Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-02

and he scarce knew, but the words escaped him
i've got folks, and since there's United States
mail on purpose for letters, why mightn't / write
20 EN-? do believe will just to keep tie mail
business lively"
He failed to interest her. however, for she mo
toned HIM hastily away with her back toward him
He could see she was shaking with suppressed sobs,
and he hung his head and rode his tired horse away
to stable She never gave thought to him, be
said, nor cared that he underwent such toll and
hardship for her. But he was wrong she did, and
she hung her head in shame at the advantage che
took of his love
:" don't know as try any writing after all he
murmured. "Probably faint no use anyhow, but
I'd most thought would. However, ii Angie don't
care, don't know as l do
Meantime the little school on the hill was thriv-
ing. The mothers said it was wonderful how their
children learned, and with some awe they whispered
that Angie Moore, somehow seemed to make brains
to order for her scholars. The truth was that the
little schoolmistress was fevered and restless and
longed for fatigue that would benumb her. ii she
could only stop remember ne for day she hoped
she might have calner blood, and with strong de-
termination she nerved herself to be the diamond
drill which should finally make way through this
mountain of rock.
Not only must never receive another letter. +"
she cried out passionately to herself, but must
get to the point of never wishing for one y
Yet every mail day she saw Sep ride away, and she
would have hung his horses neck with garlands OF
her tears if that would have made letter lie in
waiting at Hardings Hill And when she saw him
riding home, she put her hand on her leaping heart
to hold it down. She saw the pale face OF the young
rider grow paler, the long rides told on him. and
she would have given everything but her hope to
bid him stay but for the life of her she could Lot.
Just one more time, Sep" she whispered silently
each day. "Just one more, and surely can give it
up. But perhaps there's to-day, and if there IS
l must have it or die" So, week after week, she
saw him go and she saw him come, and said, under
her breath, she was killing him. But when she
heard the little murmur through Saints Rest that
the Postofice was no use to anybody, she broke it
like thread, while in spirit she beat her breast to
hush her own resistance.
Once as Sep started with his empty bsg--he car
ried his bag empty as well as returned with it So
she looked up into his face humbly, then dropped
her eyes, and carried his hand to her lips
"Dont you be afraid, Angie, he said, huskily
"Pll keep it up till you make sign to stop. It's a
better death to die in your service than ever | ex-
pected, and then he dashed away upon his frutless
Grand
| "shall tell her? Great God shall tell her q
he asked in a wild whisper, he rode Jff at a
! gallop. Yet it seemed to him he shouted, and
though the days shrinking and shiverngo out Of
the dawn with cold he took off his hat to wipe the
drops from his forehead. Visions Of stalking giants
rode by his side always, and swift shadows with
oak switches lurked and sprung, at noon, from
out the cold and shining air The year was growing
old, and the cices gathering in the sky, but,
| for all the lone rider knew, it was the month
of June. ''If ever there comes a time, he seemed
to think, among the whirls OF his dizzYing brain,
| "when can tell her what know, make her
| sure it's not told for my sake, then l will tell
| her Oh my darling p and on he rode, while the
mountains seemed to lean toward each other and
whisper and shiver. 1t was all for the heart of a
girl, but mobiles feel pangs and delights OF the same
/ love.
One night commenced the great thaw. The heads
of mountains, like ghosts in white veils had lifted
above other heads, snow. crowned and snew-covered
and now they wept in rivers of Tears. Streams as
cold as dead heart swept off their cheeks and gath
cred the waters as they went. AS if with hundred
hands, they tore the rocks, and Dirt and young trees
| and branches, and leaped as they went shouting
away, and finally opening into the canyon with
( boom and reverberation as steady as the echoes
| that dog conscience. Where they met broader
and deeper current they shot their muddy waters
and detritus far within its hurrying BOSOM and Their
there were eddies, and whrls, and spasms o. water
which loudly limited at danger to whoever walked
| abroad.
The little river that foated, as pretty as ribbon
in the wind by Saints Rest, fed now by a hundred
shouting mouths, was wide and deep and thunder
Gus. 1t rolled and ground great rocks upon its bed
and foated drift wood and the debris of the noun
tans, and about it there hung the aurement and
horror of great power. 1t had become thing tc
shun and shudder at, though it was fascination to
the gaze 1t began rain then in pitiless beating
dashes of storm, like winding sheets oh it was
time to say ones prayers and stay in doors to KEEP
the very skin from soaking The steep sides of the
| high slopes seemed to culver and moan, and then
| far up great rush heard, and wide streak
barren and dark red lay like upon the face o
! the lofty land where the earth d slipped away
Sghter gashes were cut here and there, and Saint:
Rest seemed to huddle and gather itself together in
! fear of the dangers that comprised it.
/ large dead tree came numbering down the swol.
len river, rolling and humping and turning and
catching and floating again. battering into the shore
here and sweeping slowly with the current it was
drawn toward the centre But the bed being broader
and shallower at the ford just by the town, the
strength of the current weakened in accordance
with its width and the fallen tree urched hither and
thither, thrown to this side, that, finally
butting into the landing its dead catching and
holding to the clump of low brush the bank and the
river bed below Here it lay, appearing its broken
and roton roots toward the stream like twisted aud
! fantastic arms OF deyil-fsh, hundred ripples
breaking away from it, and faint insufficient eddie.
| sucking it thout avail. Now and then it lurehed
as striving again toward the central force OF the
current, but just by little force it lacked of sue
cess and So like hacked and conquered monster
the land held it by an insecure hold.
In spite of the cold Sep Wright was hot and
cammy. He was dull of brain and of eye as well
but he seemed to have a duality OF sense. Ht
could see familiar scene before he reached it, and
the real sound came like echo after the first that
yet was clear bell. His fingers had so delicate
| a touch they shrank from any roughness and ye
when he grasped one hand with the other each had
dead numb feeling crawling along it. He won
dered in dull way at it all, yet did not care tC
trouble in trying to explain matters to himself He
must get back get back, he told himself constantly
yet still at Hardings Hill held away from his horst
two nights and day, gazing yacantlY at the Storm
eyes he said, and his own voice sounded fal
away, al know there's letter"
The post clerk stared; there certainly at last wa.
another letter to Saints Rest after this long in e
val but how should Sep Wright know before he wa:
told
The year had grown to Christmas day, and early
in its sad morning Sep away into the danger
with light head and heavy heart. He refused tC
listen any longer to urgent advice and cast it be
hind him. letting his horse away into galop as
the storm struck him. Harding's Hill gave last
good-by Of him, and returned to its store keeping
its gaming and t,ven-keeping and stanation Of
| teams.
/ Midday found Sep warily keeping his way along
what had been his path, and night closed Its eS
upon him wandering yet upon the track. Midnight
scarce knew where to look for him, for be knew moi
himself where he was, but he was muttering and
muttering some few words over and over By and
BY he laughed and set himself to find their meanir z
I'm hound Pm going To tell now Pm 0oiuo