, 1883-10-27

leaves she had collected. She then
took blazing stick and returned to
the monument.
To the Memory
of
Laura,
wife of Richard Carthorne,
and their children,
Gervayse and Arthur,
Captured and Massacred by the
Indians.
And followed the date.
Her husband believed to a certain
ty that she was dead Why had he
been so ready to believe? She had
never declared to herself that he was
no more in this world, though she
had feared it much. a chill sense
of being shut out from the world, a
CHASTITY feeling of unreality crept
over her. Was she, then, coming
back to her husband like one raised
from the dead? Would her return
inspire more awe than rapture She
thought of all this crouching in the
snow beside the monument. The
lighted stick had gone out and
dropped unhceded from her hand.
Shivering, tired, hungry and dis
heartcned she wrapped herself in
her blanket and went to sleep beside
her own gravestone.y
The bright morning sun shining
full in her face awOke her. For one
moment she was bewildered, not re-
membering the past aud suddenly
finding herself in so strange local
ity. The sight Of her own name re-
called her recollection. She hastily
began her walk to the village. The
yellow sunlight flooded the white
ground. The crisp snow cracked
under her tread. Some birds were
twittering to each other from the
bare bushes and trees. The heaven
was a fathOmless blue with fragile
white clouds drifting slowly though
its dome. All these things appealed
to her as they appeal only to those
who have lived in close communion
with Nature. Her depressed spirits
rose and she went hopefully on her
way.
Her husband was but a little dis
tance away from here She was re-
turning TO fill his desolate life with
light and joy. They would mourn
together over the loss Of their child
rem. Sympathy would take the
sting out Of all their sorrows. Once
more they would unite their encr-
gies and make a home for them
selves, gather about them objects
sacred from association, and part in
the morning only to await a
reunion at the close of the day.
All, the last parting! She remcm-
bered his face as he turned the cor
ner and disappeared. Would he
look tie same now? That was near
ly five years ago.
Suddenly she stopped and looked
down at herself, her moccasined feet,
her tattered blanket, her long black
hair, her stained, brown hands. An
awful fear swept over her like keen
cold blast. "What will he say /?
look like an INDIAN" she whispered.
For one moment she hesitated in
her course. Impossible visions of
waiting andsreappearing before her
husband in civilized dress flashed
through her mind. The next mo-
ment the hopelessness of any such
project became apparent to her.
She had no money to buy clothing.
She would tell her story first to her
husband and her appearance should
prove what suffering she had en-
dured. She resumed her journey,
but with less alacrity. She could
not forget the impression she would
make upon he long separated hus-
band. She tried to rid herself of the
idea, but it returned again and again,
and she broOded over it.
The places Of business were just
opening as she entered the town.
Some shop-boys taking down the
shutters, and seeing an Indian wo-
man go past, laughed and called after
her. She wished to ask some one
the way to her husbands home, but
she met no one whom she dared to
accost. At last one, round-faced,
rosy-cheeked, with basket on his
arm, won her confidence. She asked
him to show her the way to Mr.. Car
thOrne's.
"Come to the corner and Tll show
you," he said, brightly. After
moments silence he began again,
elbow wen you talk English p look
ing up in her face. Receiving no
reply, he seemed subdued, and when
they reached the corner pointed out
her away and took himself off with
out delay.
Now that she was almost within
sight Of her husbands home her
heart began to fail her. She re-
GREETED that she had not asked the
boy about him. When she came in
view Of the house she grew so faint
that she was fain to sit. down upon a
stump by the sidewalk and gather
courage. So she sat Watching the
house, and debating how she would
announce to her husband what would
70 him seem like a resurrection from
the dead. While she sat thus in II
strange tumult Of hope and fear the
door Of the house she watched opened
and a gentleman came out -Four
years had not altered him much.
He was still young and fine looking.
She knew him instantly, for it was
har husband