Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-07-27

] passiOnately. you're too good Tor
me. Only say that you Wll marry
! me and care for me, scOundreI that L
am, " added the man bitterly.
A dauntless resolution depicted it
self upon Miriam s count enance, as.
she lifted her lustrous eyes and held
| his shifting chances by the subtle
force and fire in their depths
" Yes, III marry YOU, en- stand by
] you, tOO-stand by YOU en- help YOU
true en- faithful, if l am Onliest
mOOnshiner's daughter, III say it en-
promise it, ef so be you're true en-
/ faithful to me,
The harrassed TENSION of Heathe's
/ cOuntenance relaxed.
! s'YOu have bound yOurselftO stand
/ BY me and love me. Iii hold you to
! it."
81 want you to hold met it, Onliest
1 want you to do the same by me, -
she replied.
Relinquishing his gun for a mo-
/ ment, he drew her into his arms and
/ kissed her tenderly, then, with guilty
! start and Involuntary glance around
! him, released the girl and took up his
weapon.
Pm a scoundreI to askit,'' hesaid.
with a forced, angry laugh, ignoring
the amending request.
''Mirry! AIirry! called a shrill voice
! from the house.
ooh, mel That's grandmother!
She'll be after me in a minutel" and
Miriam hurried off up the path.
Heathe followed, easily keeping apace
with her rapid steps.
Miriam. shall inform Alb and your
grandmother" he asked. ''YOu'umar-
~ me when there a preOcher comes
tO-Odds Corner, don't you call ito"
eyes; the preacher can come here.
Father don't talk. en- grandmother
don't go nowhere. Miriam replied,
intuitiyely divining a reservation OF
doubt and caution under the phraS-
ing of his question.
CAB can hold his tongue, and there
is no one here who cares to hear OF
me, he remarked, refectivelY. CAB
is shy of strangers"
The girl laughed.
you need never fault father for
talkin' to strangers. You haven't
promised, though, to do good eu'
faithful by me'-But her lover had
opened the door, and both went in.
''Mirry kin tie ter whOmst she
pleases," her father said when
Heathe, taking advantage Of Mir
Jams absence in the shed, told him
of his hopes. EHit's a good leetle
gal as you'll git, en- she's smart gal,
Mirry is-h' amt Altered o nOthin'.
She'll stick ter you, spite o ole Nick
hisself, less'n you go back on her;
'twOuldn't be overly safe fur you
then, and Alb chuckled, while the
great quid of tobacco Oscillated in
his cheek.
'1She says that she viii, and 1 sup
pose there are people who are true
and can be trusted, though / have
never had the good fortune to meet
them" replied the stranger, Il bitter
smilO fitting over ms cOuntenance.
''Jes' 80; they be skurce, en- pOW'ful
good ter come across wen a shurf
en- pack o GUv'menters KEN at yO'
els. The gal knows h'it-Mirry
knows, she do
You hey mo- Iarnin7 than We
uns, doctor You mebbe wa mt
fetched up iSewe-uns. en- Pm a-gwine
ter say es You nOught think yO'sef
BETTER me en- MiFFy -
Miriam Is better than / am-that
is what / think-and Won have been
my best friend. - interrupted Heatbe,
speaking hurTieCIIy, II bOtimpatience,
almost desperation IN his manner
Old Abe looked pleased
Then You wont BE- 'shamed %
| Mirry III me. Whenst YOU luck tn ms,
en- YOU h'ain'J 'bleeged ter hug ter
| the mOuntings2'
You are my only friends There
| is no turn of luck can help me, no
/ change whatever that might wish
/ to quit the mountains was the de
! hberate assurance
Hits all right, then Z h'ain't
much tried in my mind long o whur
! You be fOOlin 'ur no Mirry's eEil to
that ar; hit 5 her lookout"
Abner relapsed into his moody en-
! jOyment of the huge cracking blaze.
! Grandmother Sagsby came IN. and
soon dOzed over her knitting. Miriam
sat on the hearth opposite Heathe.
The freight glOWed over her beautiful
face and the strong, shapelY figure. Ut
/ ter repOse and the delightful warmth
cOnduced to that half drOWsy haZi-
ness and abandon of perfect rest. The
one exception was the stranger. APP
parently he never rested. The watch
ful, listening, wide awake look seemed
never beguiled away by any charm
whatsoever. Two Orthree dogs that
slept on the floor near Alb became
somewhat restless. An old hound
opened his eyes, and pushed himself
nearer the door. The movement was
slight and nOiseless, but Miriam sat
up and noted the animal for an in
slant, then left her seat and stepped
slowly past him to the shed room.
The dog followed her into the chilly