The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-17
Thr dith1ta Haly Eaer Sx1raaY 91ornng, 1898

that he was only fool1ng herjand ar
| not intend to. merry her at, ell. %
don't thinh tt at Ct en- she tsaid. -.
/. never doubted you. Tom. Butt wanted
/ to ask you sin, K we've set daYtfor ON
wedding and all has been fxeA. tl.a-
you buy the marriage license so L car
tell them andSthey won't doubt you
any mose"
.'la,ae a fool, to ihumor her bought
the license. There can't be any l=arn
can thewe?" Tom .went on. 'sPseople
| are not obliged to use licenses when
they buy Il EN-. age aiey?'
ThesjoISc had indeed grown serious
Tom had not only aP pointed a day for
the wedding, but hasl purchased ihe
license, and we had not yet been in the
mountains Ave weeks. And the worst
of it was that tho we'd ling was to ioc.
cur on the,iollowing IVA dnesday even
ing at sever.o'c clock. 1t look but little
argument from, me ,to convince 1h1
that he would have to 1eau c the mCkn-
tains before tlsa4,tirne. ''Oftcourse, We'll
slip out quietly.on that very day. Susie
will soon. forgot"
markably quick, it appeared tome. /
made all the arra2gements'w fhs Hanl,
Hester for,our baggage to be carried to
the station late That afternoon aadjcau-
toned him TO say nothing OF curtin
tended departure. Tom went over to
see Susie the last time, while was
packing the TRUNKS.
Phil said he, coming in just at
twilight, Its tougher than i1aG any
idea it could be. Susie is thinking of
nothing else but the-to-1Eght. She
has all her things reedy and woulde2ut
on her dress for me to see. 1t g2vesEe
the cold chills / kissed the little girl
and left with something Ikea tearf in
my eye. Poor little thipg-she Didn't
think it was tie last kiss
Darkness settled over themoup ta:hs
and the vicinity of Hannts Bend was
wrapped in dreamy stiffness. Cur
train passed the station alta quarter'oe-
fore eight O'Clock. Hester had gone
ahead with our trunks anehwe followed
on foot We walked very'rapidly along
the mountain road, talking as wewcnt
of the novel experiences of our five
weeks stay in the mountains
Just off the road a bit>vxas the home
of Susie Ricketts,. It's dimNoutline,was
family visible through the%trees, aid
from its two windows cleaned cheerful
lights. A pathetic silence bonn of,soii-
tude and night brooded aboutAhetlittle
mountain home. The lights, shone
brighter than usual to-nigif&a-i Tom
stopped and gazed mutely through the
shadowy trees. His eyes were FIX ed upon |
the lights and l could see that,his face |
had grown very serious. There W as that |
look upon his face that l re-
mebered having seen when boytwhen |
sorry for something he had do1sc..
While he looked a shadow that I |
fancied must have been Susie'sscrossed |
the light. The figure stood anfinstant
at the window silhouetted against thel
briIliance behind. anxiousiy watching
for Tom. l fancied, and then disap-
peared. |
do you see that?" asked Tom, husk- {
lily. 'Do you see that? Thatwas Susie, /
and she is wondering why I am late.
It's just past seven now. Poor girl,
am very sorry did it. could kill my +
self for it,"
He stopped an instant and then'w went
On:
''It was cowardly and mean. 1t was
She never once doubted,t
me, and went on deceiving her like a
villain. Phil, l never did any thing half |,
so mean in all my life before
His voice had grown tremulous. He
pressed his hand to his forehead as if to
ease pain. Z was growing late.
Tom" I said, ''i.'s bad enough, I n
know, but let's not stand here holding
funeral exercises or Well miss our
rain. Come along"
Just as I spoke the shadow-it was
appeared at the win
low. She was leaning out listening
or his footsteps. She had never
lreaIned the truth and was waiting for
Tim even then.
Let the train CO." he said, vehe-
nently; ''let it go. would be atrur-
lerer to leave here like this" He,took
! step resolutely toward the distant,
light, and, stopping, looked
Jack at me standing in the rugged
mountain path.
Tell Hester to bring my trunk
Jack" he said, at length. and the next y
ay Tom, Susie and myself left for the
ity. The license had been used.-At-
anita Constitution.