Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-09-06
| the doorway. showing his teeth
vciously at every attempt at conciln.

lelioW, (coaXingIy) there. good dog.
There was moments pause. then a
mans voice, deep with emotion, called
from the interior of the cabin.
down, Major. down boy"
The strangers entered the miserbe
dwelling. SD.
Sir, excuse us for intruding-you
arc sick, but we are travellers and I'M
familiar with the districts hereabout.
Can you tell us the way to the nearest
settlement?'
Harris turned his face more closely
to the wall.
lie did not want her to recognize
him. and before this other man, too.
Six miles due south, and thon four
more to tho east and you'll find one"
he answered.
much Obliged was tho response.
1--WE will go now; thousand thanks
for your information.
But the lady, with q woman's quick
eyes taking in all the discomforts of
the place. said softly and with q touch
Of pity in her tones:
wait moment, Henry. Are you
all alone. sir. and can we do nothing
for you?
"No" answered the sick man rath.
er harshly. Il am dying. know it
well. | want nothing of any ono"
He has seen some great sorrow,"
she thought, sadly and then aloud she
said: Would you not like some one
to stay with you, to be W til you while
you are sickP We are going on to the
nearest city, is there any one we could
send you from thereP A minister or
nurse, perbapsP"
Harris laughed such horrd mock
ing laugh. that the visitors instinctively
drew nearer each other.
MinSter!' he echoed. bitterly. ~ m
not afraid to die. besides | have my
dog but, no added. his voice changing
and softenng all in moment 'Tf
some one had done you great wrong
the greatest wrong possible, could
you. would you ever forgive itP"
He IS dol.rious," she thought. that
is why he will not turn his face to u.s."
and then she made answer:
Would l forgive? Yes. forgive and
forget"
God bless you! said the sick man
with something like sob in his voice.
God bless on! You have done me
more good than score of doctors.
Good bye"
His visitors were leaving him now.
II do hope you W II get better. sir"
said the lady. "Good-bvo TO YOU"
and as she pa, SO through the narrow
little door the moon beams illummina.
ted her face and form.
Quickly Harris turned his head and
took one long thirsty look at hor us she
stood waiting for her husband assist
ance TO mount her horse
He could see her SO pIainly now and |
she could not See him; the pale gold OF
her hair glittered in the moonlight as
of old-how well he remembered it
and the pretty little way she had of
posing her head on one side.
Her husband came fOrward-she had |
gone-and tho chatter Of horses hoofs |
rcverbcratcd on the still mountain
rOa |.
"GoOd-byc, Ruth" whispered Tom.
brokenly, Il knew Won Il forgive me,
girlio, my punishment has been great
er than | could bear. Here, Major,
boy, did You know her, good fellow?
She didn't know YOU, but you are bigger
now than you was then; she didn't |
know me, boy, but she's forgiven
me-.
And then lie lay still, oh, very still
and quiet for awhile.
At last he reused himself and spoke
again, but with the increasing delirium
Of fever.
Come closer, Ruthte, | cant see
you. It's too dark hero-perhaps it
will get lighter by-and-by. How the
stars burn like gold. Kiss me good bye,
lass, you will come soon? How good
of You to come and see me. Oh. Ruth.
Ruth. where are you? 1t is getting
lighter, but | cannot sec YOU, dearm
He rose up in bed and gazed about
him with distorted eyes, and almost AS
if frightened BY his unnatural aspect,
the dog crouched and howled. Harris
sank buck upon his pillow. the wild
look vanished from his face.
Put your head close to NINE" he
whispered, tenderly. that little gold
en- head of yours. Don't be long in
coming to me, Ruth, my darling" and
he closed his eyes and smiled softly.
The harsh contrast between the reality
and the dream ceased. Fainter and
fa inter- became the former till it dark
ened and melted into the shadow land,
just as the gorgeous clouds of purple
and orange upon the sea. which seemed
n moment before to be consubstantial
soften and vanish. leaving the cold sea
dark and the air keen and sharp.
The mapnbcams still flickered into
the cabin on the mountain-side. Now
they were shining upon the dead mans
face, revealing plainly the handsomely
cut features, the soft, curly beard the
thick mass of dark over which the
smile still fingered.
Hour after hour passed. but not a
| movement of the eyelid not a tire m BILE
of the lip, hair, the closed eyes and
the half parted lips. not a shadow on
the marble brow told when the spirit
took Is flight.
In the morning three miners, from
the settlement where the lady and gen.
tleman had stopped the night before,
entered the cabin. There lay the dead
DO ~ OF the man they bad known so
little; there beside him. 10y al and true
in death as in life. stood the faithful
dog keeping guard by the dead body
of his master.
Poor Toni said old Bill Seaver,