Mr.. Donald was n good and honorable
man; it was the greatest sin of nv life
it was an injustice to him, for. al.
though we were happy while he lived,
| could never forget the other one, and
| never shall; so I shall always live as |
am now"
He was not a man to waive of Il de-
cision once made. but he said, isn't it
with all of us? | left n little girl
once that was more beautiful and dear
to me than any have been since then,
and 4 few years after, when | came
back, she was married, and we have
never met Icannot forget either-but
if that's the way of the world we must
accept it as SUCH
She seemed to be musing and. look
ing up, said: lis it possible hat in any
him. James Forcst?" She did not see
him start or notice the sudden flush on
his face. He answered calmly. .'Yes.I
used to hear of him years agos" "YOu
heard nothing i'll of him. l am sure"
she said. interrupting.
HE lived somewhere in the East, l
Think" he spoke deliberately and rs il
weighing each word. HE left home
in 10, and some time in so or 81 went
TO Australia, and hat was the last his
ever heard of him. Did he die
there?:"
His name was among n long list OF
killed or missing in a mine dis
she said, sadly, " Incvcr knew
he went to Australia"
What if he should come back, this
James Forest??" he asked, stranger
than that have happened. Mrs.
if James Forest stood before
you TO day. would you be glad to have
him:?"
.-Oh. / don't know! l don't know"
she said. pressing her hands to her face
IS a sudden uameIess fear of Joy came
over her. .'He might have forgotten
ne-he might moi care; and he would
ind me so changed he would not know
now, and-and-he couldn't forgive
He gently took her hands from her
lace. and looked into her eyes, remem-
with what smiling courage they
mad met his sixteen years before.
s.He does know YOU. and he has not
he said, tenderly. ''Why,