Evening journal., 1892-11-03

hAR kAthA'oA VI NtAA NA . AAAAiAA AAof a ]
Denver and Rio Grande train was tor
tuously twisting its way. following the
curves Of the Arkansas, while the old
stone Iitans keeping watch on either
side gossiped of the event in hoarse,
whispering echoes. II was frowning
| gray day, when the wind was rioting in
the shadowy canyon like a thoughtless
child mockng at the dignity Of age,
whistling weird harmonies as it heavily
hurled its might from one rock wall 10
the other buffeting the bristling pines
and spruces as though to compel the bare
roots to loose their grip on the repelling
rocks, blowing the foam crested waves
of the river into madder hurry every lit
tie while in a wilder frenzy Of diablerie,
throwing itself crazily into the spinning
of whirlwinds Of dust that veiled the
landscape like fog.
Once or twice above the echoing roar
and rattle Of the train sounded the boom
Of distant thunder, and people turned
for the moment from their papers OF idle
talk to glance up at the narrow strip OF
sky. like a twist of ragged gray ribbon.
showing far away above the mighty
rock walls that hedged them in, specu-
lating with the comfortable Indifference
of people well housed as to the chances
of storm. It was local train, and
most Of those who looked. dulled by
familiarity TO even this grandeur, saw
nothing Of the rich harmony Of color,
the ineffable beauty of the vast walls
piled block upon block, thousands upon
thousands Of feet, until, like castles Of
race Of giants, their towers and pinnacles
seemed touching the swirling clouds Of
the sky, whose frowning mood seemed
so perfectly attuned to this rugged
grandeur at it all but barometer
wise, seeing only that the storm might
blow over. Well for man that the dull
eyes of the flesh may one day be cast 10
earth, else even tho glories Of heaven
would presently pail upon the sluggish
souls made free.
More Indifferent than any, Anita lay
back in her chair welnigh pale and still
as the dead She was physically ex
hausted 10 a degree that her superb
strength had never known before, spent
and beaten by the storm Of passion goad
ing her on 10 feverish activity through
all tho long night She had not thought
Of sleeping, going about the preparations
for her journey with care for small de-
tails as punciilious as though there hal
been weeks to spare for the planning
All alone in the still night, her one sery
ant sleeping undisturbed, she had gone
about putting her house in order as
though to grace the coming Of some "a
vored guest, pushing a chair in place
here, adjusting the fold Of a curtain
there, emptying the wthered flowers
from the vases. even threading fresh
ribbon in the ends Of a bureau scarf
and. with new knots Of ribbon, pinning
the clean cover on n pincushion Each
garment in the basket of clothes fresh
from the laundry had been carefully laid
in its place, and, though her fingers had
trembled over their task. they had yet
never faltered nor bungled over an the
dainty stitchery she was accustomed 90
lavish on the weekly mending And
when her feverish fancy could devise
nothing more to occupy her restless
hands when her one trunk was packed
and her curt note of explanation 10
Donald had been written, out on the
piazza. IN the cool gray preceding the
/ AtAMA olAl ilttA kNhNH litANAAH NaNA anu
forth in the same mad hurry until the
glowing lights Of the eastern sky were
beckoning a sleep drugged world to up
and make the most of another day oflife
She was not a woman to whom the
relief Of tears came readily. 1t seemed
rather as If her passion spent its force
lnwardly, until her heart felt full TO
bursting with the inrushing torrent Of
pain Dry eyed and outwardly so quiet,
with all her cool thoughtfulness and
housewifely painstakng, that long
nights vigil had been a rack of torture
unspeakable, leaving her spent and worn
as from long illness; and there was a sen
sation of passionate relief IN lying rest.
fully back in the luxurious car, feeling
that those dark hours were left behind
that her feet were fairly across the rubi-
con Of hesitation For in all her mad
: hurrying she had not been able TO stife
the wifely instinct that would bid her
pause and measure we'll this step, to
weigh more carefully this punishment
she was melting out 70 Donald. Octopus
like, duty seemed clinging, striving to
hold her back, but her mad passion but
strove the more to wrench her free from
that insistent grip. She knew that in
spired deviltry could have devised no
revenge more cruel to Donald, and the
demon that possessed her but laughed
the more hideously in triumph at the
. thought.
/, And now the fateful step was taken.
: OF no avail to question the consequences
e now, to measure the right and wrong
, It only remained to keep her glance
= from wandering backward-to look only
3 to the goal ahead Il seemed so clear
before her staring eyes-the stretch Of
, warm toned gray walls, the old weather
|. stained chapel at one side. rising. isolate
. rs a ship NJ sea. from the vast stretch OF
D hot cacu blotched plains She could