The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-11-25

"A relative to the world. You will b,
laughed at when the true theft is found
But go about it quickly, tor | am goins
as far away from you as ! possibly can
You can keep my last months salary.
won't touch it.
And, rs his uncle was silent and
dogged, Cory left the house and pres
emily the town. But before leaving the
town he had confded his story to Lydia
Post.
at is true" he said, "that / did 90
off with the fellows last night, but took
no money to speak Of. You believe me,
don't you, Lydia?'
laltering "A little and tears rushing into
her soft eyes.
All this came back vividly to Cory
Dickinson during the weary weeks in
which he felt himself so thoroughly
"down on his luck"
But at last chance came. He seized
it with avidty. 1t was TO go out on a
new cncao plantation. remote from the
capital, sixty miles by land through i'm
passable woods and over dangerous
mountain paths, or sixty miles by sea in
a sailboat down the coast and by canoes
up n river Of dangerous rapids. Julio
Vargas Verea shook his head.
'I'm afraid you will die out there. 1t
10 away from all civilization. There is
only an Indian settlement and some ne
groes. The climate is bad--it is very
hot-and there are marshes Just below.
II is a four days journey at the very best,
and mails are week In coming and GO
ing. I'm afraid you will have the fever
at once"
II am not afraid" said Cory. Il
shall have fever if | stay here, my dear
friend. You are good as gold TO
me, but can't stand idleness. For heav-
EMS sake, let me CO."
And SO he went.
Out into the wilds - impenetrable,
beautiful, silent, tropical wilds. And he
went faithfully to work and became
happy with new hope He did not
take the fever. He got fairly started by
the following midsummer. That is, what
was midsummer at home, for it was al
ways midsummer in this new country.
But he had never ceased to reckon by the
seasons of the far North. And by mid
summer he wrote to Lydia Post.
After he had written he counted the
days. A week to take the letter to the
port. A fortnight more-allowing for
delay OF the steamer To sail as he had ex
pectcd-for it TO reach the United States.
In three weeks Lydia would have it. In
three weeks moro he would have her re-
ply. He knew that his fingers would
trembc SO that he could hardly open it.
Alas the six weeks had passed, and
yet another and another. And no reply.
And as another month driited along and
November was begun. Cory began to
give up hope. Had she not received his
letter? Had she noS cared TO reply?
Was he lost to her--even to little Lydia
of whose faith he had dreamed in
darkest hours
Sadly he realized one evening that it
was the 10th OF November, just a year
since he had left home. A day or two
later he fell i'll. 1t was not from the
climate, not from the heat The planta.
ton was not as deadly as Vargas Varea
had believed. But it was the swapping
Of his last hope-his hope of Lydia. 1t
was more of low nervous fever. And
he could not rise from, his bed any more.
And he did not care If death came.
There was no doctor near; there were
few simple remedies on the shelves of
his cana hut, but he hardly cared to take
them
One night his fever was higher much
higher-and he raved of Lydia to the
Indian woman who sat beside him and
the negro servant who liked him well.
The next day he was conscious again
but very week. He felt as if he could
easily slip away. And he asked the
negro to send to the post certain letter
that was going to the United States,
thousands of miles away. Hardly had he
done giving his few, feeble instructions
when some of the Indian boys came hurry
ing in TO tell him that "A canoe had come
up the river with people, white, tall, and
II lady, with many bundles and other
things. A beautiful young lady. Cory
wondered vaguely until shadow fell
upon the threshod-and n moment later,
as if an angel dawning from heaven,
lydia stood beside him and bent TO take
him into her arms
II knew" she sobbed softly, and i'm
her tears his face felt rs cool and re-
freshed and Joy lighted rs a rose in the
Summer rain. II knew that you would
be i'll. And would not wri,c-for |
was almost ready to fetch you. For |
knew YOU would not come back alone.
And had been working and saving the
money for months-and only few weeks
were lacking. So | would not write
but came. And your uncle asks you to
forgive and forget. For it was Mason
who stole the money-with Hannah's
help And so you will go back with me-"
LYDIA" he whispered, chow could
you come to this plaoe-thousands of
miles through all these dangers-by
land and sea AMI sea and land Am
dreaming, Lydia Have YOU come all
this wny alone Through all these strange
ways ~
"Do YOU think, " she sobbed, "do you
think there is any road too long. too
hard for woman TO travel If the one she
loves is at the end p
mo road. said Cory, softly. But
YOU knew loved you--even before my
lettcr-aud then YOU knew IL again