Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-04-11
Helen'S
 Experience.

who has so utterly mistaken herself and all the meaning of her life, has no right to listen to such words as you have spoken"
 They were standing face to face. She put out her hands with a helpless, strengthless air of repelling protest. Perhaps he misunderstood the gesture; he took them in his own and held them firmly and gently. She did not resist the clasp, standing mute and miserable. Perhaps until that hour 1t had never oc- cured to her that any renewal of that old story could be possible. She had felt herself set apart from all the com mon lot of women. hat he seemed so innocently and com 2letely to ignore such tragic facts as Ter life held beat down all her guard. swept away the landmarks that had been the dreary re- minders of her past fVlly and sin. He was what that other had been plainsman reared am, ng the influences of an almost lawles community. All l ways on the edge of u e advancing wave of civilization, where the other had grown reckless he w. grave and self contained. He knew books better than 1 many who had lived |, nong them; there 1 was a gentleness in his speech that meant something better than mere sweet temper; and Helen was woman 1 enough yet to feel the fascination of his muscular strength-the very clasp that l held her, gentle as 1t was, was irresisti- ble if he chose to have it so. l At least, love you," he said at last. "You know it now," with a long breath as of relief, "I have not my secret to keep; and shall never love any one else. !" She smiled again through all her | trouble. He believed it himself with such manifest faith.
 He released her hands. She went back to her hammock and he to his blanket, and silence fell again between them.
 1 Harry came back while they were still in their places.
 1 "We're getting it down tine," he said, abruptly, to Bronson. five been over to Morgan's. We know how many there are in the gang, and we have de- scriptions of the principal leaders. It's regularly organized thing. The lead CT is Captain Gordon. He'll find him. self captained with short rope if the league gets hold of him. We know pretty well their headquarters. "
 Helen turned languidly.
 "What makes you involve yourself in such thing?" she said. "It's so much easier to keep out than to get out"
 Suppose you should lose Rebecca some night?"
 II shouldn't like 1t. But, Ol Harry, you don't want blood on your hands,"
 And I don't want to lose my horses, '' he said, doggedlv. If it comes to that it's their own fault. They know the risks they take."
 Helen said no more. Bronson had not spoken at all. He asked an unimpor- tant question or two and then the sub ject dropped.
 That night every horse worth taking was stolen from the Tryon and Bron- son ranch, and with the rest uelen's Rebecca. But the third day afterward Rebecca was found in the morning tied before the door with as handsome a bridle and lady's saddle as the country afforded, and with a card appended Captain Gordon's compliments tc Helen Tryon."
 "He ought to have said to the heroine of Pine Gulch," Harry said, with deeI disgust.
 Perhaps Mrs. Morse Is in it, too, Bronson suggested, slyly. You're quite sure that Captain Gordon isn't { friend of yours? Appearances ar' against you. First the diamond" anC he stopped short as the tears rose il uelen's eyes.
 "I didn't mean any thing" he ex plained humbly to Harry afterward.
 "Whoever supposed you did? Do yo' imagine you are ever going to under ? stand what woman finds to CT.
 aboutP' he said, wrathfully. "The. b don't know themselv IS half the time." | But, after all, it was not Helen a whom he was sto-'ming. An extr ' meeting of the Horse Thief League wa
 summoned. No results followed, and
 month wore away pc aceably.
 Time did not stand still for Helen an
 Helen's lover. He did not again refe
 m words to that declaration of his, bu
 not an hour spent in her society did no
 plead his cause. He took 1t completel
 for granted that his love for her was
 thing complete of itself without hope c return. Perhaps that attitude was hi
 strongest plea. Something in his ps
 tience seemed wonderful to her. Sh
 could as soon have built the pyramid.
 She was one of those positive people
 whom no halfway measure is possible
 That man should make such an avov 3, al as that, and then should let the day e go on in such commonplace, cheerfu .. unmarked fashion, reused a new wol u dering interest in her mind. Ii Little by little, unconscious of th u gradations of feeling, her whole ments s attitude changed. She owned now wit a shudder that if Payne Morse were
 cross her path for the first time st
 would probably be repelled rather tha
 attracted. She had fallen in love wit
 an ideal, and the living, breathing fac
 did not bear out the fancy. And u
 next shock was to realize that she ha
 not yet done with ideals, and to-day
 hero was in no wise like yesterdays.
 It gave her dreadful feeling of Ill