The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-11-22

enough not to bow down to you and
worship you. like other fellows do. that
you say that, Aunt Mary" Jack an-
swered. with his quick laugh.
Jack decided that Philip was not
much OF IL chapter" since he neither
'bought lis in nor sold us out" he
said. Tho agents were not willing to
sell just yet; we were to have IL respite
Of six months.
After Philip left there came big,
thick letters from him, continuing
the war;" Mary said. lie came again
II few months later, aud we all knew
why he had come, but none dare ask
Mary how he would 20 away.
almost cried as looked in the
poor fellows face as he told mo good
bye. went in to Mary after he was
gone. but my Indignation died away
when found her on the bed crying, us
though her heart would bre, Tx. put
my ,rms around her beautiful head,
and cried, too.
"lf could have married anybody"
she sobbcd ut last. "But l can't: have
made IL vow never to marry. 1t is silly
to make IL VOW only to break it."
wanted to tell her that it was moro
silly to keep Il VOW only to breal, ones
heart.
During tho months that We waited to
hear from tho agents kept very busy.
Gradually the little sum had begun to
lay by from my secret labors with nv
pen grew larger day by day. Mary
gicw to talk Of tho move ont West with
Il sOrrowful light in her eyes, but she
seemed To look forward to it with IL
hopcfulnoss that was pitful to me. |
handed her Philips letter when he
wrote 10 tell father he was coming
when the six months were ended. She
did not say anything, but sat looking
out the window until tho tears ran
down her checks and fell upon his let
| ter.
u seemed that the agents had ut last
como to terms and tho first evening
Phil eamo llo aud fathcr sat in tho
study planning fnr the purchase aud |
could hoar Mary in tho room hoyond,
and, from tino To time. 500 ~ bit OF
her whto dress tho one. | rcmcm-
bcred. sho hul worn when she told
Philip goodbye she did not como
IN. She did not even come out TO ten
aud Philip did not ask for her. But
later on. when he aud sat on the cool,
vine-covcr"d gallery, Mary came and
stood in the doorway, her cheeks and
eyes aglow. and the pale moonlight
shining about her beautiful head and
white dress.
"Mary," Philip said. startled by tho
sight of her. and ran TO meet her, hold
ing out his hand.
She put her hand in his, and "Philip,
my king heard her say. us l turned
and left them together.
Jack gave il as his opinion that il
was only tho fear of tho Bailey ranch
that made Navy do the ",n,sh act" as
he called ii. whom she and Phil came in
TO tell me of their engagement. and the
next day. when Il telegram cnmc from
The agents saying tho sale w;ts off. ho
asked Mary if She di,lu't wish hers was
"Olt" tOu But Phil said she had given
him her promise, and that her word
was better than Coke g. Go. $ bond, and
he was satisfied.
Wien the marriage camo off Jack
proposed the only to;lst that w;ls drunk.
and to which we all responded. "
was Though We have never seen
ii, God bless the Bilcy ranch"
In Il short time Juck went To college
went hy with hlm to soc him settled.
and tlon sailed myself to begin those
three years OF delightful toll in Paris.
those days uf trampin5 and slsetchiny
in Gcrmany and Switzerland and those
nights of scribb.ing that meant SO
much 10 mo then aud now.
But the hnppiest days of my life were
when Jack came back to lis, 50 strong,
unl true and noble. aud established
himself in his profession. watched
him develop into the trlc man | had
SO prayed him TO bc with almost Il
mothers pride.
shall never forget how proud he
looked that evening when he told mc
the secret of his love for Phyllis Attn
crton. Poor, dear follow! he thought
it was Il sccrct To mo- but had guessed
it long before. Man though he WAS.
he kn"lt down beside me and, h,,ryi ny
his hoa'l in my la.A rs he used to do
when he Was il little boy, prayed Coils
blessing upon his love. | watched the
coarse of his wooins with evon more
anxiety than ho himself felt. such was
his confidence in himself and his faith
in the sweet, fair girl he had chosen,
but knew Mrs Athcrton. had
known her as Il silly school girl and
] had seen her grow up to be silly.
proud. naughty woman. with false
IDEAS and foolish aspirations
! shall never forget the agony of that
hight, when Jack c nc in from The
city, and tlngng himself down at my
feet. and resting his head in my | y,
while ! covered his brow with kisses,
told me the story of his disappoint-
Inenl. Tic Atiertons #crc rich, jack
WAS not sufficiently eligible in many
ways, Phyllis had othcr lovers that
were aor,. promising, she mus: not
s crilice hrr,clf to- Il foolish. childish
fancy, etc, etc, so tho mother had
given him to understand. lie had seen
Phylll, only to bill her gool-bvc aud
sllo had not seemed to care. he said.
q, they were drcary days for lis
when my poor dear boy struggled with
his first great grief struggled 50 hard
and | could not help him. lie came
home one day lookin. more tired and
i'll than usual. and going into my study
stood Il long while before the picture
af tho old Bailey ranch, gazing ut its
waste of drcary sands and bare
pasture.
al am going out there. auntie," he
said, after IL moment, when ] went to