The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-03-03

1
/ be felt an intense desire TO protect aud help
! her-She was so delicate and sorrowfuI so
absolutely alone now that her natural parent
had deserted her.
! Two or three uneventful days went by,
| Cora filling her new situation with satisfac-
| tory prOmptness. Every night on the arrival
| of HOLSTERS stage, she was lei. to wait upon
| him In the dining room.
/ She felt an instructive confidence In this
| big, bluff, sunburned fellow. There was
| bond of sympathy growing between them
which she had no desire to break.
One day. twenty miles down his route,
Frank heard a bit of news which worked him
into a fever of impatience. N-ver had the
whips curled so sharply over the flanks Of his
sturdy horses never had he made better time
than on that day, when it seemed to him but
a snaiPs pace.
At last, however, the stage drew up before
the inn, whose roof sheltered the girl who in
few short days, had grown inexpressibly
dear to the driver.
He held n hurried consultation with the
hostler, which resulted in the latter agreeing
to drive the stage on to its destination for
certain sum of money
Then Frank went into the long dining
room, and seating himself az one of the small
tables i'm n secluded corner, he waited for
Cora Pressy.
He flushed to the roots of his crfspy curling
brown hair as he smiled at her. She noticed
it, and wondered silently, thinking mean
while that he was not a bad looking fellow,
with his broad brow, honest eyes, and firm
lips
Miss Cora" he said, rather awkwardly
81 would like to have you ride with me this
evening" if you will. l have something of
Impotence TO tell you" he added burriedly,
growing redder than ever with embarrass-
nent
Cora looked at him wistfully. Was it
something about her father? ? But she dared
not put the thought into words-there were
too many about So she merely bowed her
head in acceptance of his invitation and went
away.
Half an hour later she was tucked into a
trim little cutter beside him. dashng along
over the white mOonlit road, and waiting
anxiously for him to reveal the matter of i'm
pOrtance at which lie had hinted.
But Frank was curiOusly silent for long
while. 1t seemed to Cora that he would never
speak. at last, with n sudden effort. he said:
Miss Cora, you've known me only few
days but you've seen enough OF me to know
that ! am blunt spoken fellow, so 1 hope
YOU won't be upset by what I'm CoingLo say.
I'm not much of a gentleman, but haven't
any very bad habits, and make a fair living,
and-and-well, 1 want wife little gal, and
love you. If you'll have me I'll do my
prettiest to make you the happiest woman in
the country"
Cora smiled up at him through tear filled
eyes, and this gave him courage to slip one
arm over the back Of the cutter and draw her
closer to his side.
She murmured something about being al.
most a stranger to him but Frank, grown
wonderfully bold, pressed with his lips the
lids over the girls dark eyes, and queried
"Do you love any other man %
NO" she answered honestly enough 81
believe you are the best man l ever knew"
Whereupon Frank kissed her again, upon
the lips this time, and made second propo-
siton, to which at first she would not listen.
But the will and the energy of her earnest
hearted wo0er carried the day. and the result
was call upon Justice of the Peace and
when they re-entered the inn that night the
girl was Cora Pressy no longer, but CoIa
HOLSTER and Franks face was radiant and
triumphant
In the dingy waiting room an excited crowd
was gathered.
Frank endeavored to hurry his wife past
the doorway, but her quick glance had eau ght
glimpse of familiar figure
Father" she cried, and stepped into the
room.
Yes, there he was, haggard and disheveled,
with blOodshot eyes and unshaven face. He
might have been fine looking once. There
was just the ghost of a debouair air about
him still despite his wretchedness. An Off
Ger guarded him on either side.
"What has he done ?" cried Cora. with
pallid lips.
Some one in the crowd answered, brusally
enough: KILLED brother gambler twenty
miles back. They're taking him through to
Che city,"
Then the poor little wife went into a dead
faint in her husbands arms, and lie carried
her up stairs with his brown cheek against
her white one.
All night he watched beside her while she
went from one deathly swoon into another
at last iE the gray morning she smiled sadly
into her husbands eyes and whispered: .'Do
not be troubled. 1 will go away"
"Not if l can help it," answered Frank,
with grim set of his under lip. Then all at
once he put his face down on the pillow be-
side her and began to cry like two-y ear old
baby.
With her slender hands she strOked the
mans big curly head and talked to him In a
sweet. weary way, that went straight to his
warm heart.
Dear friend, she said, 81 know how un-
selfish you are, but / will not allow you to
make such sacrifice. You shall not share
my shame"
Look here, little woman, knew all about
this affair yesterday morning; that's why /
was in such rush to get married. / knew
they would bring. Colonel Pressy through
here, and knew that il / did not make sure
of you then, thai I shon!d never ret you
My little darling wife" he went on, kissing
her hair and eyes, and lips, 'jhank God
nothing can separate us now-nothing but
DEATH
And looking into her husbands eyes, Cora !
knew that here wss her safe home and shell |
ter for ever more.
Ny reader would set me down as an un- /
satisfactory story teller were / to omit the |
sequel.
Col. Pressy committed suicide month la /
ter in his prison cell.
Frank .oox his iittIa wife aurov 80 HE oct