The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-26

happen to think he is sick"
! stopped down and took of the baby's
bonnet. IF he dies l shall blame you" I
said, and before he could stop me / ran out
with the baby in my arms. He waited n
moment, then saddled the horse, for our
men had already unharnessed them. and
rode away.
Late in the afternoon the baby began TO
scream as he had never before. and l
Swede. to help me. He held the child
while / tried all the remedies | knew. then
when 1t was quieter he rode off for Mrs:
Bonn 1t seemed hours before he brought
her back. but the baby had been still all
the time and was less worried She
I h1rrlGd in IN ITO TO I Tay side de- knett down low ana
she said sadly. the dear baby's dying"
L remember 1 gave a cry that did not
sound like my voice at all. and then faint
ed When L came back to life Glenn was
beside me-, so white and miserable / might
have pitied him, but 1 would not. / turned
away.
He wanted me to go home that winter.
and faded.
| had never written a word but that we
We're prosperous and happy, and knew be-
sides the season had been bad. the crops
poor, and | felt Glenn had made a mistake
IN taking this ranch, which was fit only for
cattle He was very quiet and thoughtful
al the winter, Borrowing i thought over
his failures and wasted work. / was glad
olsen was with us. and yet / think when a
wife Is glad of a third person it is very
sad and deplorable.
Another summer came. and with the soft
June days Mrs. France and a number of
city guests. There were gay parties and
plcnicS where we were invited. but / never
went. Glenn accepted some of the invita-
lions, though, and was angry that I would
not go with him. / had nothing to wear,
and he could not understand the difference
between his picturesque frontiersman's cos
tune; that suited his bronzed face and
broad shoulders, and my old faded gowns
on an exceedingly plain little person. Then
L had no saddle or habit. | used to long
then Tor the old home DAYS tho nnnrry
young folks. the pretty dresses and music.
Imagine. | had not seen a piano since I
in a while L thought of these things. but
said nothing. Had love and caresses been
given me L would never have thought Of
The day before the Fourth Of July Mrs.
France rode over and asked us to come to a
picnic she was going to give to celebrate on
the morrow. elem said he would like TO go,
and would try to persuade me. 1 noticed
that he walked a long way beside her horse.
and that they. were in deep conversation,
for she stopped a long time. looking toward
the house. In the morning Glenn had the
horses harnessed to the wagon and was
dressed In his best: When he came to break
fast | remember that he was nervous and
Kept looking at me furtively.
DO dress up and go. Molly" he said,
Wnen handed MIN his coffee. be your old,
sweet self. Why do you try to be so bitter
and unhappy"
! choked then. 1 was near throwing my
self in his arms and crying. "Oh, love me
as you used to: pet me and kiss me I am
starving for love. My heart is breaking"
But suddenly 1 remembered the day before
how Interested they were.
You are so used to going without me I
might spoil your pleasure" I said coldly.
He turned and lifted my chin, looking into
my eyes. TT can't be possible that you are
so silly as to be jealous of Mrs. France"
he said slowly.
There certainly is no jealousy where
there is no love-" 1 cried holly.
Poor little slave" he said sadly. at took
you from the happiest home In the world
gfng him to begin over again and we might
be happy. when he went on-"And yet they
say wives are impatient and enduring, sat
tsted to accept rainy as well az pleasant
days. No girl raised as you were ought
to marry a poor man. We have made a
Haven't 1 done your work we'll, as we'll
as any farmers daughter used TO the life?'
l cried IN anger-'can you not even be fair
you have lone my work too WELL" he
answered; 1t was a useless sacrifice" He
you going with me?''
"A dowdy in a faded gown and a queer
hatmno; | keep where L belong. You might
Mrs. France saw me washing"
Just put that silly idea out of your
head he said sternly; II never could be
You may be right in dlslikins me. 1 fancy
I never was a lovable man; in fact, 1 never
was much used to womankind. having
Olsen will look after You if I'm not back
tonight. Goodbye"
wagon. | watched him out of sight, then I
went into the bedroom. l put on a stout
dress and shoes. packed a few little things l
cared for, and flung on my sunbonnet. I
told Olsen L was going over to Mrs. Bohm's
and might stay all night, and started for
her house. When 1 thought he could no
longer see me. L left the path and struck
across the country to the trail that led to
the public road some miles beyond Mrs.
~ &C m N We &c 80 - ali
trail to town when he was on horseback.
L Kept steadily on over level land, through
cactus and sage brush, then further ahead
l went over rolling ground. hill-like
mounds, and then descended into a valley
Dry creek anyon / did not stop to eat
or drink; In fact. there was no water for
and sitting. and the few scorched willows
alcng the sandy creek bed afforded no
shelter at all. / noticed early in the after
neon wagon tracks where a team had come
down the low banks into the creek bed.
saw that some one was ahead OF me.
abandoned ranch, where emigrants often
stopped. | began to feel fear now. l re-
membered L was a woman and alone. but
yon and gone over the hills to this place.
l Kept on. determined not to give up so
soon. Once when 1 looked back timor-
ously. frightened by the awful stiffness OF
the canyon, L saw the heavens were dark
and angry.
Soon dull thunder peals echoed from the
100 pAha q oAAaA ~ lld0AA VI llkllilltlE udZ-
zled me for a moment. 1 knew one of
those sudden and terrible thunderstorms
peculiar TO a mountainous country was
upon me. 1 believed half of my unhappi-
ness at the ranch was caused by the fact
that | had to stay alone in thunderstorm
ers, ano the terror they inspired then will
never lei. re me. AS the roar grew louder.
the light more vivid. 1 began 10 long for
human companionship. / prayed might
find the wagon and a woman in It, and 1
planned a story to tell the people that
would explain my strange anDearance. I
ran faster all the while with the energy
of n terrible despair.
The air grew close and murky. the sky
overcast, the clouds lo~w-hanging, and a
strange. moaning wind swept down the
canyon, rustling the scattered willows. A
rev rain drops battered on my shoulder.
and L wished for my shawl that in my ex-
the rattle OF wheels, and Just ahead. as 7
turned a bend In the creek. / saw a wagon
going rapidly down the canyon. The driver
"a man-was sitting with bowed head, and
close TO him. He refined in his horses and
looke1 back. Molly" he cried.
In my fright and haste l had recognized
neither team nor driver. / stood an. looked
at him In miserable dismay. yet l was glad.
too. for the thunder storm was very nresent
and real. and my running away was all a
miserable failure. AT least Glenn would be
with me now, If we never saw each other
again.
Where were you going?" he said, coldly.
n nasty answer arose TO my lips, arrested
at the instant by the strange expression on
face. He was looking up the canyon;
l turned, and saw. far above, a dark line,
Ike a number of cattle crossing the creek
bed. The rain was coming now in great,
swift sheets, while the thunder reverberated
over the farawav hills and the lightning
flung its red glare across our white faces.
Glenn ran to the horses, cut their harness