Arizona republican., 1893-01-04

a wife WI ye-. "lalnt ter late. we've
some pretty gals here. (At this point
Nancy, who had gone for can Of cher
ries, re-entered the room.) Yer reck-
lect Sally Peters? lister spark her, didn't
yer? Wull, she's got two gals as purt
as their nav. Reckon one on 'em God
suit yer"
Chris looked up, caught Nancy's eye
and frowned slightly. His own feeling
responded to the look in her face. What
to a real stranger might have been anus
ing Jared upon him.
After supper they sat around the fire
talking of old times. Chris learned with
a strange feeling of being under a spell
that all the boys he remembered of his
own age were either dead or had be-
come grandfathers, yet he had not
thought Of growing old. Pretty soon
Uncle Billy rose and said:
Il reckon me an my wife'll go ter
bed. Nancyll keep yer company" and
he retired to the room beyond.
Chris sat looking into the fire. Nancy
drew chair near him. He was scarcely
aware of her presence, his thoughts be-
ing far away. At last she spoke;
IL have waited long fur yer, Chris"
He started.
Ibid you believe would Gomez he
asked.
Yes
Vividly he recalled the moment when,
a boy, he had hidden goodby to rosy
checked girl. will you wait for me,
NancyY' he had said "I'll 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 moth
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 a 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 it 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; finer sense 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 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 lie started slightly. 1t
seemed wrong to touch her, and yet if
| he put her away from him he would
have TO tell her why.
This is an evening out of the old
time, Nancy. You and | are girl and
boy again, do you understand he said
| putting his arm about her waist.
Yes she said, with a happy little
laugh.
Soon ne disengaged himself and arose,
| saying that he was tired and would lik.
| to go to bed. She went with him to his
room, and before leaving him lifted he
| lips for 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 this
| girl burned into his heart, tender Will.
its own pain. Wild thoughts of self i'm
notation occurred to him, only to be
checked by the conviction of its hope
lessness. She would not be less lonely
with him. They We're utter strangers,
! for how little of the boy she had love
was left in the man, and how lost SIN
would be in the world where he lived!
He rose early, and, going into the
kitchen, found Mrs. Grimes dressing a
! chicken for breakfast. The old womar
gave him knowing look and remarked
with chuckle:
"Nancy's ben a-waitin fur yer a
mighty while, an here yer air shur nuf. "
"Did she tell you soy"
"No; | knowed hit 'thOut her telliu
me. She amt like other folks, Nancy
amt she's a sort o fool body"
II do not think So"
eyer don'ty'
"She 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 can't
live the winter out"
Chris was going to speak, but the
woman's cold, hard face checked him.
"Who is YOUR doctorF he said at last