The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-07-29
VOL. XXXVU---NO. 81.

wanted to say something more. He
did not know how to say goodbye; he
had never done it before.
kin yer take care of yerself p he
asked.
I've done it pretty near ever since
we wuz married. she answered.
Il amt got much to leave yer" he
continued,
II know it, - she answered.
Here's this yere pocket book, :; he
went on, drawing from il capacious
pocket an article of that descriptions
that was quite large enough to hold
at any one time all the money he
would ever make in his life. 1T won t
be no use to me. Maybe it won't be
much to you, but yer might as well
have it, He threw it down on the
table. Fact is" he continued, Il
don't want anything, but what | got
on. Yer might us well keep the revol-
yer. Maybe some mani come tramp
in round yere," Che did not see her
vince AN yell need it to defend
yerself. 'Tany rate, We kin sell it, eff
yer get hard up"
He stood over her He wanted to
kiss her but she did not move.
"Good-bye" he said again, as he
closed the door quickly, so that he
could believe that she had replied. af-
ter all. Then he began the winding
descent of the hill.
She was motionless for IL minute af-
ter he had gone. Then she rose and
looked for a mere moment triumph
ant. She drew from the bosom of her
dress Il tintype and looked at it smil-
ingly. She kissed it, and then she sat
again at the table and looked at it in
tently in the light of the wood fire.
repeating monotonously dozen times
the words Il won't have to work
| won't have to work. won't have
to work.
Suddenly her eyes fell on the great
pocket book lying on the table She
laughed aloud. What could have pos
sessed him to leave such q thing as
that? Had there ever been anything
i'll it! She could not remember the
time. She opened it curiously and
looked through all the compartments.
Empty-empty-e one of
them until the last. There was a
piece of soiled paper in that. She
drew it forth and saw that it was Il
letter. 1t took her quite a minute to
realize that the writing was in her
own handwriting, and that it was the
only letter she had ever written to
him. 1t was written in reply to his
proposal of marriage. Dear Pete"
it began, and it ended: Il will love
you always
She felt as though some one had
struck her terrible blow, as she read
the words. She could hardly breathe.
1t seemed as though her heart had
stopped beating. She picked up the
tintype with her right hand and
placed it beside the letter. For mo-
ment she looked at them with a steady
glance. Then the tears came. Brush
ing them aside with her arm she
threw the tintype into the blazing
fire. Half blinded by those that fol-
lowed she ran to the door and rushed
out. In the moonlight she could see
the road he had just gone down to
the camp. He was out of sight and
out of hearing-out of sight and out
of hearing, but she sank down on
rock and beat it with her hands.
"Pete-Pete-' she cried, come
backbone back"
She did not know how it happened
but it seemed as though he must have
flown back to her straight through the
air from the prospector's camp down
in the valley. for a moment later she
felt herself lifted i'll his strong arms
and carried into the house. He plac-
ed her in a chair and gave her IL drink
of water (the only medicine he knew
and then said half apologetically
Il came back, Jane, because | for
got the only thing | wanted to take
with me. It's in the pocket book
not money-not money, dear, Fl l
had any money I'd leave it with YOU
Its only Il letter. And now l must
go, gal. or I'll be late. Good-bye-''
':No-no-no-,n she cried, flinging
her arms about him Il will not let
yer go. I'm afraid to stay here alone
I'm afraid of everything-of myself
You must not go.n
Yer don't mean it p he said won-
deringly and delightedly. Eyer don't
mean it, Jane. 1t can't be true -
stay" she said, dear Pete, and |
will love you always. ~ Y.
Ledger.