Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1893-08-09
TWO SOLDIERS.
By Capt. CHARLES KING.
CONTINUED.

CONTINUED.
81 am not disappointed. thank God
that the Rossiters refused him money. 1t
will open his eyes to their real charac-
ters-father and son. would rather go
and live in howell than be under obi.
cations to either of them" And now the
tears were raining down her cheeks
"Do not grieve SO, Mrs. Vincent" said
Lane. 81 cannot believe the danger is
30 great have listened to the opinions
Of the strongest men on change this af-
ternoon. A break in this corner was
predicted in New York at II this morn.
ing, and that is the universal opinion
among the best men now
Eyes, but it may be days away yet,
and Mr. Vincent has confessed to me
that his whole fortune hangs by single
hair-that this wretched speculation has
swallowed everything rise of a
single penny means beggary to us, for
he can no longer answer his brokers'
calls.
THAT may have been SO when he
wrote; but Mr.. Clark seems to have had
little better luck locally. infer from
what he told me that they were safe for
today and could meet the raise of that
critical cent or two; so that, despite the
great loss they have sustained, there is
not the certainty of ruin that SO over
whelmed Mr.. Vincent on Wednesday,
"You give me hope and courage cried
the poor, anxious hearted woman, as she
seized and pressed his hand. And
and you come to us in the midst of our
troublesl Mr.. Vincent was so touched
by your writing first to him; it brought
back old days, old times, old fashions.
that he loved to recall-days when he,
too, was young and brave and full Of
hope and cheer"
"And | have your good wishes, too,
Mrs. Vincent?-even though am only a
soldier and have so little to offer her be-
d-beyond"
But he could not finish. He had looked
into her face with such eager hope and
delight when he began, yet broke down
helplessly when he tried to speak Of his
great love for her sweet daughter"
~ know what you would say" she an
swered with quick and ready sympathy
II have seen how dear my child has been
to you almost from the very first. In
deed do wish you happiness, Mr.. Lane;
but Mr.. Vincent told you that-we once
had other views for Mabel It is only
fair and right that you should know.
"How could it have been otherwise
Mrs. Vincent? Is there any man quite
worthy of her? Is there any station in
life too high for one like her? | never
dared hope that your consent could have
been so freely given. do not dare hope
that she can possibly care for me-yet."
II will not keep you longer, then,'
said she, smiling through her tears. 81
will see you after while, perhaps. Ma
bel is in the library. Now I'll leave you.
With unanimously throbbing heart,
he softly entered and quickly glanced
around. The tiers of almost priceless
volumes, the antique furniture, the cost
ly Persian rugs and portieres, the pic
lures, bronzes, bric-a-brac-an were
valueless in his eager eyes, They sought
one object alone, and found it in deep
bay window across the room There.
leaning back in a great easy reading
chair, with magazine in her lap, her
fair head pillowed on silken cushion,
reclined the lady of his heart, smiling a
sweet welcome to him, while the rosy
color mounted to her brows as he came
quickly forward and took her soft, white
hand. How he was trembling! How
his kind gray eyes were glowing! She
could not meet them she had to look
away. She had begun some pleasant lit
tie welcoming speech, some half laugh
ing allusion to the flowers, but she STOP
ped short in the midst of it. A knot of
half faded roses-his roses-nestled in
her bosom, contrasting with the pure
white of her dainty gown; and now
those treasured, envied flowers began to
rise and fall, as though rocked on the
pillows Of some clear lake stirred by
sudden breeze. What he said, he did
not know; she hardly heard, though her
ears drank in every word She only
realized that both his hands were
tightly clasping hers, and that, scorn-
Ing to seek a chair and draw it
to her side - perhaps, too, because
he could not bear to release even for an
instant that slender little hand-perhaps
still more because of the old time chiv-
airy in his nature that had prompted
him to ask parental sanction before tell
ing her of his deep and tender love
Capt Lane had dropped on one knee
close beside, and, bending over her, was
pouring forth in broken, incoherent
words the old, old story, of lovers
hopes and fears and longings-the sweet
old song that, day after day, year after
year, ay, though sung since Gods crea-
ton of the beautiful world we live in,
never, never can be heard or sung except
in rapture. Even though she be cold to
him as stone, no true women ever lis
tened to the tale of mans true love
without thrill at heart.
(lnca Dp1x, oy,a -, A.