The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1892-02-19

her figure. Once or twice he heard IN
echo of the old imperious infections of
speech, when something went wrong in
the simple programme of their house
keeping; once or twice she laughed
aloud at some of Sam Lees achieve
ments. At least, the old, monotonous
calm was broken; she had fits Of de-
preston, felt kcenly in the sensitive
household atmosphere.
1t was the evening after the coming
of the ring. Helen found herself at the
very bottom of her register of feeling.
They were all out of doors in the large
starred. dcwless Southwestern night.
The two men outstretchcd on their
blankets lay silcntly smoking. Helen,
swinging in her hammock, was speech
less, too. by and by Harry asked her
some trivial question, and the voice
that answered him was hoarsc with
tears. He took no notice, and q minute
after she went into the house. Harry
followed her, and came back after
awhile, his own voice not over steady.
"That girl has broken Gown at last.
It's the first time in years, and not easy
years either. doubt if any one has
seen her cry since she came homc."
Mrs. Morsc?''
''Who clse?' testify. "How I hate
the name-I never even think of it il l
can help it, You don't know the
story?'
81 have gucsscd-that is, mean l
couldn't help knowing there was somc-
thing painful. Mrs. Morse is young to
be a widow
''Shc is twenty-five" 'rusquely.
"IIclcn always would have her own
way. She had it when she WAS seven
teen, and n.arricd Il scoun:rcl. lie go;
u life sentence for train robbery. ard
was killed try,eg to make his ESCAPE
from prison. She got tho i.cws the day
her only child WA buried"
Bronson gaze Il hali-sruua, il sound
almost like sob, as Tryon paused in
his blunt recital.
''That was two years ago. She never
whinpcrctl under it, and tonight she is
l don't know but she will. Think of 1,
woman's life going to wreck like that
Whatever bronson may have thought,
he said nothing. There was long 81
lcncc and much tobacco smoke.
"Don't they take something's" hcsa:d,
hcsitatingly, after awhile. "a cup of
tea OF something. I'll broil a quail, if
you like" .--
"That's So" accepting the suggestion
chccrfully. Then they went out into
Sam Lees shining little kitchen. and
pottcrcd about with the best of intcn-
tions, but with much disturbance Of
small, jingling novablcs. IIelcn's cry
ing was over now. She lay prone and
nervelcss with the exhaustion of such
tears. She heard the uproar among the
pots anil pans, and wondered faiutly
about it.
Harry opened the door finally, with a
laden tray in his hands.
81 made the tea he explained,
brcatiilcssly, land Bronson cooked the
bird, and we couldn't find the bread"
Helen sat up and pushed the damp
iiair back from her face.
"Eronson thought OF it," he said, per-
suasively. "I'a try andeat littlc,'
And IIelcn drank her tea, and nibblcd
her bird with an uns,niling sense of the
unfitncss Of things when meat aad tlrinl;
We're offered as remedy for such
troubles as hers.
l'ut 1t ,iidi.crg good. She slept dream
lcssly. that night, and if she came out
to brcaisfast with heavy shadows under
her eyes, the sad-lippcd mouth had lost
little of its rigid lines of pain.
There had been an epidemic of law.
lessncss through the country for the
last few weeks. The particular mani
fcstation of the disease was horsc-stca,,
ing. Now, to take a mans horse was
generally worsc-for the community
than t:Alsing his life. The public sense
of justice did not always wait for the
slow and rather uncertain action of the
law. Harry rode away that evening
without defining his business, and Bron-
son found Helen alone, in her hammocl,
as usual.
These two did not find talk necessary
They had reached that grade of nc
quuintanccship where long silcnccs arc
unmarked. a soundlcss half hour passed
iielc:, lay with half-shut eyes, watch