The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-07-13

passionately. You're too good fol-
me. Only say that you viii marry
me and care for me, scoundrel that
am" added the man bitterly.
4 dauntless resolution depicted it.
self upon MiTiam's count enance. aS
she lifted her lustrOus eyes and held
his shifting glaCces by the subtle
| force and fire in their depths.
Yes, I'll marry you, en- stand by
YOU, toO-stand by YOU en- help Won
-tr4a en- faithful, i'll am ODliest a
moOn-hin~rs daughter. III say it Ell
| promise II. ESQ be you're true en'
| faithful TO me-.
The haFras>ed tension Of Heatkt's
cOUntenaHce relaxed.
You have bound ~yOurseIftO stand
by me and love me. III hold YOU 70
it
Il want yOutO hold metO it. onIiest
| want YOU to do the same by me-.
she replied.
Relinquishino his gun for a mo-
mont. he drew her into bis arms and
ki-SedL her tenderIy. then. with guilty
start and Involuntary glance around
him, released the girl and lookup his
weapon.
I'm a scOundreI Oaskit. esaid.
with q forced, angry laugh, ignoring
the amending request.
"Mirry. Mirry. called a shrin voice
from the house.
oh, me, That's grandmother,
She'll he after me in a minute and
Miriam hurried of up the path.
Heathe followed, easily keeping aPace
with her rapid steps.
Miriam. shaUIinfOrm .Aband your
grandmother" be asked. You'll mar
" me when there a preacher comes
tO-Ddds Corner. don't YOU call it,
Yes; the preacher can come here.
Father don't talk. en- grandmother
don't 20 nowhere. Miriam replied.
intuitively divining a reservation Of
doubt and caution under the phras-
ing of his question.
Alb can hold his tongue, and there
Is no one here VINO cares to hear of
me" he remarked, rehectively. "Ab
is shy of strangers"
The girl laughed.
You need never fault father for
talkin' to strangers. You haven't
promised, though, to do good en-
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. Hits a good leetIe
gal as you'll git, en- she's smart gal,
Mirry is-h'ain't 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 guild of tobacco oscillated In
his cheek.
'iShe says that she viii, andI 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, a bitter
smile fitting over his countenance.
"Jes' so; they be skurce, en- pow full
good ter come across wen a shurf
en- pack o. Guvmenters KEN at yo'
els. The gal knows h'it-Mirry
knows, she do.
You hey mo- larnin' than We
uns, doctor. You mebbe want
foached up like we-uns, en- I'm a-gwine
Ter say es you mought think yo'sef
bettern me en- Mirry
Miriam Is better than am-that
is what | think-and you have been
my best friend Z interrupted Heathe,
speaking hurriedly, a hotimpatienee,
almost desperation, in his manner.
Old Abe looked pleased.
"Then You won't be 'shamed %
Mirry ur me. whenst YOU luck tu'ns,
en- you h'ain't 'bleeged ter hug ter
the mountings2"
you are my only friends. There
is no turn Of luck can help me, no
change whatever that I might wish
to quit the mountains was the de-
hbeTate assurance.
Hits all right, then. Z hain't
mma4ried in my mind long G. whur
you be foclin'ur no. Mirrys ekl to
that ar; hits her lookout.
Abner relapsed into his moody en-
ioyment Of the huge cracking blaze.
GRANDMOTHER Sagsby came IN, and
soon dozed over her Knitting. Miriam
sat on the hearth opposite Eeathe.
The freight gl0wed over her beautiful
face andthestF0ng slapely figure. Ut
ter repose and the delightful warmth
conlaced 10 that half drowsy hazi-
ness and abandon of perfect rest. The
one exception was the stranger. APP.
p~arently henever rested The watch
iui, listening, wide awakelook 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 n~olseless. but Miriam sat
up and noted the animal for an in
slant, then left her seat aud stepped
slowly past him to the shed room.
The dor followed her into the chilly
starlight beyond. Then she stopped