The Progress., 1888-02-25

In silence. He looked at her finally
with an expression of sad disappoint
ment. He he'd been pleadin' with hel
to be his wife, an while she did not re.
fuse, she would not give her consent,
She he'd never told him thet she loved
him, but her preference fer him showed
it, an it give him hope. No one hed
ever stirred ther love in her heart afore
an she struggled hard against yieldin
to ther feelin'. In her soul she mus
hev yearned ter be his, but she would
not let him see ther truth. ~,
'She set on her boss ez silent an
motionless ez statue, fer long time
an he looked at her beseechingly, an
with all his passionate love in his eyes
Suddenly she seemed ter be possessed
of desire ter test his love, an ter see
how much power she he'd over i'm. Tc
think war ter act with her, and turnin'
her beautiful face up to his, she says:
"'Do yer really love me, dear Luke?'
"Her words an her tones made him
wild with love fer her.
Il swear by ther heavens above,
worship you!' he cried, catchin' he1
arm an devourin' her with his love-lit
eyes.
~ am goin' ter test yer affection,
she says:
"1'll die fer you, Nancy he replied.
Only tell me how kin prove my love-
''She didn't withdraw her arm, but
looked i'm straight in thel face.
"'You hev boasted thet you ride one
of the best hosses in ther Territory,
she says; ride i'm across Purgatory,
bring me thet little bunch of yeller-
jackets over thar, an l will kiss you
an name the day
''He was ridin' fine hoss, one he
was more'n proud of: He only waited
ter give her long look, and then he
spurred his hoss for'ard.
'Mebbe she he'd thought q wouldn't
try it, er thet ther animal wouldn't
jump over; but she war mistaken if she
he'd. Ez he neared ther edge she
seemed ter realize what she war doin'
-sendin' ther man she loved more'n
any bein' on earth inter horrible dan
ger-an' she called him ter come back.
20, Luke! don't go!'
"But it was too late. The hoss from
Golden Ranch was no common one,
but one of the fiery, fearless kind, and
when he felt the cruel spurs sink inter
his sides he give wild snort of pain
and sprung inter ther air a.fyin' over
Purgatory, safe to ther other side.
Luke plucked ther yellow-jackets,
kissed 'em an waved 'em to her, an
then remountin' he again urged his
steed ter leap ther terrible chasm. Hoss
an rider hung fer mint in ther air.
1t was awful-it was awful! You kin
hev no idea Of what it war, Felix. Their
hoss failed to clear the chasm this time.
His forefeet struck the edge, an fer
mint he struggled ter gain a footin'
then his hoofs slipped off ther rocks,
an, with a cry that was almost human,
he fell back-down, down, down, car
r9in' his rider into the dark an terrible
depths below!
"Poor Nancy! Fer long weeks she
laid on her bed with rackin' fever,
ravin' in delirium, an livin' over an
over again thet fearful scene. She
never was conscious long enough ter
be made ter understand thet her lover
still lived-thet by falling on ther
body of his hoss he he'd escaped
alive, though he was terribly
wounded. He never was able ter
leave his bed ter see Nancy, an she
wouldn't hev knowed i'm eff he he'd. It
was long months afore ther fever left
her, an then she he'd lost her reason
forever: But ther good Lord took
mercy on her, an afore ther warm
breezes war blowin' again she he'd been
laid hyer ter rest. Thet's her grave,
Felix. ID:
''They call me Old Hopeless an
say I'm crazy. They're not fer wrong,
You've guessed it, Felix--I'm Luke
Golden. Irode fine hoss down to
death at ther bottom of Purgatory, fer
Nancy's love. l couldn't set up fer
over year after ther terrible fall, an
you see how I hev been ever since-a
Felix, one of the wust
lookin' critters on ther face of ther
eeSth.
1--WE never been back to ther ranch.
They give me some money fer it, I
don't know how much, an I hev
stayed around hyer whar' she used ter
be. I'll die before long, Felix, an they
will bury me hyer at Purgatory, beside
Nancy. Poor Nancy?'- ?'-ArAtxr G. Girls
som, IN YanEee Blade.