Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-02-09
CHAPTER xxx.
eI-rrprn AMAErI

SLEEPER AWAKEi
Conc were the detectives. Gone was the
"Namovna" with her precious cargo. Gone,
too, Miss Strong. the aunt; even the very
! housemaids, tho Erooms, the coachmcn, each
and all were gone and, now, Fairfax was
alone once more in the deserted house, and
tomorrow he, too, would go.
The mellow softness and golden warmth
Of Indian summer lay over all the land. For
all the sounds that man might make, Glen
Gore and Ed Field were still as death.
Closed were the doors and blinds and the
curtains drawn. No merry laugh, no hap
| py snatch Of song, no chcery call nor loving
! greeting was heard any moro within those
walls. Life had Aed away with Love, side
by side, and all within was dark and silent
"a the tomb, save when the black fly buzzed
noisily In the windowpane, or some stray,
adventurous cricket, essaying his solitary
song in the doath-Quiet room, was fright
ened again into silence by tho unwonted
loudnoss Of his own cry.
Through the lattice OF one lone, open win
dow, half hidden by climbing vines, came
the soft breath Of autumn, laden with fra
GRANGE from the balsam pine the sweet ferns
or the Indian grasses. Lazy wavelets droned
on the beach In slow and soothing rythm ;
and, far away on the hillsides, the hcrd-bells
tinklcd fninty In silvery harmony, while on
army OF chlrping insects in the grass inces.
sanity sang their sleepy, mon0tonous gong.
Hero and there a drifting boat waved its
id;e wings Of white on the sea, that great
sweet mother and lover Of men," who gave
back from her vast, slowly-hcavng bosom
tie deep hues Of cloudless sky, blue as
he blucst-yaulted dome Of drsamy Italy.
Across the way stood louely Eld-Fiold,
empty and still
Gone, gone, were all those happy days
Nevor more 10 bO recalled Como with
the sad-eyed Princess. Conc with Dolores
and Max and Mcdji, far across that wide
waste Of waters -" Wherel alas wharci -
And Arthur Fairfax, leaning a heavy,
aching head on tired arms that rested in
tho window-sill, peered vainly out into the
soft sunlight With a sigh. he turned his
eyes back again and rclapsed into sorrow.
ful thought.
All things reminded him Of tho past
"Old faces glimmered thro' the doors,
Old footsteps trod the upper foorA
Old voices called him from without"
Bit by bit the stealthy twilight drow near.
and up from eastern waves rose n snd, pale
moon-ho remembered how they sat togcih.
er on the rocks only tho other night. 81.
lcnuy watching its silvery beams playing
over the rolling billows. Bright enough Il
seemed then but nowl Was she watch.
ing II, tool Would il remind her Of the
pasti
A tear stole down over his check and.
with bitter sob, he hid his face in his hands
and wept. Yesl he was crying this great.
strong fellow, who ever pridod himself upon
his stoicism and self-control
An, hal Arthur Fairfax, how often have
you asked yourself tho question: Have
heart, or notin What is your answer,
nowi
The criclcets still sang In the grass. Al
owl hOoted family in the distance. Thot
flcw beiated whip-poor-will and porchct
in tree by the window.
Whipp0orwin Whippoorwill ln orlct
tin bird.
fairfax looked up.
A brilliant path Of glory lay Frightening
across the sea, from the moon 10 the beach
and, just whore II ended, lay little row
boat at anchor, rising and falling on the
long, lazy swell 49, that boat IN which
the two had floated over the moOn-lf
waters and dreamed the happy hour
away.
Languidly he arose with a sigh, and.
closing the door behind him, passed dolH.
10 tho shore.
With thoughts still far away, almost
mechanically he lOoscd the boat, took thu
oars, and slowly pulled out to sca-thai
vast plain which bore upon its surface his
hopes, his hcart, nayi his very lie. Though
far apart they wore, did not tho came
waters wash their boats keel; wcro not tho
same stars smiling DOM upon bothl
On, on he passed, not koeding nor car.
ing 10 shape his course, Obvious 10 every
thing but his own melancholy reflections.
The moon rose higher and higher. BY
little and little, the shores Of tho i1land
passed into the distance.
How much farther out 70 sea he might
have gone, or bow much longer rowod, none
can say; but sudden jarring OF the boat,
keel, o harsh grating Of pebbles against Il,
bottom bctokened the fact that his onward
career was ended.
Wcarily raising bis head and glnncina
about, without surprise, as n Il were an 7
matter Of course, he slowly stepped ashcrt
with The rops Ia his band, half-consciously
making Il fast 70 a large stone close by.
He looked around
iTo Ds CONTINUED.
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