The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-04-10

Nancy, who had gone for a can of cher
ries, re-entered the room.) Yer reck-
lect Sally Peters, lister spark her, didn't
yer? Will, she's got two gals as purt
MS their NAV. Reckon n IN 'em God
suit yer"
Chris looked up, caught Nancy's eye
and frowned slightly. His own feeling
responded to the look i'm her face. What
to o real stranger might have been anus
ing Jared upon him.
After supper they sat around the fire
talking of old times. Chris learned with
q strange feeling of being under a spell
that all the boys he remembered of his
own age were either dead or had be-
come grsndfathers, yet he had not
thought Of growing old. Pretty soon
Uncle Billy rose and said,
III reckon me an my wifeIl go ter
bed. Nancy'l yer company" and
he retired TO the room beyond.
Chris sat looking into the fire. Nancy
drew a chair near him. He was scarcely
aware of her presence, his thoughts be-
ing far away. At last she spoke:
y have waited long fur yer, Chris"
He started.
ibid you believe / would conner he
asked.
yes"
Vividly he recalled the moment when,
a boy, he had hidden goodby to a rosy
checked girl. will you wait for me,
Nancy he had said. '.Tll come back
and marry you some day." Idle words,
containing more of feeling than resolve.
He had long forgotten, till the freight
reflected upon her face flashed into .
dark corner of his brain, and it had all
come back to him. He could say noth-
ing, and she began to tell him of the
long, weary years she had waited. She
had no misgivings; among her own peo-
pie she was accounted q simple creature.
She knew nothing Of the gulf separating
her from her old sweetheart. He had
not married, and he had come back as he
said he would; that was enough for her.
He listened, panied but fascinated.
Her speech, uncouth as 1t was, still had
something of dignity in its old English
form. He had not the heart to wound
her with the truth. Most men would
have thought such cruelty the truest
kindness; q finer ems restrained him.
Perhaps experience had taught him that
q forlorn hope may be dearer than at
tainment. He realized that an illusion
which has been growing up in q woman's
heart for twenty years cannot be shat
tered at q blow without crushing the
woman.
"Poor child" he said tenderly; she
had been telling him of her loneliness.
But you're here now, Chris" She
drew nearer him and laid her cheek
against his arm with simple, childlike
confidence. He started slightly. IL
seemed wrong to touch her, and yet il
he put her away from him he would
have to tell her why. e
"This is an evening ont of the old
time, Nancy. You and ] are . girl and
boy again, do you understand he said
putting his arm about her waist.
EYES," she said, with a happy little
laugh.
Soon he disengaged himself and arose,
saying that he was tired and would like
to 90 to bed. She went with him TO his
room, and before leaving him lifted he-
lips for a kiss. Again he hesitated, and
STOPPING kissed her forehead. He went
to bed, but not TO sleep. The sense of
the irreparable wrong he had done thie
girl burned into his heart, tender with
its own pain. Wild thoughts Of self Inn
notation occurred to him, only to be
checked by the conviction of it's hope
lessness. She would not be less lonely
with him. They were utter strangers,
for how little Of the boy she had loved
was left in the man, and how lost she
would be in the world where he Iivedl
He rose early, and, going into the
Kitchen, found Mrs. Grimes dressing a
chicken for breakfast. The old woman
gave him a knowing look and remarked
with q chuckle:
"Nancy's ben a-waitin fur yer q
mighty while, an here yer air shur nuf.r
ibid she tell you SOP
mo; I knowed hit 'thout her tellir
me. She amt like other folks, Nancy
amt; she's a sort o fool body"
II do not think So"
Eyer don't!'
ssShe doesn't seem strong. I'm afraid
she works too hard"
.Us mounting folks all hef ter work
Nancy amt stout. She's got the con
sumption, an the doctor says she CAM
live the winter out"
Chris was going to speak, but TIN
woman's cold, hard face checked him.
who Ia your doctor2' he said at last
Nobody yer know; a young Teller
herain't like DR.. Grain, he amt; he's 60
larnin an knows what's the matter wi
yer right off,
What is his namef'
Jim Banlks. He lives in VAUDEVILLE.
Chris wrote down the name, and
plan began to form in his mind.
. After breakfast he took his departure
As he was starting Nancy came up from
the springhouse.
Where air yer goin?' she asked il
some alarm.
g1T. C-n-1n~~xy - @